Does looking at a shoe without a platform throw anyone else off a little bit? Platforms have become so omnipresent that it’s not overly common to find a heel worth writing about that doesn’t have one, and when I do, I always have to adjust for a moment before I can really start deciding what I think about the design.

The Kate Spade Cybil Booties are certainly worthy of mention, and if you like their look, they present something of a perfect neutral-shoe option: they would look appropriate in either cold or warm weather, with pants or dresses, and even in the workplace. Plus, since the heel clocks in at a bit less than four inches, you might actually be able to spend a day in them without cursing your poor decision-making skills.

Saks calls these shoes “booties,” but I’m not so sure that’s accurate. They’re somewhere in between a bootie and a peep-toe pump, and their unique structure helps them ride the fence between being a warm- or cold-weather shoe. The neutral color helps the cause as well, and the mesh insets and embossed details make the shoe special without making it a specialty piece. The distinction sounds small, but it’s important when you’re building a shoe wardrobe. Buy through Saks for $325.