I know these have some pretty abysmal ratings, so take my experience with a grain of salt. I bought my shoes from Amazon Warehouse at less than half price - probably the return product of one of the other dissatisfied customers. They came in fine condition, so credit to Warehouse for giving me a great deal.
I got the taupe color, which is really an ivory, as has been mentioned. It's got a marbled pattern, too, so don't expect the smooth tone from the picture. They are very shiny, though, and seem pretty well-made, as I'd hope for in Madden Girl. I originally bought these for the relatively low heel, but I have to admit it's not as low as I was expecting. Perhaps I just haven't work heels enough in recent months, though it could be the slope of the shoe that makes them feel so steep. As far as wearing goes, they feel like heels. The first hour or so feel fine, and the irritation sets in from that point on. They're not a walking pump, and are better suited to someone who gets to sit down for a good portion of their day. They're also not a good training heel, in case the 3.5 in heel made you feel safer. But for normal office/school use, I've had no problems, and I think my money was well spent.