How To Wear Heels In The Snow

The offending pair of heels from my Ryerson days

Originally posted on styleswept.ca

Back in my university days, I thought the sidewalk was my own personal runway. I'll never forget the day I wore a giant faux fur coat and a pair of stiletto booties to class. Unfortunately for me, this was on a day where we got roughly 15 cm of snow. Needless to say, I had to buy a pair of Sorels in between classes, and my outfit was ruined in the name of safety.

The fashion world on the other hand, chose style over practicality during New York Fashion Week. Though the shows were right in the midst of Nemo, the fashion elite still trekked through the blizzard in heels -- stilettos, wedges, and some even open-toed.



While I don't endorse or recommend wearing unsensible footwear in the middle of a blizzard (or anytime in the winter, for that matter), I admire the bravery of these stylistas, even though some of their choices were a little bit ridiculous (re: the open-toed shoes!) But in a world where having your picture taken by street style photographers such as Tommy Ton is almost as important (if not more) than the fashion shows themselves, UGG boots and Sorels just aren't going to cut it.

So what's a fashionista to do?

Here are a few tips on how to survive the snow in heels:

Booties are your friends. It's winter, for goodness sake! Wearing heels in the snow is already pushing it, but six-inch pointy-toed pumps? Leave that to the fashion editors with personal chauffeurs (or celebs like Jaime King with super cute boyfriends who will piggy-back them). With so many cute heeled boots available right now, there's really no excuse.

Opt for a thicker heel. This way you'll be much more stable on your feet than if you were in a pair of stilettos. Bonus points if you find a shoe with a little bit of a platform (your feet will thank you, with or without the snow).

Look for rubber soles. Snow and slush make for slippery conditions. Think of rubber soles with grips as snow tires for your feet (in other words, absolutely necessary).

Invest in a good protectant spray. There's nothing worse than having your suede or leather shoes ruined by salt stains...and let's not even talk about wet feet. Give your shoes a good two to three coats of a waterproof spray before venturing out on the catwalk...errr...sidewalk.

And if all else fails, follow this woman's lead and sport a pair of ice skate heels à la DSquared2 circa 2011.

Do you wear heels in the snow?