The MOMocrats' New Shoes

I'd like to take a break from our regularly scheduled political programming for a moment and highlight the fact that the MOMocrats are not only smart but stylish as well. If the Emerge adage is true that we should donate at least as much as our most recent pair of shoes to a political candidate, MOMocrats who visited San Francisco for BlogHer may be in trouble.

Friday, several of us who are also part of the Silicon Valley Moms Blog Group (from New York, DC, LA, Chicago and more) got together for new head shots, networking and shopping at Saks on Union Square, courtesy Saks, Chevy (GM), and Yahoo as sponsors. What transpired was an unplanned attack on the shoe department. Beth arrived first, buying power red Stuart Weitzman pumps (shown above right) worthy of any woman in Congress.

Glennia then expressed a desire to find herself with something cool (clearly to reflect her hipness as MOMocrat Managing Editor - much too hip for my poor photography skills) and found a pair of sleek Prada sandals (shown left). I felt it only appropriate that Glennia have company in the shoe department, and I found myself drawn to a pair of Oscar de la Renta black platform peep-toe modified Mary Jane pumps with a hint of patent leather (shown bottom left on my foot, courtesy Carla Duharte Razura).

Stephanie, aka LawyerMama, found a versatile, gorgeous pair of Stuart Weitzman alligator style pumps (shown on her, right) to go from work to play and back again. (Everybody knows MOMocrats never sleep!) I had heard rumors that these ladies loved their shoes as much as me, but I was even more impressed by their exquisite taste.

Now that we turn our attention away from BlogHer and toward the DNCC, the operative question then becomes: what to wear? Having attended state conventions in the past, here's my advice for other women attending the convention: suits and comfortable shoes. Feel free to be more casual if you like, but for those attempting to gain interviews with elected officials, it's probably safer to go at least with business casual, if not business attire at the convention.

Sarah Granger, when not writing for too many political & technology blogs to remember, moonlights as editor of SFBayStyle and helped organize the Saks event.

Comments

[cynematic]

Those ruby slippers are suh-weet!

[Radovan Karadzic]

I laugh at women who wear pointy-toed shoes. Why? It forces their toes into unnatural constriction, causing eventual foot problems.

Ditto goes for heels. Most women fall off them at least once in their lives, and they also cause health issues. AFAIK, the ONLY reason women wear them is to attract males -- who like the contorted effect on their legs. It also shows the male that if women are willing to do this (for sex, duh) they'll happily accept physical abuse in any actual relationship.

[Sarah Granger]

Radovan - feel free to laugh all you want, but there are secrets most people don't know about some women's shoes - they can actually be quite comfortable with the right fit. And yes, the pointed ones can constrict your toes if they don't fit right, but that's why we don't wear them every day.

We're moms - we are usually found in running shoes or flip-flops. This is a chance to have fun, and here's another secret: women often wear nice shoes for other women. I wear them for myself because I consider them like wearable art, but it never hurts to have my husband or my friends like my choices. It also comes down to not taking yourself too seriously. Fashion is for warmth, comfort and fun.

When it comes to some heels like the platforms I bought - they are super comfortable with all of that cushioning. But I wouldn't wear them all the time for the same reason I wouldn't wear a baseball cap all the time. It serves its purpose, but at the end of the day, we all want comfort. However, I'm right there with you laughing at the woman who scoots along, wobbling in spike heels because she never learned how to walk in them.

[Glennia]

Radovan, attracting males is not an issue with the MOMocrats. We are all married, in committed relationships, or gay. Pointy shoes leading to domestic violence? Now that's one I hadn't heard before. I'm pretty sure that Sarah's Oscar De la Renta's could be used as a lethal weapon if needed, and with her mad ninja fashion skills, she's just the one to deliver the fatal blow.

[Lawyer Mama]

Radovan - Oh please. Clearly you've never read anything about the MOMocrats or our husbands and/or partners. Trust me when I say that NONE of the MOMocrats are in any danger of staying in an abusive relationship. We all have ovaries of steel. Plus, I could definitely take someone out with my Stuart Weitzman heels. Have you never seen what a stiletto can do to an eye?

My shoes are always quite comfortable, thanks. Plus I look damn sexy in heels, if I do say so myself. And I look that way for me and only me.

Radovan, you seem to know an awful lot about poorly fitting heels. Maybe you should lay off the heels yourself or have yourself properly measured. I'm just sayin'.

[PunditMom]

I'm bummed that I was still in the make-up chair while you were all shopping, though that move did save me a bundle! ;O

[PunditMom]

I'm bummed that I was still in the make-up chair while you were all shopping, though that move did save me a bundle! ;O

[Donna]

I'm bummed that I can't swing the prices for those lovely shoes at Saks (I couldn't take my eyes off Beth's!) Thank goodness I have a Nordstrom Rack nearby.

[Daisy]

I can't wear heels (medical reasons), so I look for cute flats. It's harder than you might think to find professional-looking flats that are also comfortable enough to wear all day while teaching.

[Sarah Granger]

I just read a great interview in Bazaar magazine by Tatianna Sorokko with Nancy Pelosi where they talk about everything from Obama to sexism and at the end she says she always wears heels - "I don't know why, but they're not uncomfortable for me, and I like them high. I think they're so beautiful."