Sarah Sixpack’s sexy shoes give me a grumble. If a goal of feminism is to be equal with men, why can’t we have parity with comfortable shoes?? All the men running for office, running corporations, running the world are wearing comfortable, flat-heeled shoes. What are the women wearing—- pointed toes, spiky heels, flimsy sandals, etc.? No serious person can walk far in that kind of foot gear.

Of course, I agree that legs look much better in heels of some sort. But, then again, none of the serious male candidates or people-running-the-country are showing their legs. Does this mean that women who aspire to high office or professional careers must have glam legs and sexy shoes??

Perhaps my opinions are just angst that I can no longer wear such shoes and must now traipse around in clunky, low-heel, wide heel base shoes—or risk losing my balance. When I was 25, I was hobbling around in stylish heels….but I didn’t have much sense back then.

Women who want to look professional should not wear sexy high-heeled and/or open toe shoes in professional situations. I have more confidence in women who wear sensible shoes, whether they are medical professionals or politicians. Apparently this is a generational thing, young women believing that sexy and smart are a good combination. Perhaps for the under 40 set, but I prefer mature women to look and act mature. Obviously, I am not in the majority on this issue.

Once, about thirty years ago, I went to a women’s religious retreat, Brown County Women’s Retreat, or something like that. The speaker who stuck in my mind—for all the wrong reasons—was a women wearing sexy, spiky, high-heeled sandals. She informed her listeners that it was important to belong to a “bible believing church.” I was naive in those days and did not understand religious code, so I didn’t realize the churches she meant belived in the rapture, sin, dispensationalism, the King James Bible as infallible [ho ho…not even a Protestant translation], and all that other stuff of the religious right. I just knew that woman was not appropriately dressed. In my long family religious tradition of Mennonites, Brethren, Presbyterians, and Methodists, church women and religious women wore modest clothing in modest pastel or dark colors. This gal was wearing a black dress and sexy heels; she could have gone straight from there to a cocktail party. I can still see her toes wiggling in those sexy shoes as she stood there telling us all this pious drivel. I never went back to that retreat again; that woman was not the least bit spiritual—or religious. I prefer the RC nuns and their much more spiritual retreats—and they wear sensible shoes. Isn’t interest in fashion the last thing as far as being “godly”? Not that I want to be “godly,” having NO use for conservative christianity.

What’s with these women and their attachment to fashion? Being well-groomed; attractive, modest clothing; modest make-up and hair styles—sooooooo middle-aged. But…sooooo professional and competent.