Wedge You Be Mine?

{These awesomely vertiginous suede-and-patent ombre wedges by Thesykens Theory have been sparkling on my radar, but at $465.00 are way out of my price range, hence my ecstasy when I found their close ringers at the mall. Photo credit: www.cooltowear.com }

{My new very-favorite, endlessly versatile, legitimately comfortable two-tone 4.5" platform wedges with ankle strap, Aldo, against a backdrop of delightful fall-scented candles.}

Despite my love for playing dress-up, I consider myself something of a late bloomer when it comes to shoe-fluency. For a long time, I simply didn't care too much what was on my feet, often donning my mom's hand-me-down kitten-heels for work; while perfectly nice, they weren't really "me." Today, I treasure my collection of booties, loafers, and a singular set of camel patent "Yolanda" Christian Louboutins that I purchased for (and justified with) my wedding, but I've been known to make some offensively wrong footwear choices. Back in college, when I first got into Sex and the City, I went through a super-cheap (Carrie Bradshaw's Manolos being out of the question) pointy-stiletto phase that worked out only minimally well, as I never really mastered walking in them with any kind of grace. (A friend refers to me as the Chinese female Kramer; I can trip, fall, and stumble on a totally flat floor in a totally clear hallway stone-cold sober in flats, so spike-heeled stilettos are not my friend.) The one relic of that era is a pair of 2004 faux-crocodile metallic-purple Chinese Laundry pumps, which are admittedly pretty great. But for the most part, the feet of my youth were often shod in shoes originally marketed for tweens.
The one shoe style I have always loved without wavering, and which is having a shining moment in the sun these days,
is the towering platform wedge.

In 8th grade, my mother took me back-to-school shopping and tried in vain to get me to purchase pragmatic items such as thick sweaters and plain black slacks. (What 8th graders wants to wear a "slack?") Instead, I begged, beguiled, and cajoled until she relented and bought me a pair of black-foam-covered 4" wedge platform sandals (Express) with a single piece of wide brown leather over the foot. I wish I had a picture; they were so freakin' ugly, but I loved them passionately, and on sight. They worked (I thought) with flare jeans, dresses, corduroys, miniskirts, and the atrocious, ubiquitous overalls we loved in 1997; the thick platform made them exceedingly comfortable in spite of their height. Also, two-tone pieces in colors that aren't "supposed to" go together have always pleased my inner rebel. I proceeded to wear the shit out of those bad boys all the way through 2006, aka my first full year out of college - by that time, the heels were worn to nubs and they looked conspicuously dated, but I couldn't bear to toss 'em. Then one fateful night at the club, I fell, I mean really went down, a staggering 5 times while trying to cut a cute move on the dance floor, and they had to meet the dumpster. However, I never really got over them. Now that massive platform wedges are hotter than ever, with design extras that allow for comfort such as an ankle strap and a slight lift at the toe, I'm happy to indulge my addiction with these affordable beauties from Aldo, a trickle-down melding of some of the hottest current shoe designers. The combination of rich but neutral cognac and never-fails black will go with everything in my wardrobe, grounding frilly dresses but still lending a tough edge. Wedges distribute weight evenly, unlike stilettos, so you can walk steady and stand tall while still looking fierce. Here are some other beauties in this style: {These ruby-red suede Charlotte Olympias are both fun and unexpected, especially the blink-and-you'll-miss-them cat faces on the toes, a Wonderland-esque touch. Photo credit: www.stilettomeup.com }

{The rich jewel color of these velvet stunners is eye-catching; the gold trim makes them special. Also from Charlotte Olympia. Photo credit: www.shopstyle.com }

{Charlotte Olympia makes me swoon again with this quartet, including the leopard shootie. Ultra-wearable, outfit-enhancing wedges in blush and chartreuse embossed leather and ostrich-effect teal velvet. Photo credit: www.shoerazzi.com }

{More brown-and-black: Dolce Vita "Camryns" at Free People. Photo credit: www.thisnext.com }

{Pierre Hardy recently showed a number of color-blocked illusion platforms, mimicking the look of a chunky stiletto heel. Photo credit: www.aqioffer.com }

I will be rocking my new faves with every color of the rainbow and most of my holiday outfits. On a damp, rainy fall Friday closing a harrowing few days, I broke them out for school with slim navy harem pants and a rust tie-neck blouse, determined to end the week with intrepid spirit. While driving to work, my car radiator exploded, leaving me stranded mid-traffic in my smoking Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chobani yogurt in hand, fellow commuters flipping me off in exasperation. Luckily, Al, the kind gentleman from AAA, was benevolent enough to go against protocol and drive me to work before dropping my car at the shop. As I dismounted from the tow truck in my sky-high wedges, he called, "Be careful in those shoes ... and have a better day!"

I was ... and eventually, I did. And I was glad I wore the shoes. --xoxo