Wedges: to wobble or not to wobble
April 23rd, 2007This seasons “it” shoe is the wedge. The ‘70’s shoe trend has been modernized, but ethnic versions remain a good choice if there is a hippy chic aspect to your style. With heels soaring to new highs, the slick aesthetic of the wedge is virtually sculptural. The choice of looks and materials is endless. You’ll see anything from cork, raffia and wood, to Lucite, patent, metallic and woven fabrications. Heel heights are either high or low, and platforms are particularly “of the moment”.
Stability is the catch. A high, narrow wedge can feel as wobbly as a spiky stiletto and the platform detail prevents my toes from bending naturally when I walk. The trick is to find a pair with a lower and wider heel base. I’ve found that a two and a half inch heel (or lower) without the platform is the most stable option.
Give your Spring and Summer wardrobe a trendy update if you can stroll comfortably in hip and flattering wedges. If, like me, you prefer to stay grounded, be a little less trendy, but just as stylish with a lower, wider and less dramatic looking pair.
Dramatic, sculptured, fashion forward wedges.
Less dramatic, stable wedges.
April 23rd, 2007 at 10:38 am
I LOVE the Taryn Rose black and white shoes - but $500+ seems a little crazy for trendy shoes. I agree with you about heel height - I tried on some of the higher platforms and and they are harder to walk in then spikes from my perspective. It is tough to find the right combination of style, comfort, and price!
April 23rd, 2007 at 11:39 am
The wedgie heel you demonstrate as stable has been around for quite a while - out of fashion & now in - you might hunt out shoes from the back of your shoe closet - I hate to admit it - but fashion swings like this make me a pack rat! But then I wear the shoes I like - more or less in fashion - tweaking so I won’t look totally out of it…
April 23rd, 2007 at 3:34 pm
It took me a little while to get used to my wedges, but now I’m a pro. I am thrilled, however, that there are other, shorter, options. Would those shoes posted on the lower level work for a smart casual look?
April 24th, 2007 at 4:48 am
I love wedges. I’ve been wearing them for ages it seems like now. It didn’t matter to me if they were the “in” item. I’m just very glad to see them as an “in” item this year.
April 24th, 2007 at 7:28 am
The Farylrobin wedges are so great! They look like the perfect height and look so comfortable - like the perfect warm weather shoe that you can wear with everything.
April 24th, 2007 at 8:26 am
You’ve definitely pictured something for everybody!
April 26th, 2007 at 8:13 am
I love the red dramatic!
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:20 pm
I have a pair similar to the red dramatic, and they are surprisingly comfortable. I can walk for ages in them.
May 15th, 2007 at 7:19 am
[…] Wedges – it’s possible to feel fashionable and grounded in this season’s wedge sandals. […]
May 21st, 2007 at 7:37 am
[…] I had given up on all ultra-trendy shoes this season because soaring heels and wobbly wedges don’t make my feet happy. And then I found a shoe that stepped up to the plate. It’s a Franco Sarto patent, sling-back, peek-toed, cork wedge sandal. I’d bypassed this pretty shoe several times, assuming that it would be uncomfortable and impossible to walk in. […]
June 5th, 2007 at 3:36 am
[…] Espadrilles are forever fashionable. They’re the perfect ultra casual (yet sophisticated) Summer shoe. Their raffia-wrapped wedge heels make them particularly “of this fashion moment”, and this season there’s an array of styles and colors to choose from. But most of them are either too high or hopelessly uncomfortable. […]