A Letter From Michelle — The Delphine
A Letter From Michelle
Remember when you could wear your favorite boots all afternoon without thinking about your feet?
On the heel that lets you forget about them, why a zip at the back matters more than it sounds, the six things I would not compromise on, and why the Delphine is $79.95.
I can, and I remember roughly when I stopped. There was no decision. There was a day I came home, took them off at the door, and never put them on again.
What replaced them was sensible, and sensible has been quietly ruining my outfits ever since.
Look at the heel on these, and look at it from the side. It is low, and it is a block, so the weight sits across the whole of it instead of balancing on a point. That is what lets a boot look dressed and still be walked in all afternoon.
Six things I would not give up on.
The heel is low, and it is square
Those are two different things and both matter. Height is what your knees feel. Shape is what your balance feels. A block spreads the load across the whole heel, so you are standing rather than perching.
“The low heel is exactly what I was looking for. I still enjoy wearing a little heel, just not the tall ones I wore twenty years ago!”
Barbara L., LancasterA zip at the back, so you step in
The boot opens down the back seam and you step into it. No sitting on the edge of the bed working your heel past a stiff collar. And it is the zip that lets the ankle be cut close at all.
“I ordered the brown first and later got the black too. The little zipper at the back is a nice detail, and I like how the pointed toe looks with cropped pants. Both colors are easy to dress up.”
Marilyn R., CharlottesvilleThe ankle sits close, not away from you
That is the whole difference under a trouser leg. A boot that stands away makes a bulge wherever the hem falls over it. This one keeps a straight line from the knee down.
“I especially like how closely they fit around the ankle. Some of my other boots look bulky under trousers, but these have a much neater shape.”
Elaine P., BellinghamThe pointed toe does the work of a heel
A point carries the line of the leg forward instead of stopping it square, which is why the same outfit reads as dressed in these and casual in a round-toed boot. It buys the look of a heel without asking your feet for anything.
“I wore the brown ones with a long black skirt to dinner with my husband. Such a pretty combination. The pointed toe makes them look more elegant than my usual ankle boots.”
Catherine M., AshevilleBlack, or the chocolate brown
Both in suede, both the same heel and the same toe. The brown is the useful one: it sits with beige, camel and cream, which is most of what a fall closet holds, where black cuts across them.
“That chocolate brown is gorgeous! I have several beige and camel sweaters, and these go beautifully with all of them. Very happy with my purchase. 😊”
Donna K., GreenvilleFourteen sizes, and the one thing I would rather say here
4.5 to 11, and every half size in between, with nothing skipped. And the honest word: this is a narrow boot. The toe is pointed and the shaft is cut close, so if your feet have widened over the years, this is not the pair I would send you.
“Bought the black pair for church and Sunday lunches. They look lovely with my dress pants, and I appreciate that the heel isn’t too high.”
Janet W., RoanokeThe Delphine, against what else $80 buys
| Most $80 ankle boots | The Delphine | |
|---|---|---|
| The heel | Too tall to walk on, or a sneaker | Low and square, so the weight sits across it |
| Getting in | Tugged on, and tugged off again | A zip down the back seam, so you step in |
| The ankle | Stands away, bulging under a hem | Cut close, so the line stays straight to the floor |
| The toe | Round, which reads as casual | Pointed, which carries the line of the leg on |
| Sizing | Half sizes missing where you need them | Fourteen sizes, 4.5 to 11, with no gaps at all |
Why we are clearing them out now
The Delphine was $269.95, and that number was for suede rather than something printed to look like it, a block heel low enough to walk on, a zip set into the back seam so the ankle could be cut close, a pointed last, and a full run of half sizes from 4.5 to 11 with nothing skipped. The half sizes are the expensive part. Every one is a separate last and a separate run, which is why most makers give you a 6, a 7 and an 8. But the store turns twenty this year, and my daughters Julie and Amy are both at the counter most days now, which is not something I let myself count on in 2006. We wanted to mark it by handing something back to the women who kept those doors open, so they are going out at just under a third of what they were.
And the honest reasoning. A comfortable shoe that makes you feel dowdy is not really comfortable. At $79.95 you do not have to pick one.
★★★★★4.8 out of 5 — from 3,369+ reviews
$269.95$79.95
20th Anniversary Sale — Save 70%
- Soft suede, in black or chocolate brown
- A low block heel, so the weight sits across it
- A pointed toe that carries the line of the leg
- A zip set into the back seam
- A shaft cut close, so it stays neat under trousers
- Fourteen sizes · 4.5 to 11, every half size, no gaps
- Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee
Every size the same price · while sizes last
One more thing, and then I will let you go.
Go and look at the shoes by your front door. The ones you actually put on.
If every pair is there because of your feet, and not one of them is there because you like it, that is worth knowing.
Then try the Delphine on and walk around the kitchen in them. If your feet object, send them back within thirty days and we will refund you.
Go and find your size.
With love and gratitude,
— Michelle · The Hayes Family Hamptons
SEE THE DELPHINE — $79.95 →This is a personal letter from Michelle Hayes, co-founder of The Hayes Family Hamptons. Customer reviews are quoted as written. · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.