Since fashion people started talking about kitten heels almost a year ago, the subject has been a fairly divisive one. Some people say that if you’re going to go with a heel, go all the way; others dislike what they see as a truncation of a high heel’s elegant shape. On the other end of the spectrum, many flat-enthusiasts see kitten heels as yet another way for the shoe industry to force them into uncomfortable footwear. (And if this is you, I want to know where you’re finding so many comfortable flats, because my luck with them is terrible.)

Everyone involved should take a look at the Valentino Patent Leather Pumps and reconsider their preconceptions about kitten heels. I’ve been a bit ambivalent toward most of Valentino’s designs lately, but this short little pump does everything right in the most ladylike of ways. It might be on the high end of “kitten,” but compared to the heel heights we’ve seen in the shoe world lately, it’s positively demure.

I’ve always been enamored with the ultra-sculptural bows that Valentino uses on some of its shoes, and with this design, it serves as a great architectural accent to a shoe that’s all about lines. These shoes would be an elegant alternative to a pair of similarly shaped flats, plus they’d give you the extra couple inches of height that many women prefer. At the very least, they’re worth a try-on the next time that you find yourself shoe-shopping. You may be surprised by what you think when they’re on your feet. Buy through Saks for $745.

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