Update: these are some of our favorite low nude pumps for work as of April 2021!
Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. Plus, when you’re a working mom, the focus often becomes machine washable clothes and kid-friendly fabrics and prints. In CorporetteMoms’ “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
I don’t know about you guys, but my ability to wear very high heels has, well, diminished significantly after multiple pregnancies and so forth (cue me shaking my fist at my fallen arches and other foot problems). So while last week at Corporette we rounded up that spring staple, skin-toned heels for work, I thought here at CorporetteMoms we’d take a look particularly at LOW heels in various skin tones. Readers, what are your thoughts — are you on Team Flats, Team Low Heels, or Team Cute Shoes Only Please? Have you bought any great skin-toned low heels recently?
These are some of our favorite comfortable low heels for work as of 2021! one / two / three / four (also Ferragamo, MMLF, and Sarah Flynt!)
- Hall of Famers: Calvin Klein (1.5″), Ferragamo (1.5″), Vionic (2″), Anne Klein (2.25″), Rockport Total Motion (2″), Everlane (2″)
- Under $100: Calvin Klein, MK Michael Kors, Rockport Total Motion, AK Anne Klein
- Brands Specializing in Varied Skin Tones: Target (A New Day), Naturalizer, Louboutin, Rebecca Allen, Nubian Skin, House No. 3028
- Extended widths: Vionic (MW), Rockport (NMW), Ferragamo (2A, B, C)
- Extended sizes: Calvin Klein (4-13), Ferragamo (4-11),
- Comfort: MK Michael Kors, Rockport Total Motion, Ferragamo, AK Anne Klein, Vionic (don’t forget to check out our entire guide to comfortable heels)
Psst: check out some of our previous roundups for low heels (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) over at Corporette, or see our roundup of nude flats!
{related: check out our roundup of maternity workwear essentials!} (recently updated!)
Sole Society shoes have won a lot of praise from readers over the years, and this low-heeled half d’Orsay pump looks fabulous. I also love that it’s marked down to $53 from $89. (It’s also available in black suede and a shimmery gold.)
This slingback pump from Vince Camuto ($98) looks really stylish. I like the cone heel and the asymmetric cap toe in black, which I love both as a detail as well as a nice way to preserve your shoes for probably a little bit longer. If you want more of a definite comfort shoe, this low-heeled cap-toe shoe from Vaneli is similar and $149.
Shoes may not be the first thing you think of when you think of Talbots, but these suede d’Orsay wedges are definitely worth checking out. They have a memory foam footbed for comfort and a 2″ heel — and they’re currently on sale, marked down from $139 to $97. (Alas, they are lucky sizes only — but they also come in magenta and coral.)
Ferragamo kind of has a market on the “alllmost a flat but has a teensy tiny heel” — but at $600, those are a splurge! These similar pumps from David Tate ($109) have a similar vibe, and I love this dark chocolate suede. (They also come in black.)
Trotters has a reputation for comfort, and this kitten heel ($99) seems pretty promising in that area. It has a removable memory foam insole and a 2″ heel (bonus: an antimicrobial lining, too!). I also like that it’s available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide. (Besides the nude pictured, this also is available in black leather, black suede, dark brown suede, and navy suede.)
On the more splurge-y end of things is this embossed mule from Prada with a 2.5″ pin heel ($750), which has a very sophisticated, vintage vibe. Make sure to order a half-size up, as it runs small. (It’s also available in white.)
Like this feature? Check out other recent installments here on CorporetteMoms, or on our sister site, Corporette!
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Pictured below, row one: pinkish d’Orsay heel / brown mule / tan pump / beige pump
Row two: tan block heel with medallion / beige pump
Row three: brown low heel / pinkish beige low heel with bow / beige ankle strap pump / beige pump with black cap-toe
Lana Del Raygun says
I’m considering two different Journee styles at DSW (link in reply). Does anyone want to offer an opinion on them or the brand in general? I think I like the shape of the patent one better but I’m told nude patent is “out.” (Can’t decide if I care.) And maybe I’d regret that extra 1/4″, since I walk a hilly mile to church.
Lana Del Raygun says
https://www.dsw.com/en/us/product/journee-collection-luu-pump/353785?activeColor=274
https://www.dsw.com/en/us/product/journee-collection-maybn-pump/446477?activeColor=272
Pogo says
I like the way nude patent looks, I don’t care. I support you in your nude patent shoe habits.
ElisaR says
haha yes me too
AnotherAnon says
I personally like the maybns better because I think they have more personality, but I also support your nude patent shoe choices.