4" Is The New 3"

Guiseppe Zanotti Crisscross Zip-Back Pump

Guiseppe Zanotti Pebbled Leather Boots

Maison Martin Margiela Ovine Wedge Sandals

Not long ago, the highest heel height that a woman had to contend with was the now-paltry 3-inch heel. I remember the slight mental discomfort I had to confront when purchasing a pair that high and the mental discipline it took to habituate myself to the strain of walking all day in them. Now, those memories are almost ridiculous in light of the new trend in fashion: sky-high heel heights. Now, wherever I look, I can hardly find anything in the formerly-intimidating 3" heel; all of the above lust-worthy sandals are at least 4" and many even boast a crippling 5" or 6" heel height.

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It is true that there are the brave bloggers and women out there who can actually walk miles in these shoes. I see and am in awe. But unfortunately, I am not one of them. It is the nature of my beloved city, but I am forced to walk--and walk. (I can't remember the last time I drove anywhere myself.) It is also the nature of my job that I am on my feet constantly, running from floor to floor or pacing to and fro in my classroom. Since I rarely go to the gym, walking is my form of exercise, which I always do rigorously. As a result of these factors, I am loathe to subject my heavily-relied upon feet to hours of fashionable torture.

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However, as Yeats slyly reminded us, "a woman must labor to be beautiful." Or one must adapt to one's changing environment. Or perhaps a pair of shoes is too stunning to pass up--pain or no pain. I tell myself these things, and wonder if it is merely a mental impasse (rather than a physical one) that is causing this internal debate. Yes, the times they are a-changin', and it appears that I must change along with them. Thankfully, at least designers haven't given up the emancipating flat, which fits easily and neatly into my oversized bag, and which I can pull out when the hard, cracked, merciless streets of New York demand them.