Wedges are big again for spring. I have certainly worn enough of them over the years to be qualified to give some pointers on how to buy them and how to wear them. I have chosen them right and I have chosen them wrong. If you are intimidated by platforms for fear you will teeter in the stiletto versions, then wedges might be for you. If you buy them right they are extremely comfortable and sturdy. The first sign that they will be comfortable is apparent just by picking them up. They should be light weight in spite of their sometimes bulky appearance. Heavy wedges are laborious to walk in and can be tiring to wear. Some espadrilles have a tendency to be heavy if the soles are rubber or crepe and are wrapped in heavy rope instead of twine. Look instead for cork soles. They are firm but very light weight. Hint: Most shoe websites will include the weight of the shoe in the description. Look for around 10 oz. – 12 0z. Wedges with a higher pitch or smaller platform will be more comfortable with gel inserts since your weight will be over the ball of the foot. Mule type wedges should have less of a pitch since your foot will have a tendency to slide as you walk and could create callouses. If a higher heel and platform are your preference, you might want to choose ones with adjustable straps on the forefoot or near the ankle. Another hint is to avoid wedges that have several elastic straps over the top of the foot. It has been my experience that stability is greatly compromised as you walk. It takes a very light weight wedge to conform to the foot as the elastic stretches with each step. Wooden sole wedges are very difficult to walk in as well. Take it from a pro. Uneven surfaces, perhaps even a misplaced pebble could cause you to fall over in your shoe and twist your ankle! Not that I ever have.
Now there are attractive ways to wear a wedge and some not-so-attractive ways. Espadrille types usually look great with a longer, fuller skirt like the maxis especially if they are not open at the heel as they tend to look too heavy for short skirts. Wedges are not a very good look for pencil skirts unless they are a smaller scale wedge which narrows to a stiletto in the back. The same holds true with pants. The wider the leg, the bulkier the wedge can be but be careful not to overpower a skinny pant leg with a heavy, clunky wedge. It just doesn’t look right. You can go high without going clunky. Its all about proportion. The featured wedge above would be great with cargo capris, cuffed shorts, or skinny jeans. Because of the natural color they are light looking and won’t appear too heavy for the look. If you chose to wear capri’s that are wide at the bottom (fodder for another post) I would avoid wearing wedges at all costs. From my perspective, there is just something about the combination that doesn’t work.