After seasons upon seasons of the reign of the chunky platform and the tyranny of the 6″ stiletto, it’s a delight to actually look like a lady again. But don’t dare cringe at the word. Looking like a lady doesn’t mean you’re automatically looking dowdy. It’s about finding that classy, polished shoe that walks the line.

Bottega Veneta’s Mary Jane pump is distinctively elegant and graceful. On the flipside, this is also a fiercely sexy shoe, in a most demure and understated way. Navy and black is a combination no old-fashioned granny would say she approves of; that quiet rebellion is totally contemporary. A curvy heel pumps it up a bit, and the smooth cutout details imbue a feline quality. For the height-challenged like myself, this will have you standing a whole 4.5″ taller, though you’d never know it! This pretty little number is perfectly balanced and symmetrical. On Net-a-Porter for $790.

Pair with: I can’t help but keep it in the Bottega family. These pumps look divine with their intricately woven Knot Leggero Passamaneria clutch. At Barneys New York for $1,650.