Change is upon us
I’m not quite sure whether it’s the summer wedges in the back of my closet or Carrie’s stilettos in my current rewatch of Sex and the City, but something in the back of my mind keeps telling me sneakers are out, and heeled shoes are back in.
I know what you’re thinking. Heels? More like Hells! But let me tell you, Hells are out and Heels are in. What’s the difference?
“Hells”
The 4-inch, red-soled, foot-numbing shoes that make you question if your feet are still attached and if all 10 toes will ever be the same again. These shoes dominated the world of women’s footwear over the past 70 years, but whether it was comfort, feminism, or practicality, something always pulled women away from the bone-structure-altering (albeit sexy) shoes. In our generation, this wake-up call came with COVID-19.
During COVID, the only comforting thing in our world was the relief women’s feet felt in our work-from-home Uggs. Women’s shoes saw a 65% drop in high-heeled sales as women searched for the perfect shoe to match their Zoom outfits. The answer to their prayer came in the form of Nike Air Forces, Dunks, and Adidas Sambas. These shoes kept our attention for a number of years, but once sneakers with heels came to play, we knew things had gone a step too far. This left women once again searching for the perfect shoe, yearning to feel sexy and fabulous: a desperation only cured by heels.
“HEELS”
Cute, playful, fun-loving, shoes that make you feel powerful, beautiful, feminine, and all with your toes still attached. Heels are what we see coming back across the globe. They snuck back into date night attire, crept into offices, and even worse, have debuted in the classrooms of St Andrews. First came boots, a heel in disguise, then came the Mary Janes, and now Vogue says kitten heels are popping up left and right. Before we even noticed, heels once again had us in their grip.
A NEW ERA
This time around, something in the air feels different. The hells of the past have taken a backseat, making room for comfort-forward heels that don’t come with a side of foot trauma. This age of comfy heels includes things like kitten heels, little pumps, short Mary Janes, and mini block heels — heels are back, and they didn’t come to mess around!
A new generation of clip-cloppers is upon us, and we’re doing it on our own terms. Gone are the days of silent suffering in the name of style. Today’s heels are flirty, functional, and finally forgiving. Call it fashion evolution or women finally being allowed in the room where it happens, either way, heels are back, and they’re actually fun again.