Gayle King has left her fans bitterly divided after she attended her surprise 70th birthday party wearing a rather unusual shoe style.
The CBS Mornings host was visibly stunned when she arrived at Manhattan restaurant Ci Siamo on Saturday with her best friend Oprah, who danced the night away with Stephen Colbert, and realized her nearest and dearest were there.
In a video shared on Gayle and Oprah’s Instagram pages, the TV star jumped back and threw her handbag over the bar when the surprise hit her.
Gayle, who turns 70 on December 28, was certainly dressed for the occasion, opting for a bright green tasseled midi skirt and a matching short-sleeved sweater which she paired with black tights.
She was also wearing a pair of expensive green shoes, which were basically high-heeled sneakers, and appear to be from the brand Sneex, whose style currently sells for $595.
Sneex’s website describes them as “the Tepper Hy-Heel Sneakers” that “bring together the comfort of sneakers and the sleek appeal of high heels.”
The description adds that they are “perfect for casual and formal occasions, this design is for fashion-forward people who value both style and comfort.”
Seeing Gayle’s footwear, her followers were quick to comment, with one person saying: “Those sneaker heels are horrible.”
Gayle King enjoyed a surprise 70th birthday over the weekend thanks to her best friend Oprah
Gayle was visibly stunned when she walked into Manhattan restaurant Ci Siamo on Saturday with Oprah and realized all of her friends and family were there.
The TV star showed off her $595 green pair of Sneex in an Instagram video filmed at her party.
Another Instagram user commented: ‘Looks great. But don’t wear those shoes,’ and a fifth said: ‘Not the heels of the tennis shoes.’
Referring to her party being a surprise, someone else said, “I bet Gail would have worn better shoes if she’d known.”
A different person scoffed: “Gayle what’s on those feet sis,” and another said: “Now why did she wear those shoes?”
‘I’m trying to understand shoes. They look so comfortable!’ said one fan, and someone else claimed, “I bet she feels comfortable in her shoes and could dance all night in them.”
‘Gayle wears Spanx shoes? Sneex? another asked, while another person responded: “She has said she absolutely loves them.”
And Gayle has made no secret of the fact that she’s a fan of Sneex and recently opened up about them during an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
The shoes were included on Oprah’s list of favorite things for 2024, and Gayle took the opportunity to talk about them.
“This is one of my favorites, if you don’t mind,” she said, placing a heel on Seth’s desk.
Sneex’s website describes them as “the Tepper Hy-Heel Sneakers” that “bring together the comfort of sneakers and the sleek appeal of high heels.”
The CBS Mornings host gave a speech after her loved one sang happy birthday to her with a huge cake.
The TV star also modeled a pair of red and orange Sneex at an event in New York City in October.
‘So this is (created by) Sara Blakely, guys… of Spanx fame. Eight years passed: I wanted to have a high heel that was as comfortable as a sneaker.
‘Every time I walk, people ask me, “What are those?” before asking Seth and his audience: ‘Have you ever seen anything like this?’
The Spanish-made shoe features Italian mesh, nappa leather and suede lining, and also includes an adjustable foot strap, and Gayle owns several pairs.
She recently modeled a chic red and orange pair while attending an event at the Museum of Modern Art in October.