Comments on: The Big Question: Clunkadelic Edition

By: Em

Em — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 09:52:53 +0000

We’re still waiting for you decree on chunky heels! Have you forgotten about us?

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:40:45 +0000

I agree with many of the other girls – it depends on the style and “chunkiness” of the shoe. I think the shoe should be proportionate to the wearer – a girl with big calves (like myself) doesn’t look good in snub-toe, clunky loafers, a la much of the Rocket Dog line of shoes. In fact, nobody looks good in snub-toe, clunky loafers, but I digress. Neither do I look good in anything with a T-strap or ankle strap. I prefer a sturdy, straight up-and-down heel that will offer good support. No kitten heels here!

Bad: http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/29433525/c/10919.html
Good: http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/28918248/c/89.html

By: Z.

Z. — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 22:41:19 +0000

I can sometimes pull off a thin heel, depending on the styling of the rest of the shoe.

The one type of heel I can never, ever wear, though, is the kitten heel. If I try one on, I always think it looks like the shoe started out as a higher heel and my substantially shapely legs somehow smashed it down, leaving me teetering on a tiny heel that may yet turn into a flat before the day is done.

But I also have a pretty active imagination, so that might just be me.

By: SaraDarling

SaraDarling — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:41:42 +0000

Just echoing everyone else here I think. I myself prefer a chunkier heel when I do wear heels. In part because I’ve never gotten the hang of walking in stillettos, but also… well the phrase “orange on a toothpick” springs to mind. A well designed shoe with a sturdier heel looks more in proportion and can be just as if not more flattering than a more delicate/pointy shoe. But, as so many people have said, it’s the whole package of the shoe that makes the big difference to attractiveness, not whether it’s chunky or slim. Which, to be cheesy as heck, applies to us too, gosh darn it. (reading this blog makes me a little woman-power-sappy, thank you)

By: Leah

Leah — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:34:01 +0000

I think it also depends on the color of the shoe and the height of the vamp. When I hear “chunky shoes” I think back to 1998, when fat, stack-heeled penny-loafers (like these, only a fatter heel and a higher vamp
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/21535929/c/3.html)
and frankenstein shoes were in vouge. I’m not a fan of either of those kind of shoes, and I think these are the shoes that make one’s foot look “hoof-like.” However, a wide heel with a lower vamp (I’m not talking toe-cleavage here, just a little skin) does not strike me as a “chunky shoe,” but a shoe with a substatial heel. Also, a darker or brighter colored shoe will draw more attention to ankles than a more neutral colored shoe (say, like those lovely nude and camel colors that are in this spring), thus allowing the wearer to have a “substantial” heel without the worry of “hooves.” Like, maybe these, from our always favorite Stewie?
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/37257303/c/98127/g/women/w/M_12.html
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/37247255/c/23074/g/women/w/M_12.html

By: Chaser

Chaser — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:13:35 +0000

Em–

Your reasoning was why I asked the question in the first place. I am, like Francesca and Plumcake and Manolo, a big fan of the shoes. But I am big lady with cankles and thick calves. But if any of the shoe blogs post a shoe with a clunky heel, a whole bunch of people pipe up “Those shoes are horrible! They’ll make your legs look huge.” But when I have purchased shoes with small heels I feel like an elephant on chopsticks. (And I refuse to believe you are slob, btw.) I see myself in the full-length and I see…..big lady……teeny weeny shoesies. It looks stupid to me. However, when I wear a more substantial shoe, it looks better to the eye. Nothing is going to make my legs look slim, but I’d like not to look ridiculous.

I think there is something about the general proportions of the shoe and the shoe that work together (or not) with my proportions. I am very tall and large, so little strappy shoes, cute as they are, don’t work, period. Which brings me to the question of what does work well on a big lady leg.

The ankle strap is moot, btw, because none are large enough to go around my ankles.

By: ericaceous

ericaceous — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:05:07 +0000

I actually find that a stilleto or other thin heel make my thick and shapely big girl legs look almost comical instead of luscious the way that a nice thick and shapely (rather than blocky) heel does. However, even a super chunky heel looks better to me on a big leg than a thin heel does. I’ve observed this effect on other women my size (pearish, with muscualar legs and wearing 3x and up), but the effect seems to disappear for my slimmer legged compatriots or for those women who are average-sized women (in the US 12-18 range).

In my oservation, it’s only women with extremely slim legs who do not look their best in a chunky heel.

And then there are the practical issues: namely, no one who can’t walk in their shoes looks good attempting to walk around! I personally need the extra support of a thicker heel and a wider base and so would wea them even if they were not my favorite look.

By: Peaches

Peaches — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:51:03 +0000

My one pair of sexy stiletos are saved for the bedroom. Probably because the bed makes for a soft landing when I so gracefully trip and fall (on the leg of flannel pink poodle pajamas).

By: B.S.A.G.

B.S.A.G. — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:06:50 +0000

I’ve never given a thought to whether anything makes my legs look bigger, let alone the heels of my shoes. But as I’ve said before, high heels + weak ankles + bad knees + short-waisted, top-heavy physique = unbalanced BSAG falling flat on pavement.

It took a while in my younger days to get over my love for the stiletto look, uncomfortable and dangerous as it was. But now I’m all about the chunky heels, and never more than medium-height.

By: JRho

JRho — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:36:20 +0000

I cannot walk in skinny heels. Once while shoe shopping, I asked the salesperson for something with a low heel. She brought out a shoe with a really skinny, really short heel. I quickly explained that I needed a much larger base to balance on. It’s a combination of bad knees and a weak ankle that mean I totally rock the chunky heeled shoes.