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Marilyn Monroe once said, “Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she’ll conquer the world.”
She could have added, “If conquering the world is nothing more strenuous than staggering from cocktail bar to boudoir.”
Monroe became a star in the 1950s, the era of the stiletto, invented by Roger Vivier for Christian Dior to complement the extravagant ‘New Look’ – the ultimate antidote to the sensible fashion of the war years.
Since then, and despite wave after wave of feminism, women’s shoes haven’t really changed much.
Monroe became a star in the 1950s, the era of the stiletto, invented by Roger Vivier for Christian Dior to complement his extravagant ‘New Look’ – the ultimate antidote to the sensible fashion of the war years
As sexy as it is impractical, the stiletto has reigned as the ultimate icon of desirable footwear.
Designers, from Manolo Blahnik to Christian Louboutin, have all made the dazzling, spiky heel their trademark — and we’ve adored it accordingly.
But now it seems that the era of the stiletto is finally coming to an end. It’s less about the ‘f*** me’ shoe — and more about the ‘f*** me, that’s comfortable’ shoe. And not everyone understands.
Witness the way staff at a members’ club in the City of London treated a high-flying businesswoman wearing a pair of Russell & Bromley sneakers worth £195. She was furious when they moved her to a table in the corner near the kitchen because her footwear was deemed unsuitable.
And look at the reaction to Prime Minister Liz Truss’ decision to interview a pair of £138 white Reiss trainers at the Conservative Party conference. If you believe some commentators, she might as well have been in her pyjamas. to appear.
Shock, horror, woman wears comfortable shoes! Whatever?
Full disclosure: I’ve never been a fan of heels. My reasons are not so much political as practical. When I was young (and stupid), I desperately wanted to wear sexy, strappy numbers, like Carrie Bradshaw in Sex And The City.
And look at the reaction to Prime Minister Liz Truss’ decision to interview a pair of £138 white Reiss trainers at the Conservative Party conference. If you believe some commentators, she might as well have been in her pyjamas. to appear
But because of my giant Hobbit-shaped size 8 feet, it wasn’t to be. Even if I wanted to ruin a week’s pay on a pair of Manolos, I couldn’t because they just weren’t available in my size.
Nor were ballerinas — always the go-to choice for the off-duty fashionista — much better. My feet would just trickle down the sides like ripe brie.
That’s why I started wearing Superga sneakers. Growing up as teenagers in Turin, we all wore them: after all, that’s where the brand started in 1911.
They were comfortable, they came in my size – and they looked good, or so I thought.
Since then they have become hugely popular – spawning a million imitations.
Even our Queen Consort, Camilla, prefers a sneaker brand best known for its fashionable laces (I have several pairs).
From the Prime Minister to Prue Leith, sneakers are quickly replacing heels as the hallmark of a woman who means business. And if you don’t understand why, you miss an important point.
Because this is not just a practical shift; it is also a cultural one. It’s not just about the freedom of footwear that makes walking difficult or gets you stuck in a drain.
It is about a fundamental shift in women’s attitudes – away from a servile desire to please the opposite sex and towards a much more radical and rebellious idea: pleasing ourselves.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of room for a heel in a woman’s life. But there is a time and a place. Not everyone leads a car-to-kerb existence like the Duchess of Sussex or Victoria Beckham. Most of us have way too much on our plate without having to do it all on our tippy toes too.
So if the trainer fits, wear it. Life is too short for sore feet.
Time for Heidi om go under cover
When I took my daughter back to college over the weekend, we discussed who would be the most embarrassing to have as a mom: Madonna (who’s currently tossing her panties on TikTok) or Britney Spears (usually not even hers). We agreed it was probably Madonna, on the premise that you should never hug anyone younger than your oldest child (in her case, daughter Lourdes, 26 this week).
But now we have a new contender for the most embarrassing mom title: Heidi Klum, 49, who has posed for a series of lingerie ads alongside her 18-year-old daughter, Leni.
But now we have a new contender for the title Most Embarrassing Mum: Heidi Klum, 49, who has posed next to her 18-year-old daughter Leni for a series of lingerie ads.
Heidi, of course, looks great, no doubt thanks to all that gym work and, er, other work.
But really? There will definitely come a time when you just have to let the next generation take its rightful turn. . .
- I don’t care if Nicola Sturgeon says she despises all Tories. In fact, I’m relieved. The more she exposes herself to the divisive politician that she is, the more likely the people of Scotland have to see through her.
Extinguish Crime!
A group calling itself Tire Extinguishers is cutting the tires of 4x4s across the country in an effort to “make it impossible to own an SUV in urban areas.” When will we stop calling these groups “climate activists” and give them the name they deserve: criminals.
- Another podcast, another poor-little-me-ghan. The Duchess of Sussex says she has been labeled ‘crazy’ and ‘hysterical’, warning that such labels are being used against women to ‘minimize what they feel’. Honey, I don’t think there’s any danger of your feelings ever getting minimized.
Another podcast, another poor-little-me-ghan. The Duchess of Sussex says she has been branded ‘crazy’ and ‘hysterical’
- Isn’t it ironic that Tom Felton, who played villain Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, is the only actor honorable enough to acknowledge JK Rowling’s contribution? He told Radio 4 she should be ‘celebrated’ for ‘bringing generations together’, and was branded a ‘little snake’ by trans bullies. No, the real snakes are cast members—Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe among them—too scared to stand up for the woman who made them who they are today.
Charles’s crowning achievement
I have no problem with King Charles having a slimmed-down coronation. In my opinion, it is similar to a wedding: the extravagance of the occasion does not affect the success of the enterprise. I don’t care how many bowing and scraping dignitaries come; it’s the kind of King Charles that matters.
(By the way, my son informs me that the coronation will take place on the day Chelsea play Bournemouth. I tell him this probably won’t be a diary clash.)
How to help the charmless Coffey…
I’m afraid Therese Coffey was bad in her media round yesterday morning. It’s not just that she didn’t seem to know the answers to most of the questions asked; she also came across as charmless and arrogant. Perhaps the problem is that she is trying to manage two separate assignments: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health.
If she handed one over, the Prime Minister might be able to name a troublesome Tory rebel to another – killing two birds with one stone.
- Suella Braverman is all right with saying she wants to tighten up cannabis possession laws; but how, pray, will she enforce this crackdown? We have a police force that can’t even handle existing crime; our courts are supported for months; and even if they have succeeded in convicting more drug dealers, our prisons are full.
- I hate urban foxes (please don’t write in them), so I was delighted to see footage of Downing Street’s somewhat old cat – veteran mouse Larry – spotting a particularly sly looking specimen. Despite being more than twice the size of Larry, the fox barely resisted – proving that Larry the Cat, 15 years old and with four o’clock under his collar, is still the best dog on Downing Street.