Spend some time in a room full of wedding and event planners and the question will inevitably come up: “What kind of shoes do you wear to the wedding/event?”  We all know the pain of a long day spent on your feet, with much of the day spent sprinting from task to task.  Personally, my body pain is usually gone after a good nights sleep, a nice hot bath and a good workout.  However, sometimes the soles of my feet hurt for days after a wedding.  After my first year in business, I began a quest for the perfect shoe.  What I found was exquisite patent leather well constructed beauty in the form of the Cole Haan Nike Air collection.

If you’ve read through any of our featured planner style profiles, you may recall that several planners recommend these shoes – Lindsay Pitt and Latrice Cushenberry are just a couple that come to mind.  Add me to that list, please!

I fell in love with Cole Haan years ago when Oprah interviewed Gordon Thompson, Creative Director of Cole Haan.  Thompson is the genius behind the Nike Air collection of high heel shoes and a former architect who spent years working with Nike in their Sports Research Lab.  When Nike purchased Cole Haan in the 1980’s, Thompson began an intensive research project prior to developing the Cole Haan/Nike Air line.  Tests revealed that the weight transfer to a woman’s foot while walking in a heel is so significant that her body weight comes down with the same force as if she were running.  Thompson’s research showed that even in a heel, appropriate cushioning can counter-balance the pressure.  After a  series of blind tests in the lab, the first line of 14 shoe styles was released in Spring 2006.  Each shoe in the Cole Haan/Nike Air collection utilizes Nike Zoom air bag technology to cushion the ball and heel of the foot.  By lining the interior of these Cole Haan Nike Air heels with strategically placed Nike Zoom air bags, the stress and pain caused by the weight transfer from the raised heel to the toe is counterbalanced.  Call me a geek, but I really appreciate the science behind these shoes!

Today, I thought I would highlight four different styles, at least one of which is sure to appeal to every planner.

Photos: www.colehaan.com

The shoe on the top left is the Carma OT Air Sling.  These shoes come with me to every wedding.  I usually wear them during the ceremony and through most of the reception, changing into a flat once the dances, toasts and cake cutting are complete.  Throughout the evening, as needed, I will slip into the flats – a simple, patent leather style.  I also wear the heels out in the evenings a lot for industry events or date night with my hubby.  This shoe is also available in a pump if you would prefer that over the slingback style shown above.  Both styles retail for $298.00.

The shoe on the top right is the Air Lainey Wedge 55.  A wedge is a great choice over a regular heel because of the extra support that the wedge offers.  If you aren’t completely comfortable with heels because you tend to “teeter-totter” a bit, a wedge is perfect for you.  You get the height of a heel with much more support and comfort.  This shoe is currently on my wish list. {*sigh*!}  It currently retails for $198.00.

The shoe on the lower left is the Ada Air Low Pump.  This mid-height heeled shoe may not be quite as stylish as others, but the chunky heel will give you more stability.  This style is on sale right now at www.colehaan.com for $149.95, marked down from $298.00.

The shoe on the lower right is the Air Andi Ballet.  This is a great choice for an all day shoe.  Even better?  Right now it is on sale in various colors for $89.95 at www.colehaan.com, marked down from $178.00.

Do you have a pair of Cole Haan shoes with Nike technology?  Which style do you like best?