Rating:

There is a single exterior seam at the top of the arch on the inside. There are two interior seams both at the top of the arch, at the transition point between the faux leather lining to the bottom and the very slightly padded felt of the heel. The heel, which measures a true 4 7/8″ from the base to the top of the heel in back, is a single piece of smooth molded plastic with a hard plastic cap; the color of the heel and shoe match perfectly. The sole is a single piece of glued flat black plastic, with the barest of ridged sole under the toe; this sole runs the length of the bottom of the shoe, also covering the inside of the heel.

We bought probably the single most classic high-heel shoe of them all, the classic black patent pump. It’s a magnificent style, with a modest point to the toe, that single classic heel outline, and no bows, straps, buckles or any other adornment. When I become Philospher-King of the World, all women will be issued a pair. I’ve never seen a woman look bad in a pair of shoes like this, and this was borne out when my wife put them on, pure magic.

These shoes do tend to run small. My advice is to buy a size up, expecting to wear a little bit of extra padding in the heel or toe, maybe a custom-cut gel insert, to make them fit just right.

The original Pleaser packaging is quite good, with the toes stuffed with a liner on the bottom and a wad of shaping paper which fills the toe. There also is a stretching rod to keep the shoe’s shape. Each shoe comes in an individual bag inside the box, which keeps them in very good shape. Out of the box, neither of our shoes had a scuff or scratch, or any crinkling or puckering from torquing or movement. There also were no glue-over spots or other manufacturing streaks or flaws, just a perfect shiny black finish.

This is a classic shoe, and all women should have a pair. These aren’t the most expensive shoes in the world, and buyers should keep this in mind going in. We heartily recommend a pair.