Heels without the heel
February 29th, 2008
Footwear designers Antonio Berardi and Marc Jacobs are selling these soaring “heel-less heels” in their prêt-a porter collections. These styles weren’t just created for catwalk appeal; they’re actually selling them at a retail level. Apparently fashionistas are champing at the bit to buy them. I’m not one of those fashionistas and I can think of a million other ways to spend $3700. I can’t imagine what it’s like walking in these ridiculous shoes. Much like tiptoeing on stilts perhaps. They’re bad for your feet, back and posture and they don’t even look nice. Am I alone?
Heel-less heels from Marc Jacobs.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:36 am
No you are certainly not alone. It could be interesting to see people trying to walk in them though.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Leave it to a man to design something for women that is so utterly ridiculous.
If I saw a picture of Marc Jacobs wearing a pair of these, rather than the super comfy Converse sneakers he usually wears, I might be able to take these shoes a bit more seriously.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:44 am
I don’t even like wearing heels *with* the heel! At least heels can be attractive; these are downright ugly.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:55 am
You’re not alone, they look off balance.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Another amazing feat for womankind. Brings new meaning to the phrase “don’t complain until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes”.
On a semi related topic, I saw a bumper sticker recently. It said: “Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did only backwards and in high heels.”
Happy leap day!
February 29th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Wow, I get dizzy just looking at those things! I couldn’t imagine actually trying to walk in them. They definitely do look off-balance.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I concur with the rest - this style looks impossible to wear (especially in the pic with the foot actually IN the shoe!) and pretty silly. I guess it’s all about innovation and doing something new, but I think they struck out on this one. Design a shoe that “looks” like it has a heel but DOESN’T - and I’ll buy it.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Add my name to the list! The “heels” look so … incomplete! But, I LOVE the bumper sticker!
February 29th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Ugh! Those are SO wrong.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:35 am
ewww.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Rarely do I indulge the temptation to use words I do not allow my children to use, but it can’t be helped in this case:
Those are stupid.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
$3700 for breaking up your feet? No thank you, I rather fund my retirement account.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
It would be so awkward seeing someone walking down the streets in those…and imagine driving…
February 29th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I love Marc Jacobs from the bottom of my heart, but these actually make me angry! I can understand them in an avant garde, artistic sort of way, but that’s where it ends. Any shoe that results in women being placed in a submissive position disturbs me. These are unhealthy and dangerous all at once, and nothing short of modern day footbinding.
And yes, I agree, they’re also quite hideous.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Ewwwww.
March 1st, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I agree with Maya. This is a little extreme for a woman at retail level. Regular heels are bad for your back (though I love them), but these? These are crazy. If you lean too far back you’ll fall flat on your ass! At least with a heel there’s some sort of support!
March 1st, 2008 at 6:04 pm
The first pair of these shoes that I saw had a very large ball at the toe (like on the second shoe shown only bigger). It was dainty, rounded, and slipper like in shape. Who wears shoes like this. Tinkerbell! Remember that, like Barbie, her feet are permanently molded into a high heel shape, as though her slippers have invisible heels. I immediately assumed that’s who these shoes were designed to emmulate. I didn’t even think the allusion was meant to be subtle or hidden, but a lot of people don’t seem to have noticed it. Recently there’s been a focus on very sweet and childish but proper looks , like dying your hair platinum blonde, and wearing a wide black headband and a pussy bow blouse to look like Alice in wonderland. The tinkerbell shoes that were on the runway are an extremely literal interpretation of this trend. They are meant to be sweet, whimsical and seemingly impossible. Unfortunately, some of the newer ones look like work shoes with a broken heel. It’s nice to see a completely new take on shoes every once in a while. Anyone who sees these as a new form of sadomasochistic female torture is missing the point. Remember, your not intended to go jogging in these things.
March 2nd, 2008 at 6:02 am
No, you’re not alone, those shoes are so ugly they made me gag!
They look like a form of alien shoe.
They also look like they would put your foot into excruciating pain.
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I agree with plushpengin, I think these are an example of people who want to push fashion forward. They may have missed the target, but they weren’t intended to torture women or anything.
March 2nd, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Ha! Shame on the women who actually buy these!
Remember that silly dress with the arms that were attached to the hips of the dress? I’d like to see someone wearing THAT dress with THOSE shoes. Now that would be funny!
March 2nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Hideous. O my WORD!
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:45 am
They look ridiculous.
March 8th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
They look gimmicky to me.
March 10th, 2008 at 6:54 am
I like them. It’s nice to see something truly new in shoes. I’m not saying they’re for everyday, but wow!
Hey, I also liked the dress with the sleeves attached at the bottom, and, yes, I think these shoes would go GREAT with it.
May 24th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Those look really strange.