Rev RuRu did some research on women’s shoes for the pulpit.
They’re all fine, I guess, except that to wear any of them would kill me in my soul. But that’s just me. God knows I’d rather see my colleagues in a nice, solid loafer than Bierkenstocks or black sneakers or whatever other atrocities I’ve witnessed walking down the sanctuary aisle in my time.
Those Fluevogs are very comfortable but far too stylin’ for most settings, I should think. I mean, there’s stylish and then there’s distractingly stylish.
I also must say that I prefer a nice loafer (SHINED, PLEASE) to cutesy Mary Janes. I love my Dansko Mary Janes (thanks for constantly recommending them, gang) because they’re square enough not to look like MJ’s, and they’re not pumps. Pumps just hurt, man. I have to have a wedge heel on Sundays, that’s all there is to it.
RuRu, what the HAY is with those unpedicured flip-flop clad feet on your blog, woman!!!?? I almost had to click off the page! How many times has PeaceBang told y’all, no one wants to see your BARE FEET!!
Heh, I’ve owned those black Franco Sartos for at least 7 or 8 years now (I think I’m actually on my second pair). To my mind they are the absolutely perfect neutral black shoe. Certainly I have shoes in my closet with a lot more personality, but personality isn’t always what I’m looking for…I love them for funerals, preaching, or really anytime I need a basic black shoe that doesn’t draw attention to itself. I see them as classic rather than dull, but Lord knows YMMV.
Here are a couple of pairs I just got for fall that have a bit more zing:
http://www.zappos.com/product/7674149/color/3
http://www.zappos.com/product/7666758/color/574
[Oh my heavens!! LOVE LOVE LOVE your new shoesies!!!! – PB]
I’ve gotta say I love a mary jane, particularly with vestments. They sort of add an “evensong at oxford” vibe. Plus they are a little funky and a little prim at the same time, which is interesting to me. The Dansko ones may be a bit clunky, but those others are just cool in my opinion (I do love my danskos but not with vestments).
I don’t really “get” why many female clergy gravitate to Mary Janes. I understand the reasoning that they’re a little bit funky and a little bit prim, but for me the schoolgirl (or puk rock/goth) associations both absolutely kill it for me. I’ve never seen a truly powerful, professional woman in business wear Mary Janes and pull it off either… but perhaps some do and my experience is just too limited to see that.
I would wear those Born ones in a heartbeat, but with a more everyday outfit.
I want to know what kind of calls women have that they can afford $100 for one pair of shoes? [Senior pastor, generous congregation, no children, good saver/budgeter/bad feet. I can’t speak for anyone else. – PB]
Hi Joelle,
If your question about $100 shoes is referring to my post, that would be a part-time Associate Pastor call. Thanks for asking!
@ Joelle–if you don’t have a huge shoe wardrobe, and go quality over quantity, one or two pairs of $100 shoes keep better than 10 pairs of $25 ones…
@ Meredith–the maryjanes sometimes are a good thing if your worship leadership involves going up and down steps (to the altar, pulpit, etc). A cute, low-profile pump or ballet flat can too easily slip off the foot, which is a worse faux-pas than a maryjane.
That seems a legitimate reason to me for some, if you have a foot that slip-ons or pumps don’t fit on properly. I can’t imagine that’s why I see a lot of preaching women go for Mary Janes. I get that they’re a way to “dress up” the flat or orthopedic shoes and they have a bit more aesthetic to them, but that doesn’t sell it for me.
I think my issue is mostly the “sexy schoolgirl” idea, but also that there’s a lot of truly heinous, clunky Mary Janes out there that look like a six-year-old’s shoe crossed with an orthopedic shoe… too young and too old at the same time, and not full of positive connotations.
The only other person I can think of in a female professional situation I’ve seen wear Mary Janes is a well-respected cardiologist who wears them sometimes during clinic days, but that’s not with a suit and they were a pump-style.
Again, I get that they’re a way to “dress up” the orthopedic shoes and they have a bit more aesthetic to them… but to me personally I can’t. Perhaps if my arches fall and I can’t keep loafers on while walking up steps in twenty years I’ll think differently…. perhaps not. 🙂