Irregular Choice Family Reunion: A Character Heel Comparison

So, very exciting news earlier in the week with regards to the Family Reunion collection launching this Friday at Irregular Choice. Yesterday we were treated to some teasers (video here), which appear to show 8 different character heels being revived and rejuvenated for this wonderful collection. I thought I'd put together some details of the heel heights and sizing if you don't already have these in your collection to compare. Please note, I've photographed the original heels from my collection, assuming that the same heel mould will be used this time. I'd say the only thing that looked slightly unusual to me in the video was the polar bears (originally pandas) seemed quite a bit taller than the lambs. In reality, there isn't such a notable difference (a quarter inch). I can't see them having changed that heel though (obviously it's had a makeover in regards to finish to instead look like a polar bear), so it's maybe just the angle in the video. I can't help on sizing of the new styles as I haven't tried them and 6 out of 8 styles aren't fully visible in the video, so we don't know shapes of toes and things.  What I can do is give you a guide of what I've previously bought, but the uppers are or may be totally different to those launching tomorrow. We all know styles can fit differently within the same collection, nevermind a completely new release, so it's all a guessing game I'm afraid.  I reckon I'll be buying my usual size, as character heels tend to fit me best in that size now.  Older releases though, I mostly sized up.  
Overall, the lamb heels are the lowest and along with the panda (or polar bear now) are the only ones in this collection without some sort of platform. The pandas are next in height and the dinosaurs are the tallest. All the others are roughly the same. The biggest platform is again on the dinosaur shoe, with that huge rubber sole. Mostly these heels are wedges or at least wedge-like (i.e. perhaps not touching the sole all the way down the arch, but mirroring that shape) with the gnomes being the most separated heel and the cat and bear following. The gnomes also have the smallest base (heel tip), literally just being the soles of his feet and I'd say the dinosaurs come next with a T shaped tip. The fawn heel probably has the widest, biggest base, though the others all have big, solid bases too. Here's a more in-depth look at each one.

Dinosaur; Heel 5 1/2" Platform 2" 
The highest heel and platform from this selection, also the widest heel (his arms stick outwith the shoe quite considerably). There's actually a lot of the more intricate or fragile characteristics to this one, with the wide-stretched arms, separated fingers, open mouth and spikes down his spine (though they are very safe, tucked up into the sole).  There's definitely a fear, he'll lock arms with his twin and take you down!  I still haven't had the chance to wear mine properly yet, so I don't know if you perhaps have to adopt an "I just got off a horse" style walk, in order to stay safe.  He has a painted and glazed finish and has not changed in this new model (still rocking the green pants). Though the new Jurassotops boots do come with sounds (and an on/off button).  I found my original Roarsum generous in my usual size, but they are an open toe (the new model is a closed toe ankle boot with side zip closure). [In my photos this is the only one where I photographed the left shoe as I couldn't reach the other and it was already a lot of moving around for these photos.] Unicorn; Heel 4 1/2" (Concealed) Platform 3/4" 
The unicorn has a nice oval shaped base and sits very neatly in line with the rest of the shoe. The heel is a wedge, fixed to the sole the whole way down. The unicorn has come in several guises, gold mirror and a colour shifting, smooth shimmer finish, along with the original (blue-ish shading on white, shown here), this time the unicorn has a rainbow mane, pink glitter horn and pink shading. My unicorns (of which I have many!) are a variety of my usual size and the size up.  The new version, Dreams Come True are a closed toe, ankle boot with centre back zip.  
Fawn; Heel 4 1/2" (Concealed) Platform 3/4" 
This is a sturdy heel, it's not quite as narrow as the unicorn. It has a wedge like appearance with only a small gap between the head and body of the deer and sole, but otherwise touching the sole from the head to bottom. Like the bunnies, the ears sit backwards beneath the sole.  Although there have been many different fawn uppers, the heel has remained the same in a painted finish. This time however, it appears to be a lilac colour with glitter on the bow (I'm dying over how pretty that new green colour is btw). It definitely has a chunkier feel than the unicorn or cat, but there's nothing too worrying sticking outwith the shoe. I bought my fawns in the size up and they are a little roomy. Gnome; Heel 4 1/4" (Concealed) Platform 3/4" 
A definite heel rather than wedge, the gnome has the smallest of heel bases, but still a lot larger than a regular heel like that on cortesans or Abigail's Party. His arms (raised upwards to touch the soles and moulded with his body) are ever so slightly out of line with the shoe, but having worn these many a time, I've never encountered knocking them together. He's still quite 'tidy' and there's no little details to worry about knocking off. He has a highly glazed finish and has since been painted to resemble Santa Claus, numerous times. The new release sees all new colours along with a pink glitter beard and matching shoes. Mine are the size up and fit quite well. My Santa shoes are a mixture of my size and the size up, but the smaller size is the best fit on me.
Bunny; Heel 4 1/4" (Concealed) Platform 3/4" 
 A bit chunkier than the unicorn, the bunny has a similar appearance in matte white with pink shading in the contours. The rabbit heel has come in many forms; jelly (see through), gold mirror, flocked and glitter. The hind legs/lower body does sit outwith the shoe, but again it's not an issue when walking. The ears of the bunny sit to the back of it's head, fixed to the sole and there's a slight gap between that and the tail which touches the sole again. It's a wedge heel though. Note the base has an angled tip (under the front legs), the only heel here to feature that. The bunny has a real ribbon threaded through holes in it's neck, which has come in various colours. From the video yesterday the bunny appears to have the same pinkish contours (though a pink heel tip this time) and a pink polka dot bow. My older bunny heels were the size up and are too big for me now, the more recent pair I bought in my usual size and they fit better. [And note the heel tip image below is that of my Rainbunny as Flopsy are white or rather were white and now very dirty and it wasn't very picturesque!]
Cat; Heel 4 1/4" Platform 3/4" 
The cat heel is slim like the unicorn (not going outwith the width of the shoe) and although it takes on a wedge like shape (as opposed to the gnome), it's only the head of the cat that actually touches the sole. The cat has more of a glazed finished, but looks like the original bunnies and unicorns with the pink contouring on white. Again it has a ribbon through the neck, which this time is red polka dot, but otherwise the cat heel appears the same. The heel base of this one is probably the mostly oddly shaped and is wider under the instep than at the back of your heel. I bought my cats in my usual size and they fit snugly (but fine).
Panda (bear, polar bear); Heel 3 1/4" 
One of two styles without a platform, the panda heel is a more manageable heel height for most. The cub and adult are joined as one and sit relatively well under the shoe. The ears on the adult panda are a little more separated than other animals here, though they are situated directly under the sole, so appear to be out of harms way. The panda heel isn't a wedge, there's a bigger gap between the adult panda's back and the sole of the shoe, than the cat for example. It's sits somewhere between the cat and the gnome basically. It does have a very wide heel tip, so it doesn't really feel as heel-like as the gnomes. The panda heel is painted and slightly glazed (the white more than the black) and has also come in mirrored gold as a bear and this time in white glitter as a polar bear. I've tried various sizes and styles of pandas and generally found the size up a more comfortable fit. My gold bear heels though I kept in my usual size.
Lamb; Heel 3" 
The lowest of the bunch and only other single sole.  I recall a lot of people being happy to see a more mid-heel character launch after all the higher ones prior. The lamb is sitting down and is a wedge heel, though only the head and bottom press against the sole. The heel is relatively slim, fitting well under the shoe and although the base maybe slimmer than some, the length of the wedge (from back heel to instep) make it easy to walk on. It has a glazed finish, with the same pink contouring on white as the cat and bunny. The heel appears to have no changes in the new release.
I hope this has helped somewhat and gives a rough idea of whether or not you can manage these.  Like I say, I haven't worn my dino heels yet, but I find all the others easy to walk on and am not concerned with being particularly careful with regards to parts of the heels breaking or getting scraped.  The heel heights are all also fine with me, but I'm accustomed to wearing higher heels.  I've been waiting a long time for a collection like this, after not buying any special releases this year due to the heels being too low and/or just not totally feeling them.  Judging from the current and past season releases, Irregular Choice are definitely listening to the requests for lower heels and even managed the impossible this year, flat character heels!  How people even thought to ask for that, I don't know, it's an oxymoron.  So I'm not going to apologise for the focus firmly being on heels here, just let those of us that want them, revel in it for a short while! If you don't like them, there's plenty doughnuts, lovestruck hearts or fruit sliced concept heel options already on site.  Plus as we saw yesterday, there's a pair of trainers in this range (possibly more) and bags, so it's not solely character heels.  Good luck tomorrow, I'm jittery already!