Are They Insane?

Greetings Friends,

Here she goes, picking on the women again... but if this doesn't make you shake your head, I honestly don't know what will.

The image on the left is of clothing designer Georgina Chapman, wife of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and purveyor of the Marchesa line of gorgeous red carpet-ready gowns. Actress Ali Larter (last seen in the series Lost) is on the right. Both are perfect examples of how to look gorgeous when you're pregnant, and I give them kudos for that. The one thing I must take issue with are the shoes; particularly Chapman's: is it really necessary to potentially do harm to yourself and your unborn child by wearing such ridiculously high platform stiletto heels? Especially when you're tottering perilously close to a subway grating? Hell, at least Larter is safely on the red carpet. We all know that smoking, drinking and drugs are at the very least verboten while pregnant, so shouldn't high heels fall into the same category? Methinks the answer is an unequivocal "yes".

I'm not saying that women should have to succumb to the Victorian notion of "lying in" while they're great with child. Nor do I believe they should swaddle themselves in the maternity attire of yesteryear that tends to make one resemble a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. There has to be a happy medium somewhere, and those heels are not it. Wouldn't a simple 2 inch heel suffice? Pregnancy isn't a permanent condition; a few short months of stylish compromise never killed anyone, but those heels could potentially cause some lasting damage. With all the technology at our disposal - the ultrasounds, amniocentesis, and the myriad other tests pregnant women are now subjected to, you'd think they'd want to take every possible physical precaution, including the stowing of the Louboutins and Blahinks in favour of something a bit more sensible for the time being. I realize a pair of Chuck Taylors wouldn't be complimentary to either frock, but lopping off a few inches of heel height wouldn't have landed either one of these women on any "worst dressed" list. Is that too great a sacrifice to make for your unborn child?

What I'm trying to wittily (I hope) bring to light is the fact that women, and men, are no longer willing to make the sacrifices necessary to become parents. During a woman's pregnancy, there isn't much the daddy is affected by, until the screaming bundle finally lands in his arms. But the defiance on the part of pregnant women, particularly those who find themselves subject to a "bump watch", like Chapman and Larter, is maddening. Other women will find it necessary to emulate this defiance, by attempting to sashay through their own pregnancies wearing stiletto heels. These are the women who may find themselves flat on a gurney on their way to a hospital emergency room after taking a spill in a pair of 6 inch heels. The possibility of something like that could be life threatening for both mother and unborn child. Why take the chance? Yes, we would all love to walk the red carpet, looking as glamorous as the Hollywood A-listers, but there comes a time when you need to think of someone other than yourself. Especially when that other person is incapable of deciding what's best for them. So, before the breast milk vs. formula debate ensues, protect yourself and your foetus by sticking those heels in storage for a while. Get used to having to worry about someone else for a change. Your child will thank you for that.

Again, I must disclaim that I do not have children. However, I did discuss this topic with my friend D., the mother of two wonderful boys, and she concurred that the footwear choices above were "absolutely ridiculous".

Have a safe and wonderful weekend.

Nava