Stay Comfortable in Heels w/o Compromising Style

怎么才能买到又舒服又好看的高跟鞋呢？这是很多女性头疼的问题。好看的鞋子不舒服，舒服的鞋子不好看，似乎是永恒的真理，其实事情没有那么糟糕。鞋子好看不好看一眼就能看出来，好穿不好穿就有窍门了。挑选鞋子要注意以下几点：

• 材料。里外全皮最透气，皮面革底次之，全革的鞋子最好不要买。
• 鞋跟。除非你的脚很大，前后落差3寸（75毫米）左右的鞋是最好的，走起来不累，看起来还是高跟鞋的感觉。4寸（100毫米）和4寸以上的跟很少有走起来舒服的。我的大部分高跟鞋，都是落差3寸左右的，4寸的鞋也有，基本上就是出门打车进门坐下的场合才穿。
• 前脚掌。有软垫的鞋子比薄薄的前脚掌要舒服。比如Cole Haan Nike Air系列的鞋，走路就很舒服。
• 稳定性。把鞋放在一个水平面上，用手从旁边轻轻推一下，如果鞋左右晃悠老半天，穿的时候就很费力，好穿的鞋子重心应该很稳，不应该有剧烈和持续的晃动。

这些都检测以后，就可以穿上走走。别不好意思，多走几步，地毯上硬地板上都要走走，直走，拐弯，上下楼梯，都试试。这个试穿跟买车前的试车一样，很重要的，你要理直气壮不嫌麻烦。

照片上是一双非常舒服的Cole Haan air Juliana pump 75。 Cole Haan 的鞋说不上最骚，但是在同等价位里绝对是最舒服的。如果你喜欢低跟鞋的话，他家还有Cole Haan air Juliana pump 45。也不一定非买air Juliana啦，他家凡是名字里带air的鞋子都还挺舒服的。除了Cole Haan Nike Air系列，再找舒服的高跟鞋基本上就得几倍的价钱了。Taryn Rose 也挺舒服的，价格也不贵，但是样式不如Cole Haan的秀气，可选择的样式也少。 

照片上的紫色真丝衬衣来自Ralph Lauren black label，花花铅笔裙来自Elie Tahari，银色细腰带来JCrew。

We New Yorkers walk a lot. One question I keep getting from ladies is: where can I find a pair of comfortable heels that's not too ugly? It seems that style and comfort do not co-exist. This is not true.

It's easy to know whether you like the style or not at the first glance. But sometimes it's a bit tricky to tell whether you will be able to walk in this pair for hours without any foot pain. From my experience, you need to run a quick check list even before you put it on:

Material. Leather breathes better than synthetics, as a rule of thumb. If a pair has both leather upper and leather insoles, most likely you won't get a pair of sweaty cold feet after a while. Your second choice will be leather upper and synthetic insoles. I would avoid all heels labeled "faux leather" or "man-made material".

Heels. Unless you have big feet, I recommend a heel-to-toe drop of around 3 inches. I've been wearing heels for years and still find anything above 4 inches challenging. Well, I am a tiny size 5 and may have fewer options, but in general, 3-inch is the sweet spot that you can find both style and comfort.

Foot bed. Apparently cushioned food bed tends to protect each step you take. A good example is Cole Haan Nike Air series, where you have soft cushion under your balls. Other brands may not have an air cushion underneath your foot, but they should not be too thin or too hard to the touch. 

Stability. If the shoes are well made, they will stand tall and have a stable center of gravity. Put the shoe on a flat surface and push it from the side. If it swings left and right for quite a while before it stops, it will be a nightmare walking in them. Your foot has to work hard to keep your steps in line. A well made shoe shall be able to hold its center of gravity and not move side to side crazily on a light push. 

If the shoes have successfully passed all the above check points, put it on and walk. Make sure that you feel it on both carpet and hard surface. Walk for a decent distance, make turns, and, if possible, walk up and down a couple of stairs. This test walk is as important as the test drive of your new car. Take your time and don't be shy. You are entitled to check out the shoes thoroughly.

In this picture, I was wearing a pair of Cole Haan air Juliana pump 75. Cole Haan may not have the most sexy heels in the world, but it definitely offers the most comfortable pairs in its price range.  If, for whatever reason, you prefer even lower heels, Cole Haan also have low heel options such as Cole Haan air Juliana pump 45. This brand has other comfortable styles too. Just look for "air" in the product name to enjoy the cushion from Nike Air technology. Taryn Rose is another brand that offers comfortable heels that won't break your bank. But its style selection is very limited.

Dark purple silk shirt: Ralph Lauren black label
Floral pencil skirt: Elie Tahari
Silver skinny belt: JCrew