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Fru Hazlitt was one of the best speakers of the CIPD’s HR Congress, this year. She talked about the crisis and the down-sizing periods she went through first at Yahoo as vice-president, then at England’s GCap Media as general manager and her communication strategy that lies behind the success of over-coming these times with success. Although the things she said were very interesting and valuable what drew my attention most was her pointing the shoes she wore with her very elegant dark blue suit and saying, “I never go on a stage without my red high-heels.” I didn’t think at all, “Why would a pair of shoes would be important for a woman who has a very high self-confidence, overcame some very difficult tasks in different countries, worked as a manager at the highest positions” because I knew it, very well and I liked the way she told it so easily and her being so comfortable in her skin.

At junior high, my best friend and I would dream about how would we get dressed when we grow up and start working. My dream would always be the high heels. The moment I started working that’s what I did and I think it will stay that way until I’m old and can’t wear them due to back-aches. Neither the criticizing I got for not liking to walk long distances because of my high-heels nor the mocking by calling me Imelda Marcos succeeded in weakening my passion. It is not a new information that it’s the common characteristic of the business women. But when the Telegraph wrote that a law firm’s image consultant advised the woman lawyers to wear high-heels, it became a popular topic this week.

Lots of firms have dress-codes for a long time. From banking, the strictest one on this matter to the media, the most laid-back one, all the companies, regardless of where it stands in that scale, has some norms that are acceptable or not to wear at work. I’ve heard everything from the suit and tie obligation to be free to wear jeans and sneakers but I’ve never seen an instruction for the women to wear high-heels or flats. Because it’s not a matter of being convenient, it’s a personal choice.

Some men are keen on watches—very understandable since it’s a rare accessory they can wear—, for some the cufflinks are important, some like the tailor-made shirts with their capitals on the cuffs, and for some the pens they use to sign papers have to be expensive and posh. Recently we saw shoes can be thrown as a humiliating weapon, especially in Middle East, but you can’t see a passion for shoes in men as strong and common as in women.

What do high-heels mean for women?

High-heels are;

• The sole symbol of being a woman in a world where everyone wears dark suits
• It is a proof that you can exist in business world without looking like a man
• A sense of equality where men over-look you with their height advantage
• Self-confidence when you’re walking in the meeting room with the sound they make on the wooden floor
• With their pointy-toes, the best mask for the women’s aggression which is not seen convinient for women to display
• Your mood for the day when you choose them in the morning
• Not being afraid to shine and attract attention when they are patent leather
• When they’re not black, brown or beige, being different than the other women, too; not being afraid to be different

Though it depends on the situation,

• They’re charismatic with pants and elegant with skirts
• Pretentious when they’re boots
• Modest when they are shorter
• Sexy if they are banded and high
• Flamboyant if they have high platforms

Shoes are instruments for women to move from one of this roles to another and so they’re irrevocable passion and objects. Therefore, it’s an accessory you can’t have enough of, no matter how much you have, and always want more. Because what you buy is not just shoes, it’s something new and beautiful to define yourself.

Nicole Kidman, a tall woman, when got divorced from his husband Tom Cruise who is one of the most popular actors of Hollywood but a short man, said; “I’m so happy I’ll get to wear my high-heels again.” Neither Fru’s red shoes, nor the image consultant’s advice to lawyers is surprising. Business world is usually a play with its roles and lines, and our shoes are the most important and defining part of our costume. Let us enjoy them.