"It" shoes are the new must-have accessory, as buyers focus on eye-catching footwear and stick to safer purchases when it comes to clothing. "Though retailers are still buying cautiously, their interest in bolder footwear styles is surging, according to vendors at last week’s FFANY show, held in New York," says Women's Wear Daily. And nowhere was footwear so bold (and gravity-defying) as on the FW09 women's Fashion Week catwalks. First off, Olivier Theyskens' goth-inspired eight-inch-high heelless boots caused quite a stir. Not to mention Nicholas Kirkwood's thigh-high lace-up boots for Rodarte are likely at the top of countless fashion connoisseur's wish lists for the season. But can you actually walk in them?

Fortunately the lovely ladies at New York magazine have gone and done the dirty work for FW09 footwear-coveting women everywhere (i.e. sporting the skyscraper heels on NYC streets on camera). Their final judgments on fall's craziest heels:

Dior for FW09 (6 inches): "They're incredibly uncomfortable and I don't think my insurance covers these heels."

Manolo Blahnik for Brian Reyes FW09 (4 inches): "They're [the ones] that everyone took off on the runway. They're pretty comfortable. I have no idea what the issue was."

Nina Ricci FW09 (8 inches): "No one fell in them but they're incredibly difficult to walk in because you're walking on your toe. You can't step with your heel as with a normal shoe. That was enough pain for one afternoon."

John Galliano FW09 (7 inches): "They took about a half an hour to get into and they're cutting off circulation in my ankles."

Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte FW09 (5.5 inches): "They have a thick platform at the bottom which I think is going to make it easier."

Herve Leger FW09 (5 inches): "I'm not really sure why people fell in them because they're actually pretty comfortable."

Check out the NYM post for video of the walking tests.