Self Portrait, in Flats

If you haven't noticed by now, I'm a shoe girl. I don't know what it is, but I just find shoes fascinating. While clothing changes its shape depending on the wearer's body, shoes are perfect little sculptures, whether on the foot or in the box. The countless combinations of silhouette, material, and color in a well-stocked shoe department can be surprising and delightful.

However, I recently realized that the shoes I find the most surprising and delightful almost always have a heel. Maybe it's the sex appeal of a stiletto, or the Amazon height provided by a platform, but somehow footwear with a heel seems more of a shoe to me than footwear without. But going through an entire week in 4-inch heels can make even the sexiest Amazon cranky. 

So the back ache makes you pull those old reliable flats out of the closet, and then you walk around all day feeling short and dumpy. Seems like a lose-lose situation— tall, sexy, and in pain, or short, dumpy, and comfortable . . .

Keeping this conundrum in mind, I'm always looking for flats that have the personality of their taller cousins— shoes that have the look-at-me attitude of a stiletto— but none of the pain-inducing height.

These are two of my favorite pairs of flats. They have such strong personalities. The pale pink patent leather flats are sweet and girly. The knit flats are strong and sophisticated. They definitely hold their own next to the 3 and 4-inch heels in my closet. I even find myself pulling them out on days when my feet don't hurt.

And the extra height? Well, being petite can be sexy, too . . .

(Flats photos © Littlehouse of Style)