Ariel Clark: denim and green, Jefferson Street, Roanoke
Name: Ariel Clark
Something you would never be caught wearing? “I don’t like paisley patterns or pastel colors.”
What’s this outfit’s signature piece? “My green parka.”
Where to get it: GAP
Occupation: Art director at Neathawk Dubuque & Packett
Age: 29
Location: Jefferson Street, Roanoke
Date: Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Time: 3:10 p.m.
——————
What caught my eye: First off, these are the kind of shoes you wear to work ladies!
Why don’t more women have a pair of heels like this stowed away under their desks? The trend of shape-ups during the downtown Roanoke lunch hour needs to go. Most people who work downtown don’t have that far to walk by city standards — a city block in New York or Charlotte are twice the distance of our blocks in downtown Roanoke. I promise your feet won’t hate you for the several hundred yards you may
hoof.
If you must swap out your kicks for lunch, get some ballet flats. Moving on.
Military-style parka’s like Ariel’s are classic, designers have been copying this garment for years. The best part, her coat isn’t from a high-end department store, she got it from the GAP. You don’t have to spend a lot to get a lot.
January 10, 2013 - 9:21 AM
ALL kinds of AWESOME
Carrie Bradshaw eat your heart out!
Her scarf,glasses and skinny jeans are wonderful.
pretty lady ,lotsa style.
I agree – workout shoes belong only in the gym!
She looks very stylish. Love the shoes.
Personally, I have several pair like that, and use to wear them a lot. But I now have back issues and cannot wear them at all, even for a few hundred yards, or else I will be basically crippled. I do miss them and try to find stylish flats to wear.
how ironic that your last two posts both worked for the same company! I love this look, but possibly even moreso I love her pose in the first photo. How did you get her to do that?! I’ve never felt so seduced by a parka…
@Jake, haha.. I’ll take my subjects in numbers whenever possible. Glad you like her outfit, I love this coat as well.
@Susan, have you ever considered a 2.5″ – 3″ wedge? Might be something you can pull up with its added support in the sole with your back issues. Anything else than 2.5″ just looks stumpy as far as heels go. Good play sticking to stylish flats though since heels
Why don’t you get a pair of these shoes and wear them to work for a couple of weeks ?
David — In your Jan. 29 column, you wrote that Ariel Clark’s shoes caught your eye because “these are the kind of shoes you wear to work, ladies!” Have we gone back to the 1950s? What kind of work??? These aren’t practical/comfortable/safe shoes for many types of jobs, even “office jobs.” And, gee, why is a MAN telling women what they should wear?
You recommend a 2.5 inch – to 3-inch wedge because anything else looks “stumpy”???? Have you spoken to an orthopedist or a physical therapist? You also said that women who work in downtown Roanoke don’t have to walk far and “I promise your feet won’t hate you for the several hundred yards you may hoof.” Really? Based on what?
Back up your “promise.” Buy a pair of 3- or 4-inch heels and try wearing them for a week. (Area retailers carry women’s shoes up to size 11 or 12, so you should be able to find a pair that will fit you.) Wear them all day, every day, and report your findings. (One or two days isn’t sufficient; it takes longer for the effects to hit your knees, hips, lower back and the rest of your spine.)
Game on?
OMG, are you kidding me? I can promise YOU that some high heels cause pain just from walking across the room, let alone from, say, the newspaper building to Metro. Sure, these heels look great, but unless you wear them yourself please spare us your ignorant, chauvinistic “promises.”
On the other hand, your suggestion about ballet flats is a good one. Go figure.
@Christina Koomen, @Alison and @Sparticus Katt, where to start.
Ok, so my understanding of the structure of both men and women shoes comes from my time working for a master shoe cobbler. After he decided to retire I just kept on learned about shoes from other sources. This was all pre-Wikipedia. That being said, when it comes to shoes or in this instance high heels, not all are created equal.
Foot pain and back issues from light to medium use in heels is simply due to low quality shoes. being that the shoe is suspended so high, a quality shoe will need a strong heel to hold you up. If the heel is week, is causes your foot to be unsupported which means you will start supporting your standing weight to the ball of your foot which is not what you want. To complement the heel support, the shoe needs a strong metal made shank. A shoe shank is a ridged piece of metal that goes from the heel to about the end of the arch in the foot. Even some of your “high end” department store shoes are made with cheap shanks, usually plastic. If its weak you will again be unbalanced and get zero support through the arch in your foot, not distributing your weight evenly across your foot, giving you bad pressure points. Its painful to just think about it. The last basic build factor to a heel that is needed for comfort is the foot bed, the cushy stuff that lets your feet form to the shoe. High quality shoes often use a cork material in the foot bed. Cork based foot beds can actually be removed and replaced by a shoe repair man, giving your worn shoes new life.
Next on the list is fit. Simply put, if your heels do not fit properly you will cause all kinds of issues and none of the above will matter. High heels that are too small or big will just cause the dreaded “wobble walk” also. Your heel shoe fit snugly along the side of your foot all the way to the ball of the foot, but not squeezing your toes together. Also, you heel needs to sit firmly into the back of the shoe. One cause of high heel discomfort comes from when your foot slips down in the shoe. They make little mid-sole grips that will keep your foot firmly in its place.
On to height. Heels around 2″ are the type of shoe you wear when you get into your golden years or what you give to your pre-teen daughter to teach her how to walk in high heels. I’m a strong believer in all or nothing in the high heel department. Its just as uncomfortable to watch a women who can’t walk in her heels because they are too high or poorly fitted, as it is to see a grown women we’re a 1 1/2″ high heel. Its like someone cut them down as a practical joke. My suggestion of 2 1/2″ – 3″ heels is because this is the height of a heel where the angles of the foot in the shoe still offers stability, even weight distribution, which in turn makes them comfortable at a fashionable height. Anything taller that isn’t platformed is officially at the foots extreme extension and will look just as uncomfortable as they probably are. If you want to literately stand on your toes, take ballet, don’t do it in your street shoes. Some stilettos are just beyond reason even in my book. While we’re on the topic of height, my wife only wheres 5″ heels. however they are all platformed. Modern platform high heels are actually made well, where they give the a little back rock in the foot placement so you are forced to rest your weight into the heel which reduces fatigue.
Just so you know, there are some mens work books that have 2″ heels on then. If I were a lady, I wouldn’t let my man ever wear heels taller than any of my shoes. Heck, mens Latin ballroom dance shoes have 2″ heels on them. More reason to go tall.
A little side note, the width of the heel also has a play in how much support you get.
As far as your comments referring to medical issues related to wearing high heels. Although wearing heels wont help these issues, those women with back problems will likely have other complications contributing to their back issues, please don’t blame high heels. I’ve met plenty of people who have back, knee, joint issues who wear sneakers exclusively. If you have major back issues, don’t wear heels, point blank. If you want to try to defend Comfort shoes, just remember they are driven by consumerism just much as fashionable high heels are. We had energy absorbing cushion sole sneakers, then shape ups, now those 5 finger shoe things. No matter the market, its driven supply and demand and what’s “in.”
As far as walking from the Roanoke Times building to metro and back in high heels, I’m sticking to my guns here. If you think that’s a far walk in heels or in general, then I honestly don’t know what to say. Stay in and pack your lunch? Three blocks is not that far to go in any pair of shoes.
If you think my advice on high heels is because I’m a man, re-read what I’m suggesting. I’m encouraging everyone, including guys, to be willing to take more chances with their wardrobe. The extremes of what you wear will change as you age, but if your under the age of 50 and a women, you shouldn’t limit yourself to shape ups, Uggs and flats when it comes to shoes. It would be a true tragedy in fashion to give up so soon in life. Also, I grew up with two women, and my Mother and older sister wouldn’t think twice of not wearing heels to work. My mom actually keeps a pair of steel toe shoes at her office because of the nature of her job, but you better believe she special ordered them, and they are super cute steel toe shoes. She’s in her 50′s and still rocking 2-3″ heels like a champ.
Not to keep this going on forever, but men actually created high heels for themselves then for women. It was a status thing. Also, in fashion the most influential women shoe designers have been men. You might have more opinions on that comment, but I don’t think they do it for an gender dominance thing.
As far as asking me to wear high heels, I wear a mens size 12. SO! If you all want to rally and find a charity to benefit. If you raise some money for good, I will happily take your challenge and spend an entire afternoon walking around downtown Roanoke shooting street style in a pair 2-3″ heels.
If you all want to rally and find a charity to benefit. If you raise some money for good, I will happily take your challenge and spend an entire afternoon walking around downtown Roanoke shooting street style in a pair 2-3″ heels.
Put your own money where your mouth is David. You have the forum to do it in. A series on Men in Heels. Shop for them, walk in them, document it all.
I’m not sure I understand you Tass, but a mens high heel series in a no-go. Sorry. I stand firmly on my opinion that women should wear heels, and as often as possible.