Does the Shoe Fit? You Decide.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: The fabulously wonderful and talented Annette Dashofy has a wonderful problem! And sisters, she needs our advice.

Her book is nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Novel for her NO WAY HOME--big hurray! Now, just one of the wonderful after effects--she has to make a big decision.

 

ANNETTE DASHOFY:  Every year as Malice Domestic and the Agatha banquet approaches, panic begins to overwhelm me. What will I wear?

 Two years ago, I shared my dress search with my readers, all of whom had a different opinion about how to dress this farm gal for the gala.

This year, I found my dress early. It fits all my criteria. It has sleeves, it’s not low-cut or too short for comfort.

And besides fitting my criteria, it fits my body!

 

But now there’s the matter of SHOES.

I spend most of my days wearing moccasins around the house. Outside, it’s Muck Boots or comfy walking shoes (I love SAS! So expensive but worth it!) I have a couple pairs of clunky boots for winter and Dan Posts for summer.

Last year, I splurged on these red ones.

 

 

I love them. But I don’t think they’ll go with my dress.

I own a cute pair of flats that I wear to a lot of events, but like my red Dan Posts, I don’t think they’ll work in this occasion.

So the search for new shoes is at full throttle. And I need help. So what do you think?

 

Black shoes?

 

Gold?

 

 

Silver?

 

 

Blingy? A more important question:

For those of you (Hank!) who wear heels on a regular basis, what’s the trick to finding a comfortable pair? If “comfortable” is asking too much, and I suspect it is, are there tricks to making them tolerable. I had one adorable pair that I had to carry down the hotel hallway, only putting them on in the elevator to totter to my table, where I immediately kicked them off.

For those of you who are looking at those red cowboy boots and thinking those things have to hurt like crazy, you’re wrong. I’ve put in 10,000-Fitbit-step days wearing those boots without the slightest ouch. So are there cute high-heels out there that are deceptively comfortable? Or am I doomed?

 

HANK: What a fun decision! And what a great dress.  Two things.

1, The red shoes are totally perfect for it. On paper at least, you have to see how they look in proportion to the dress length. The black ones, fab. Elegant and classy. Those particular blingy ones are too much for the dress. You have lace, so don't fight it. JUST my opinion.

 

2. The trick to finding a comfortable pair of heels is that they are instantly comfortable when you put them on. Some heels are! If they are, they will stay comfortable--for a reasonable number of hours, at least. If they hurt even the tiniest tiniest bit when you put them on? Forget it. That feeling is only going to get worse.

So Femmes--what do you vote about Annette's shoes? Who will be at Malice? (Find me!)  ANd do you wear heels? What advice do you have?

 

USA Today best-selling author Annette Dashofy has spent her entire life in rural Pennsylvania surrounded by cattle and horses. When she wasn’t roaming the family’s farm or playing in the barn, she could be found reading or writing. After high school, she spent five years as an EMT on the local ambulance service, dealing with everything from drunks passing out on the sidewalk to mangled bodies in car accidents. These days, she, her husband, and their spoiled cat, Kensi, live on property that was once part of her grandfather’s dairy. 

Her Zoe Chambers mystery series includes Circle of Influence (finalist for the Agatha Award for Best First Novel and the David Award for Best Mystery of 2014), Lost Legacy, Bridges Burned, which was nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel of 2015, With A Vengeance and No Way Home, nominated for Best Contemporary Novel of 2017! 

The sixth in the series, Uneasy Prey is on sale now!

Her short fiction, including a 2007 Derringer finalist which features the same characters as her novels, has appeared in Mysterical-e, Spinetingler, Fish Tales: the Guppy Anthology, and Lucky Charms: 12 Crime Tales.

USA Today Best Selling Author of the Zoe Chambers Mysteries

No Way Home Agatha Award nominee for 2017 Best Contemporary Novel

Uneasy Prey (#6) coming March 27, 2018

www.annettedashofy.com

https://www.facebook.com/annette.dashofy/

https://twitter.com/Annette_Dashofy

Comments

[Annette Dashofy]

Hank, thanks so much for having me here on Femmes Fatales again! Actually, those red shoes are the wrong photo. The "red ones" I was referring to (and forgot to send the accompanying photo) are RED COWBOY BOOTS. Very comfy but don't work with the dress.

[Edith Maxwell]

Hey, you could make red cowboy boots work with that dress! I can't speak about heels, since I've never once slipped into a pair that was comfortable, but I agree that red would work with the dress. And I'll be wearing an orthopedic boot to the banquet, alas.

[Hank PhilLippi ryan]

OH! Well, that’s different. Then I definitely vote that you try on the red ones, and see how they look with the dress!

And save the red boots for Bouchercon in Dallas… They will be perfect with everything!

[Annette Dashofy]

I will definitely be sporting cowboy boots in Dallas! And anywhere else I can get away with them.

Edith, I saw the photo of your snazzy new footwear. What a bummer. :-/

[Karen in Ohio]

I so envy anyone who can wear elegant heels. It's been a long time since I could comfortably/safely walk in them, myself. Hank has superior skills in this regard.

In the 70's, when platform shoes were the rage, I literally fell off a pair of platform clogs, right in my office, as I was standing perfectly still. My ankles just buckled.

Red shoes always go, Annette. Can't wait to see you all at Malice!

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Karin, you are so right! Read shoes always go. You just have to try them on with the dress to see if they work, or if it is too much with lace and four buckles. You know?
I have been thinking about this ridiculously too much, and wonder if the black shoes come in red. Maybe?
But I am leaning toward the black now. :-)

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Dictation software! I know it is Karen. :-)

[Liz Milliron]

Like others, I think the red shoes will absolutely go with the black dress. And I agree with Hank. you've got a lot of lace, so go with a very toned-down shoe, not a lot of bling.

You know me: I'll be wearing cute ballet flats or else you'll be picking me up off the ground!

[Mark]

Sadly, I have to miss Malice this year.

And you don’t want fashion advice from me. 😀

[Annette Dashofy]

We'll miss you, Mark!

Liz, you may be returning the favor and picking me up off the ground!

I suspect the fit will be the deciding factor more than the color. I do love red, but I don't want the shoes to compete with the dress. Decisions, decisions.

[Storyteller Mary]

A teaching colleague shared his shoe philosophy once, "Can I still smile for my last-period class?" I own no heels, haven't even worn regular flats much, but I do have some sandals that are comfortable. I wonder if dance shoes might look nice and still fit my friend's principle of comfort first. Have great fun! <3

[Annette Dashofy]

That's a great philosophy, Mary. I have a pair of stylishly clunky boots with a nice heel, and I always thought they were comfortable until I did a day-long series of talks and workshops at my old high school. No sitting down, lots of walking. OMG. Those boots did NOT meet the last-period class test.

[Jane]

I can't help you. I gave up fashion for comfort years ago. I would have bought a nice pantsuit, instead of the dress, and the shoes would be a nice comfortable pair of Mary Jane's. The dress is lovely, though. I wish I could wear it.

[Annette Dashofy]

Thanks, Jane.

[Kathy Valenti]

First of all, LOVE the dress!! GORGEOUS.

Secondly, I'm digging the metallic blingy shoes. I think they'd be stunning.

I have a collection of what I call "sitting" shoes. They're shoes that can only be worn if my primary task is (you guessed it) sitting--with the occasional stroll to the coffee machine (or in your case, podium!).

Can't wait to see y'all at Malice!

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Sitting and then walking to the podium shoes! Perfect!!

[Annette Dashofy]

"Walking to the podium." Ahhh. A girl can dream. But I'm so honored to be included in this group of nominees, I can't even fathom anything else.

[Tina Swift]

You can't go wrong with bejeweled sandals.

[Annette Dashofy]

Those blingy sandals really are gorgeous.

[Jeanie Jackson]

What every you choose, just don't forget that you still have to walk the next day. :) I lean towards black but red with the right accessories would be gorgeous. This is your day. Shine!

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Weary the blingy ones with jeans. ooh. I'm not saying don't BUY them, for goodness sake! xoxo

Anette, you are completely fabulous. And you will be amazing in whatever you wear! Cannot wait to see you all--Mark, we will miss you--and congratulations!

[Annette Dashofy]

Jeanie, I only have to walk a little the next day since most of Sunday will be taken up with the drive home.

I love you, Hank. Thanks so much for everything. See you in a couple weeks!

[Triss Stein]

Black with black always looks stylish for evening.Add sparkly earring ans your'e good. But then,I havens' worn heels in years. I have a bum ankle. So I might not be the best source of advice.But if you are going high style for the banquet (and why not?) remember to wear comfy shoes all day! ;-) (I'll be in running shoes there...but not the only one) And good luck!

[H. S. Stavropoulos]

Black heels for sophisticated and elegant.
The Red shoes for I want to be noticed/watch out here I come.
Silver/Gold no - gaudy.