Well, hello dolly shoes — the heels that are actually comfortable

I used to wear high heels every day — to work and out afterwards for hours on end — and thought the discomfort was just part of life. Blisters, heel tips bitten off by gratings, the odd sprained ankle and taxi rides I could ill afford became routine, the sort of daily trauma you gradually grow numb to.

Stilettos began losing their grip in the streetwear-obsessed 2010s, and lockdown accelerated a comfort-first shift. Loafers and party flats have had their moment, and my collection of needle-thin Manolos, Louboutins and Choos now live in a display cabinet as gorgeous but obsolete relics.

Enter the dolly shoe: a petite, sturdy block heel that spreads weight and raises stability, with a front that often resembles a ballerina flat — round toe, maybe a toe cap or a bow. Named for the plastic shoes on dress-up dolls and sometimes nicknamed the Queen Mum shoe, it isn’t trying to be overtly sexy; instead it signals that heels can be a considered style choice rather than a purely erotic accessory.

dolly shoes, block heel, stilettos, ballerina flats, loafers, party flats, manolos, louboutins, choos, toe cap