By Summon to mind any scene in Sex and the City, and there is Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw doing something (running, usually, on cobblestones, or in the rain, to or away from Big) in five-inch stilettos. Bradshaw would breathlessly utter things like, "With no man in sight, I decided to rescue my ankles from a life of boredom by purchasing too many pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes." The show elevated the vertiginous heels to It item status, making household names of Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo, and inspiring countless women to follow in her arched footsteps.
Today, though, Bradshaw's stilettos are becoming as outdated as Sex and the City lines like "I'm not even sure bisexuality exists. I think it's just a layover on the way to Gay Town." In 2016, Carrie Bradshaw would be wearing sneakers. According to data provided by research company NPD Group, sales of pumps have fallen over 12% in the past two years, as sales of fashion sneakers and block-heeled pumps have grown.
"I pretty much stopped wearing stilettos," said ELLE.com's Senior Fashion Editor Nikki Ogunnaike. "They're uncomfortable and they don't allow me to move the way I'd like to. They're kind of impractical." Ogunnaike now favors low, block-heeled pumps or sneakers on her marathon days of showroom appointments. "If I could wear sneakers every single day, I would," she said.
Ogunnaike is onto something. According to Beth Goldstein, NPD's fashion footwear and accessories industry analyst, "sneakers are practically the new dress shoe and can be worn with almost anything." Indeed, it's no coincidence that the stiletto's popularity has decreased just as the athleisure trend exploded. "The active trend is a key driver [of this shift]," said Goldstein. "While there are some women who will never give up their stilettos, many others are happy to embrace a look that is not only trend right, but also comfortable."
Track pants and stilettos simply don't go (unless you're Rihanna and your track pants are Gucci). But that's not the only reason why the stiletto's death is nigh. The athleisure trend gave women permission to wear comfortable shoes to all sorts of occasions—and now that they're accustomed to that pain-free existence, they're not likely to give it up any time soon (see: the Olsens wearing "fuck it flats" to the 2015 CFDA Awards). "We are in a very casual moment right now, driven by the popularity of athletic," said Goldstein. "This has translated to fashion styles as well – function has become important. Women are running around all day – it's acceptable to wear footwear that actually looks comfortable."
Even as the popularity of sports-inspired clothing begins to wane, the importance placed on comfort and functionality remains, ushering in a new wave of footwear options. "So many amazing alternatives to the stiletto have popped up that the choice to be comfortable is pretty simple," said Ogunnaike.
One alternative that is growing in popularity is the low, block-heeled pump. According to NPD, sales of that style rose 13% in 2015 alone.
"I think women are craving a shorter, blockier heel because it feels current and modern, while not feeling too dressed up and still comfortable enough to run around in," said designer Maryam Nassir Zadeh, whose line of low-heeled shoes is coveted by It Girls and fashion insiders alike. Though she considers her sandals to be her signatures, one of Nassir Zadeh's most popular styles is the block-heeled soft Roberta pump, which she launched in fall 2013.
"I was surprised that it was so popular so fast," she said. "At the beginning there were so few pairs made that every time they got picked up [by press] they would immediately sell out." It's easy to see the Roberta's appeal.
It helps, too, that block-heeled pumps perfectly compliment the season's must-have pants shapes. After years of skinny jeans, the past year has seen renewed interest in wide-leg and cropped flare styles—both of which, said Goldstein, call for "chunkier footwear." A stiletto paired with an exaggerated wide-leg pair of pants, for instance, feels proportionally out of whack.
"This past fall season, ankle boots were the only fashion boot silhouette to grow, in part because along with wide leg, flared and boyfriend jeans, they looked new again," Goldstein said.
Trends aside, the decline of the stiletto is also indicative of a growing confidence among consumers—one that places increasing importance on individuality. Millennial shoppers are less brand loyal, and less willing to sacrifice personal comfort in the name of some unspoken dress code.
"I heard a quote from a luxury shoe designer once about how he would never want someone to think his shoes looked comfortable," said consumer psychologist Kit Yarrow, PHD. "I remember thinking: young women today, that's just not going work for them. They're like, this is not about you and your work of art. This is about me and my walking."
Laurel Pantin, editorial director of The Coveteur, said she gave up on stilettos in part because, "I generally feel more comfortable with myself, so I don't feel I have to try as hard. Part of that is wearing what I want to wear and feel good in versus what I think I should be wearing."
Thanks to the proliferation of social media and fashion blogs, shoppers today don't have to wait to be told what to buy. They can decide for themselves. And increasingly, they're opting out of the stiletto.
