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Monday, March 28, 2016

Flats



 My Ballet Flat Collection 

I identify as a pretty feminine person but one stereotypical girly article of clothing that I hate is flats. It takes me back to a male place;  think penny loafer without the penny.  Flats are the epitome of sacrificing beauty for comfort.  Almost the quintessential man repellent.  Well, not as bad as a pair of Uggs (aptly named) or Birkenstocks, but these are in special class of their own.


Ballet flats (especially the cheap ones) are a step up from house slippers, and only marginally better than flip-flops. They really are a casual, "basic" shoe.

Heels are my go to girly fix so here are some numbers I found - 77 percent of women wear heels for special occasions, just over half wear them to parties and social events, and 31 percent wear them to work. Studies have shown that these towering shoes can be costly in more ways than one, taking their toll on your spine, hips, knees, ankles and feet, while altering your posture and gait. But yet we wear then and we lust after them.

'I've spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live? I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes!'  Carrie Bradshaw - Sex In the City

However, last fall  I was looking into a seasonal job that was going to require me to be on my feet a good portion of the time.  Think retail and “shop girl”.  I noticed that few of the makeup sale associates at the high end makeup counters were wearing heels so I looked seriously at flats as a "reasonable" alternative.  I found an outstanding selection at Talbots "Jilly Ballet Flats" with enough colors at that time to make a fashion statement under a drab smock. I turned down the job because of other commitments, however pictured above is the collection of flats that I now own.  Maybe someday.

Until then, I do occasionally wear flats and many times keep a pair in my car.  They are perfect for a quick dart into the mall on the way to an event or dinner.  Plus in flats we do draw less attention and more easily blend.  That simple concession to “being reasonable” can add hours to an evening in heels
.

That is exactly what I did just last week for a shopping stop to the mall. The cute blue heart pattern ballet flats were perfect and almost matched my skirt.  I have learned that needing to avoid heels does not always summons the fashion police.  There are plenty of options and ways to wear flat shoes that can keep you stylish especially at work and shopping. 

So, I guess I don't hate flats as much as I thought.  

Give us your opinion of flats.   How do you make then work?  I have not tried female flats as unisex look yet but have seen photos on the web.    Have you tried that?  

2 comments:

  1. Wearing a truly flat flat feels very different than my man shoes. So I have allowed my brain to associate them with feminine. So I do wear them occasionally and feel good about it.

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  2. HI Leann,

    Thanks for the comment. Very true - It is all about how our brain perceives.

    Rhonda

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