Last week I saw three women wearing what I can only describe as ‘fuck off’ stilettos. All were walking down the street, confidently going about their day in needle-thin, sky-high heels. OK, two were technically boots, but the sharp, spindly silhouette felt similar – and somehow shocking to me.
New Zealanders are not known for dressing up in the day-to-day but we are famous for our commitment comfort, and globally there’s been plenty of discourse that ‘heels are over’ thanks to changing work habits and the enduring influence of streetwear on our wardrobes. But seeing these three women (‘three’s a trend’ goes the saying) in the span of a few days – and watching the rise of Lauren Sánchez-core – made me think I should be taking these sharp points more seriously.
My ankles could never, but that doesn’t mean they’re not a thing worth exploring. I wanted to potentially write something about these stilettos and offer some local options to shop, but quickly found that few local brands or stores actually offer them (give it six months to a year). Our allegiance to the midi block heel, lug sole and grounded boot remains strong – though Rosalie Burns’ ankle boot collab with Mi Piaci is one subtle, and almost sold out, version of the thin heel.
So here we are at a totally different kind of edit: the most practical of boots that keep you close to the ground. The opposite of ‘fuck off’ stilettos: low-effort flats.
Given our aforementioned penchant for comfort dressing, there’s no shortage of good flat (or almost flat) boots around right now. The highest heel here is a 7.5cm block on Mi Piaci’s brown suede knee-high, followed by Merchant 1948’s 5cm wide-calf style – solid, sturdy and basically flat.
Then there are the true comfort classics: R.M.Williams’ ‘Gardener’ ankle boot and Dr Martens’ chunky Chelsea. Commonplace Essentials’ are a collaboration with local makers McKinley (so you know they will last for years), and are an updated version of the hiker boot – literally called the ‘Glasto’ boot.
Commonplace Essentials x McKinley boots, $339 (made in NZ)
Merchant 1948 ankle boots, $370
R.M.Williams boots, $799
Bared Footwear boots, $449
Dr Martens boots, $350
Bronwyn boots, $499
Mi Piaci suede boots, $600
Merchant 1948 wide-calf boots, $460
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