By Janet Kelly

Gone but not forgotten, high heels have been slipping into our rearview mirrors for a while now, especially so during the pandemic. But even pre-pandemic many of us were switching to sneakers for comfort and stability. Circa 2018, there were those clunky, “ugly,” very spendy sneakers from Prada and Balenciaga, as well as comeback classics from Adidas and Tretorn. Credit the athleisure trend. Then, fast forward to 2020 and Covid-19, with no place to go but from kitchen to living room to bedroom and back, and we settled into our cozy corners.

As we start to emerge this spring and summer, we’re asking ourselves what’s next. We’re betting on cautious optimism. City sidewalks are as good a place as any to gauge fashion temperatures and from what we’re noticing on the streets, women of all ages are still wearing sneakers, many of them preferring slip-on styles. That’s not new, but what is is those slip-ons are sporting floral, animal print and plaid patterns—an easy step up from sneakers but with the same comfort level. What appeals is they’re flat and have a thick, resilient sole to absorb the shock from concrete sidewalks. We’re looking at you, city dwellers.

Old-school brand Keds is getting on the bandwagon of easy-to-wear slip-ons, collaborating with high-profile brands like Kate Spade; Vans offers almost as many slip-on styles as traditional lace-ups on its website.

One thing to note: as we all feel the freedom of a return to a more normal way of life, it’s important not to go overboard when choosing shoe patterns and colors. For example, it may be best to avoid, say, a neon orange. If you do pick an exuberant pattern, keep the rest of your ensemble clean and simple.

Here, fourteen of our favorites.

LEFT: I’ve worn my Taos navy blue canvas slip-ons so much the fabric at the heel is tearing. (I also have a pair of lace-ups in saddle brown.) What I like is they just cradle your feet. Clearly, I’m a fan; but when I give my old ones up, I’m going for something less plain like this plaid but still subtle Dandy Slip On ($64.19, Amazon).

RIGHT: The Dandy Slip On ($89.95, Amazon) also comes in leather with a floral print for a step-into-summer-with-whimsy look.

BELOW: Keds is upping its sneaker game by teaming with different brands, including Rifle Paper, a Winter Park, Florida, stationery and lifestyle company. Here, the Double Decker ($69.95, Zappos) with the traditional Keds sneaker silhouette—in leather— is printed with the paper company’s signature, a fun floral print.

LEFT: Rothys takes plastic bottles from landfills and transforms them into the brand’s own thread, which is then knit into durable, washable and sustainable styles like this Blue Spot ($125) sneaker with a painterly leopard print.

RIGHT: Vogue is predicting that gingham will be one of this summer’s “breakout” prints, thanks to the likes of designers Rodarte, Altuzarra and Larroudé. Embrace your sweet side in a pair of Leo and Teddy Gingham Slip on Canvas Shoes  ($65, Etsy).

LEFT: If you have a high instep, you’ll be grateful for the side zipper as you’re slipping on  Dr. Scholl’s No Chill Platform ($49.99, DSW) in faux leather. A cushy footbed energizes tired feet.

RIGHT: How sporty and cute is this cherry-pink checkered print UA Classic Slip On from Vans ($30, Shopbop)?

TOP LEFT:  This leopard print ($109.95) on calf’s hair, courtesy of a collaboration with Kate Spade NY, makes a, er, wildly wearable flat.

TOP RIGHT: Another Keds collaboration—with maternity brand Hatch—the Double Decker Bateau Stripe ($74.95) will work for any woman at any stage of her life. Note the ventilation holes for added breathability. It looks vintage French Riviera to us.

BOTTOM LEFT: Iconic Milan concept store Corso Como 10 that mixes fashion, design, art and culture and Turin-based sneaker brand Superga got together to produce these polka dot print statement Slip-On Sneakers ($146, Farfetch).

BOTTOM RIGHT: Cole Haan worked with the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Biomechanics Laboratory for its Grand Ambition collection, designed for optimum fit, feel and flexibility. We thought this one with a leather upper and a metallic toe detail looked rather spiffy ($170).

LEFT: Ever since my Pilates class instructor, a former dancer, heaped praises on her Skechers, I’ve been game to try a pair. If a backyard barbecue or cocktails on the patio are in the offing, say for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, what better way to celebrate a new normal than with the colorful and comfortable GoWalk Arch Fit Fiesta Fun Shoe ($80) with removable insole and lightweight cushioned midsole.

RIGHT: Pulled from the archives, the Gucci Tennis 1977 Slip On Sneaker ($630) is reimagined by creative director Alessandro Michele. Original details like heritage logo stitching meet jacquard denim. The red stripe on the sole seals the deal for a red, white and blue holiday weekend.

ABOVE: A brand-new style from Vans, these pony hair 53 DX Slip On Sneakers ($157, Farfetch) with a fluffy faux fur trim look a lot like loafers, yes? But a lot more flexible. And instead of the usual leather sole on loafers, they’ve got a chunky rubber one with a textured tread. For anyone not sure they want to transition from sneakers to loafers or flats just yet, here’s something in between.

MyLittleBird often includes links to products we write about. Our editorial choices are made independently; nonetheless, a purchase made through such a link can sometimes result in MyLittleBird receiving a commission on the sale, whether through a retailer, an online store or Amazon.com.

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THE RECENT controversy over a JAMA (prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association) podcast—along with “racial inequities in medicine…Black Americans contracting the coronavirus and dying from it at higher rates thanks to decades of medical racism,” according to the Washington Post —prompts an update of Mary Carpenter’s post on racism in U.S. medicine from last year.

JAMA and other “elite medical journals have routinely excluded, minimized and mishandled issue of race,” according to complaints following the podcast, which serves “to perpetuate and entrench health inequities that have long harmed and shortened the lives of people of color.”

Medical researchers told Statnews about being “explicitly told” to remove the word racism from their work. In an egregious example of racism, last August’s Journal of the American Heart Association included an article arguing that educational programs intended to increase diversity would produce poorer clinicians.

In the podcast, one JAMA editor questioned using the term racism at all because it “involves feelings among people,” and JAMA’s promotional tweet for the podcast made the unacceptable statement that no physician is racist.

Among racist practices receiving new attention with Covid-19 is placing blame on genetic rather than social factors for higher rates of Covid-19 deaths and hospitalizations —which fails to pinpoint structural racism as a cause. A more specific example, the dearth of images using dark skin in dermatology medical literature can impede the assessment of rashes on the toes and elsewhere linked to Covid-19—leading to incorrect and life-threatening diagnoses.

The standard kidney assessment adjusts for the dated racist assumption that black people have higher muscle mass and thus better kidney function. The test results—deeming the kidneys of many black patients in better shape than they are—can delay treatment or eligibility for transplant, often placing patients so low on wait lists that they die before having the chance to receive a new kidney.

More difficult to address are the racist medical practices that stem from “implicit bias,” which includes a range of beliefs, especially affecting evaluation of pain. At least one life-threatening consequence of treating black patients differently is the three and a half times greater likelihood of healthy black children dying during surgery compared with white children.

While high rates of adult black patients’ deaths during surgery are often traced to overlapping health conditions or risks, black children with no underlying conditions still had a higher rate of death and complications after both elective and emergency procedures than their white peers.

Among outdated racist practices and beliefs from the past that persist today, commercial spirometers used to diagnose and monitor respiratory illness have a “race correction” built into the software to control for blacks’ “lack of lung capacity,” as described by Thomas Jefferson.

The spirometer’s designer, Louisiana physician Samuel Cartwright, estimated blacks’ lung deficiency at 20% and suggested treatment using forced labor to “vitalize” the blood.  (Cartwright also described a disease of the mind called drapetomania that caused enslaved people to run away from their enslavers.)

While the proportion of images using dark skin in dermatology textbooks ranges from 4 to 18%, the one exception is sexually transmitted diseases—with images using black skin appearing twice as often for infections that are sexually transmitted, compared to 28% of images using black skin for infectious diseases in general.

The dermatology bias creates a painful reminder of the Tuskegee researchers who withheld diagnosis and failed for decades to treat black men with syphilis. Black skin was also the object of racist experimentation in the 1900s by Georgia physician Thomas Hamilton, who created blisters and then cut into the skin of one slave while attempting to prove that black skin was thicker than white skin.

While areas of medical bias, such as textbook images, may take longer to correct, objective measurements involving the spirometer and kidney tests could be easy to change. The kidney function test that measures “estimated glomerular filtration rate” (eGFR)—the ability of the kidneys to filter waste from the blood—includes a variable of race (along with age, gender and levels of the waste product creatinine) that allows for only two groups, black and not black, with points added to raise the scores for those in the black group.

Individual medical institutes have started adjusting for muscle mass instead of race, but some physicians argue that any role of muscle mass is medically unfounded and call for eliminating this variable entirely. The National Kidney Foundation has affirmed that “race modifiers should not be” part of kidney function assessments, and that current equations should be replaced by those that are “accurate, inclusive, and standardized.”

Looking at implicit bias in medical practice, studies of medical students repeatedly find widespread beliefs that “black people’s nerve endings are less sensitive than white people’s… their skin is thicker.. their blood coagulates more quickly,” writes University of Washington health researcher Janice Sabin.

Implicit bias has the most impact in medically ambiguous situations. For pain that has no clear cause, such as traumatic injury, providers rely more heavily on their personal judgment.  In addition, the media often exposes medical providers to stereotypes and images, that, for example, associate black people with substance abuse and drug-seeking behavior.

A meta-analysis of research over 20 years that included many sources of pain found that black patients were 22% less likely than white patients to receive any pain medication—with the greatest disparities for conditions like backache, migraine and abdominal pain.

Many people find it easier to recognize pain in faces like their own—making it easier for white medical providers to assess pain in white faces.  “We are in the midst of an Implicit Revolution,” writes Sabin, “bringing new insights into how our minds work…we operate at the unconscious level much more than we ever imagined.”

Exercises like taking the “Implicit Association Test” can help medical providers recognize and acknowledge their biases. And learning about disparities in pain management can help clinicians improve their practices. But some experts put their greatest hope in finding more objective measures—for pain, a blood test using biomarkers could measure intensity.

In White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo explores the evolution of racism in American medicine. Early in U.S. history, “tension between the noble ideology of equality and the cruel reality of…enslavement…had to be reconciled.  Jefferson and others turned to science…Race science…legitimized racism and privileged the status of those defined as white.”

She explains, “The idea of race as a biological construct makes it easy to believe that many of the divisions we see in society are natural. But race, like gender, is socially constructed. Under the skin, there is no biological race.”

—Mary Carpenter

Mary Carpenter regularly reports on topical issues in health and medicine.

By Janet Kelly

SEVERAL years ago My Little Bird’s Nancy McKeon and I were in NYC on what had to have been the coldest day that winter. We took a break from work on a fashion shoot to walk several frigid blocks to a sample sale of designer Dennis Basso, known for his glamorous outerwear and luxe accessories. Nancy scored a gorgeous wallet and insisted, nay, bullied me into purchasing a cream-colored, buttah-soft leather jacket. So happy she did. I’ve been it wearing it every spring since. And on many fall days as well.

Of course, no jacket covers you for every occasion. If you’re thinking of spending on a spanking new one, consider your lifestyle and which will give you the most wear and bang for your buck.

Thanks to a designer named Nanushka, in addition to leather jackets, there are now an abundance of faux-leather jackets on the market from mass market chains Mango and H&M to niche labels like Alice + Olivia. For spring and summer, lightweight bomber styles look especially appealing in pale colors. Anoraks in treated or weatherproof fabric from Rains, Banana Republic and Anthropologie withstand the wind and keep you dry. And they’re breathable when the weather turns warm and soggy.

Whether you’ve got a laundry list of tasks to finish—clean closets, clear the garden—and/or lots of places to go, chore jackets from Everlane and J. Crew get you through the day looking good. For more posh and polish, there are Parisian-chic choices from Iro. Fashion-forward? A cropped trench coat from Free People to a limited-edition satin bomber from Rodarte.

But see for yourself. Here are our picks below:

LEFT: Clean-lined Scandinavian style and function meet in this coated, waterproof Rains jacket ($110, Shopbop). A drawstring hood keeps those raindrops from falling on your hair.

RIGHT: Montreal brand Lamarque specializes in high-quality leather jackets. The studded embellishments on this one ($675, Anthropologie) give it plenty of personality. Pair with a floaty spring dress.

LEFT: Iro’s Jengo Jacket ($645, Shopbop) updates the look of a classic Chanel tweed with a cropped bomber style. The pink and white threading adds a pretty pop of color to light blue or white jeans.

RIGHT: A Relaxed Barn Jacket in lightweight cotton canvas ($158, J. Crew) sports military details—oversized pockets and tabs—but the fit is straighter and the length longer. Think things like walking the dog and easy hikes. It’s available in four other yummy pastels—lilac, flamingo, cypress and pale chambray. Take 25 percent off the full price with code FLASH.

LEFT: Bad mood? Rain or shine, brighten your outlook in this Venus Neon Windbreaker Jacket from Anthropologie. It’s $168.

RIGHT: In the hands of the Los Angeles-based Mulleavy sisters, Kate and Laura, clothing blurs the line between art and fashion. The Satin Rose Embroidered Bomber Jacket ($1,380) from their Rodarte label is a bit of both.

LEFT: I’ve had my eye on Gap’s Denim Jacket ($128) for a while. It looks so darn comfortable, and the quilting is so au courant. Plus, Gap is always having a sale.

RIGHT: Nanushka, who ignited the faux leather trend in 2020, sells her vegan leather bomber for $775.  For the same cool, casual look without the hefty price tag, opt for this one from Mango for $99.

LEFT: I think of Free People as a brand for twenty-somethings, but every now and then I notice something oh-so chic for all ages like this Brenda Aviator Trench Coat ($148).

RIGHT: It’s the color on this Banana Republic Water-Resistant Jacket (reduced from $149 to $74 Banana Republic) that grabbed our attention. It’s made from a light cotton twill that’s treated to repel the rain.

LEFT: More coat than jacket, Cos Stores’ parka ($190) has got you covered when spring storms and drenching downpours come along. And when it’s wet and sodden, you’ll be glad it’s so lightweight. A chill coming? It’s oversized so you can layer up, throw on and go.

RIGHT: True to its name, Everlane’s cotton canvas Chore Jacket is up to the task(s). We’d reserve the cream color for lighter errands and the blue for more down-to-earth duties. They’re both on sale; the former reduced to $46 and the latter to $39, both for a limited time.

MyLittleBird often includes links to products we write about. Our editorial choices are made independently; nonetheless, a purchase made through such a link can sometimes result in MyLittleBird receiving a commission on the sale. We are also an  Amazon Associate.

By Janet Kelly

Remember skirts—you know that “garment fastened around the waist and hanging down around the legs” (according to the Oxford English Dictionary)? As we emerge from quarantine, what better transition from the constraints of sweat pants, jeans and leggings than the airy fabrics and forgiving silhouettes of skirts. Pssst: Many of them have elastic waists.

LEFT:  What to wear when you want to look coordinated but feel comfortable is 525 America’s cotton-blend, elastic-waist Cable Knit Midi Skirt ($118) and puff-shoulder top in a similar shade.

RIGHT: Who needs a suit when you can pull off a head-to-toe look with this cute Sweater Skirt in Stripe ($98) and short-sleeve matching top ($59). Both are from J. Crew.

LEFT: Neutral colors mixed with muted metallics on cozy knitwear are in Modena, Italy-based Twinset’s wheelhouse. Pair the label’s Striped-Pattern Pleated Skirt ($203, Farfetch) with its coordinating striped metallic top ($143) to embrace that Mediterranean flair.

RIGHT: Denim puts a casual twist on J. McLaughlin’s pleated Paolo Midi Skirt ($168). Wear with an oversized sweater for cool evenings.

LEFT: As if this swingy Pleated Skirt from Alex Mill ($98, Hampden) with elastic waistband and  perfect below-the-knee length weren’t already so wearable, it has pockets, too.

RIGHT: The death of designer Alber Elbaz, known for his stints at Lanvin and Saint Laurent, even shook the not-too-sympathetic-to-anything fashion world. Created for “women of our times” is how he described his just-launched, newest venture, AZ factory. The idea behind pieces such as this draped Duchesse Balloon Skirt ($1,275, Farfetch)—note the practical side pockets— is that it’s meant to be combined with other separates in the line like silk pajama tops, bodysuits and tights to customize your look and easily switch back and forth from laidback to luxe.

LEFT: It’s all in the mix for Simone Rocha, whose design mission is to create beautiful, layered and adorned as well as comfortable clothing. Except for the adornment part (pearls are her embellishment of choice), this floral printed, cotton Bow Front Skirt ($1,080, Farfetch) ticks off the boxes. You could wear it to the White House, say, if you were invited for lunch, or if you change the blouse shown above to a T-shirt or V-neck sweater and swap sneakers for those black mules, to a backyard barbecue.

CENTER: This easy-fitting, pull-on Tree of Life skirt ($435, Ann Mashburn) with a flowy A-line shape and a stretchy elastic waist is from Milan-based La DoubleJ, which makes its skirts (and dresses) from reissued vintage fabrics.

RIGHT: Can’t you conjure a summer day at some Italian beach—or Jones Beach—just by looking at Twinset’s sunny and elegant Floral Print Cotton Skirt ($339, Farfetch)?

By Janet Kelly and Nancy McKeon

MAY 9 is now 11 days away. But for weeks, we’ve been inundated—our inboxes flooded with suggestions about what to give Mom on her special day. Silk pillowcases, perfume and bouquets of flowers are fine and dandy, of course. However, we decided to go looking beyond the same old, same old for fresh ways to tell Mom how much she rocks our world.

LEFT: Phalaenopsis orchids are lovely and if anyone wants to give me one, I’d be most grateful. But a Miltonia orchid, well, that’s a sit-up-and-take-notice gift for your mother, daughter, niece, best girlfriend—you get the idea. Often called pansy orchids because they look a lot like garden pansies, they’re descended from wild orchids found in the forests of the Andes Mountains. The Rouge ‘Claf Plum’ Live Orchid Plant ($45, Etsy) will produce gorgeous red blooms with white outlines and accents on the petals. Did we mention it’s also quite fragrant??

RIGHT: Watering the garden is not the hard part; in fact, it can be a fine time to meditate or just daydream. What’s not nearly as enjoyable is rounding up the hose in a neat concentric circle so no one trips over it and breaks an ankle or something. Furthermore, even a perfectly wound hose lying around a patio or deck or balcony is not attractive. But that unsightliness can be contained. Frontgate’s Fleur de Lis Hose Pot  ($159.20) has the look of Italian stone pottery (it’s actually crushed stone composite). It can store up to 125 feet of 5/8” garden hose, weighs 18 pounds, can stand up to the elements and has a drain hole to prevent standing water—mosquito hazard, you know.

About five years ago or so, our favorite Washington DC photographer Renée Comet developed a line of cotton dish towels covered with her full-color food photos. Made of 100 percent cotton and manufactured in the USA, these delicious-looking textiles are meant to be shown off as well as merely used to dry dishes and glasses. Gift them to your favorite women. The Watermelon and the Figs tea towels are $22 each at Comet Cloth.

LEFT: At first glance, nothing to see here—very proper blue willow pattern mugs in standard 12-ounce and jumbo 20-ounce sizes. But, this is Don Moyer’s Calamityware, so that tidy Chinese garden temple scene is being bombarded by . . . everything bad: zombie poodles, evil robots, UFOs, giant frogs, pteradactyls, Bigfoot . . . and more! “Things Could Be Worse” porcelain mugs are a good way to make sure Mom is paying attention! A single 12-ounce mug is $19; a two-pack of the 20-ounce size is $45; a four-pack of the 12-ounce size is $54. All at the Calamityware site.

RIGHT: Does you mother love her morning cup of coffee but hate how quickly that must-have beverage cools down before even finishing that first cuppa? Sure, there’s the microwave, but this Ui Mug & Warmer Set ($75, Nordstrom) might be a better solution.The 12-ounce ceramic mug (dishwasher safe) comes with a special charger that uses magnetic induction energy to heat up the metallic layering on the cup’s bottom. It keeps the coffee toasty—around 135 degrees. And just in case your smartphone needs more juice, the warming base can charge it right up. The set includes mug, lid, charger and 12-volt power adaptor.

LEFT: John Derian’s glass découpage dishes can be pricy. But Derian, who definitely has a taste for the droll, also has a lighter (in price) side. His line of 7¼-inch dessert or salad plates in melamine are the perfect complement to this Covid year’s appetite for outdoor dining. Unbreakable, of course, and won’t break the bank at $8.50 each. Shown is Spider Web; plates are also available in several traditional faience patterns.

RIGHT: Sometimes—actually often—simple is best. Like this functional and decorative Ikea Vattenkrasse Watering Can, which works well for small, discrete areas. It’s $20 from Amazon.

LEFT: When my hardcore tennis buddies started talking up Pickleball, and I noticed that the few courts at the park near my house were always full, it occurred to me to pay attention. My enthusiast friend recommended getting paddles from Paddletek but admitted choosing one was complicated. If you want to encourage Mom to join in the fun, here’s a way to begin: The Paddletek Phoenix G6 Composite Paddle Bundle ($119.99, Pickleball Central) comes with two paddles and four outdoor pickleballs in yellow. If you have a portable net or local court to visit, you’ll immediately be able to start a game. Tell us how it goes.

RIGHT: I like a few of things about this rain hat. For one thing, if it’s raining, I definitely need polka dots. Second, the brim is broad enough to keep all that wet from streaming down the back of my neck. Third, and possibly best of all, is that it comes in two sizes and has an interior elastic hatband that adjusts the fit and the Outside Designworks website instructed me on how to measure my head. All that for $45. Denise Dickens, the craftswoman in charge, also produces raincoats, ponchos, and other hats and accessories for men and women. Lined rain hats (the lightweight polka-dot version is unlined), also in a range of colors and prints, are $50.

Five tablespoons of popping corn + 1 tablespoon of oil + a bit of salt + 3 minutes or so in the microwave oven = real old-fashioned popcorn minus the nasty synthetic-laden microwave bag and the dubious “movie theater taste.” This isn’t the only genius silicone popper out there, but I like the nod to minimalism in shape and color. And I love the fact that, post-popping, it squooshes down to a couple of inches in height and lets me stow it away in a drawer. The Popper, from W&P Design, is $20 at Nordstrom.

These little (about 1¼ inches tall) arty “soft enamel” lapel pins aren’t just about mothers. There are plenty of other pins that riff on all sorts of art and sculpture. But c’mon, what better occasion to bestow “Whistler’s Mother” (left) on someone other than James McNeill Whistler’s mum? Or the Venus of Willendorf on just about any mom, this fabled prehistoric find thought to be quite the symbol of fertility. These and dozens more celebrations of art can be found at the Pin Museum, where the enamel Whistler is $10 and the 3-D Venus is $12.

The shimmer of real silk velvet when mated with embroidery makes pillows by Anke Drechsel totally Mom-worthy, in a range of colors and patterns. Left to right are “Mimosa II” in Orchid (12×12 inches, $192), “Mimosa” in Old Rose (12×12 inches, $236) and “William” in Sky Blue (20×20 inches, $404). All include the pillow insert. The pillows range in price up to about $600 and some come as large as 24×24 inches. They’re available at John Derian.

Wander over to Omsom.com and discover what your next chicken breast is going to be wearing for dinner. Seriously, the Asian flavors sealed in these “starter” packets deliver the zip that even big-city takeouts will find hard to replicate. The Pham sisters, Vanessa and Kim, raised by Vietnamese refugee parents, have collaborated with real-deal East Asian and Southeast Asian chefs to deliver the complexity of such treasures as Korean bulgogi, Thai larb and Vietnamese lemongrass BBQ plus some Chinese, Filipino and Japanese dishes. You can give Mom the Omsom Bundles for both East Asian and Southeast Asian dishes (two weeks’ worth of meals for two) for $55, or just tiptoe into the idea by buying a single-flavor 3-pack for $12 (each pack flavors two servings, so that’s still six meals). Mom just has to provide the pork or beef or tofu and veggies—or that chicken breast—that get to do the honors.

MyLittleBird often includes links to products we write about. Our editorial choices are made independently; nonetheless, a purchase made through such a link can sometimes result in MyLittleBird receiving a commission on the sale. We are also an  Amazon Associate.

By Janet Kelly

MANY of us have spent the past year in slippers, nary a high heel in sight—nor an occasion to wear one. But even before the pandemic, women had been reassessing their relationship to heels in light of the casual-fashion trend.  Remember Phoebe Philo looking so cool as she took a bow in her Adidas Stan Smith sneakers after her 2015 Celine show? The pandemic just accelerated the shift away from high heels.

However, as back-to-normal activities slowly resume, our wardrobes will also gradually transition—from stay-at-home sweatpants and sneakers to more structured but still forgiving and comfortable clothing and footwear.

For those who want to satisfy their lust for the look of status-y red soles, Pilgrim buckles and such, take note: You don’t have to risk life and limb in skyscraping stilettos (you will have to pay the same stratospheric prices, however). You can get your designer high without falling on your face with less lofty styles. Savvy, spendy brands like Christian Louboutin, Roger Vivier et al. have for years been showing the same styles in little kitten heels, block heels and flats as in their much more highly touted stilettos.

And there’s a newish (at least new to me) kid on the block—podiatrist and shoe designer Marion Parke, who wants women to wear high heels—all shoes—in a smarter way. Her styles are made to distribute weight evenly on the foot, emphasizing elegance over clunky. The goal is to bring wearability and fashion together.

Here’s a look at the highs and lows of some spring shoes.

Everyone knows Roger Vivier for his classic Pilgrim buckle on lots of different heel heights. The Belle Vivier Metal Buckle Pumps with their “slanted geometric” heel go back to 1965. A reinterpretation of the Belle Vivier, the Trompette has a curved -shaped heel that slightly flares at the bottom. The 70mm Trompette Metal Buckle Pumps (left) are $775 as are the 45mm pumps (center). The ballerinas (right) are $725. We love all three in lilac, but the style also comes in nine other colors.

The fabric on Loeffler Randall’s open-toe Camellia Tan Floral Bow Heel ($395) goes through two different pleating machines to achieve the label’s signature “toothpick” pleat. The Camellia comes in a 3.5-inch block heel with adjustable buckle ankle strap. So retro and feminine. For more down-to-earth occasions, slip on the Daphne Tan Floral Bow Slide ($250).

Mid-pandemic, former Barneys fashion director Marina Larroudé launched the eponymous Larroudé, a footwear and accessories brand, “to bridge the gap between mouth-watering design and eye-watering prices.” A fun, flirty party shoe, Larroudé’s 3.8-inch stiletto Valerie High Heel Sandal in magenta satin ($295) comes with a wide toe box for comfort and a flared heel for added stability. But if you want just a little lift, the Valerie Mule in gold metallic leather ($275) is just as glam.

Christian Louboutin’s 55mm Kate Patent Red Sole Pumps ($695, Neiman Marcus) are just the right height to be a summer staple and a transition to wearing heels again for those who see that in their future. The unusual ankle strap keeps these Twist-Lock Napa Red Sole Ballerinas ($695, Neiman Marcus) from slipping off your feet. With its lower, block heel, for fall ’21, the king of stilettos introduced the patent leather Mary Jane Red Sole Pumps ($845, Bergdorf Goodman) as an alternative to his classic Kate.

In Marion Parke‘s “Must Have” collection, heel heights range from the 85mm Nappa Leather Classic High Heel Pump ($495) to the 45mm Buff Suede Kitten Heel Pump ($495) and the Flat Pointed Toe Ballet Flats ($475, Bloomingdales). All are handmade in Italy, with a contoured insole, which is sculpted to follow the contour of the bottom of the foot. The key elements are arch support, a deep heel cup and added material along the outside for a more stable foot position.

Brazil-based Schutz, owned by Alexandre Birman, is a less expensive alternative to his eponymous collection of polished shoes from chic kitten heels to block heels, stilettos, mules and flats. Some like it high. Schutz’s Hallie Buckled Leather Mule ($118) with a pointed toe and stiletto heel can be dressed up or down. The Ray Leather Mule ($98) with its thin straps nicely balances the bulk of the block heel. The Sunny Leather Flat ($98) is an all-occasion shoe in the color of spring.

When you’re invited to your next ball, never mind the tiara. Instead put the focus on your feet with a pair of Louboutin’s Follies Strass shoes in transparent mesh sprinkled with sparkling rhinestones. Christian Louboutin’s Follies Strass heels come in 100mm ($1,195), 85mm ($1,195) and 70mm ($1,195) heights as well as a ballerina flat ($995). Cinderella shoes with red soles. 

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By Andrea Rouda

HERE AT the beach in Florida, with so many people frolicking in the waves, it’s hard not to think of the movie Jaws. At least it’s hard for me, as I am quite impressionable and the image of human legs dangling enticingly like tasty hors d’oeuvres from the shark’s point of view has stayed with me since I first saw the classic film in 1975. This keeps me from fully enjoying my time in the surf; getting eaten by a shark is the worst way I can think of to go.

I shared this thought with my husband, who disagreed and insisted that it would be, “a noble and honorable death, part of the grand scheme of life.” We then embarked on a conversation about what’s the worst way to die. Morbid, yes, but hey, it’s good to plan. Mitch thinks getting eaten by a predator is far superior to getting shot by a terrorist or suffering in a hospital ICU. “Predation is the way of the world,” says Mitch. And since we have been predators all our life, especially Mitch for whom no day is complete without eating some kind of animal, for us to become prey is “karmically fulfilling.”

I countered: Getting shot is over in a flash and likely painless, and in the hospital scenario at least you’re being cared for by professionals. The shark death is almost too gruesome to envision, yet annually in the United States there are 16 such attacks per year, with a fatality every two years.

Forget karma. When I die I want to be in one piece.

—Andrea Rouda blogs at The Daily Droid.