By the time you read this newsletter I’ll be on a plane coming back from Los Angeles, where I spent around eight hours teetering about in heels at a black tie event. As someone who prefers to run around in sneakers or flats 90% of the time and kitten heels the other 9%, the mere thought of putting on anything higher sends my calves into quivers. But I’m short and normally that’s okay — except when I’m in a room of people who are all in heels. Nothing makes me feel more figuratively and literally small than spending the entire night with my neck craned up shouting into the sky in a feeble attempt to make conversation over the din of the crowd.
In the past my solution would have been to wear the highest stilettos I could find and bear the pain. Through the years I’ve cycled through nearly every shoe brand ranging from Christian Louboutin (extremely narrow and painful), Jimmy Choo (tolerable), Saint Laurent (fine), and more. When it came to my wedding I decided on Manolo Blahnik BBs, on the rumor they were the most comfortable of the bunch. Technically that is correct, but only if you’re not an idiot like me who chose the 100mm heel. By the end of the night I’d gone from sore to numb to shooting pain between my second and third toe which lingered for three days after. Was it worth it? Ehhhh, I guess I got a few good photos. I know, not an enthusiastic endorsement.
While some stilettos are more bearable than others, at the end of the day your weight is still tipped over onto the balls of your feet, supported by a spindly heel and that frankly hurts. You could try a numbing spray or CBD cream to ease the pain but it better be a major occasion in order to call for that level of intervention. I’m not saying I’m above doing so, but I also don’t want my fallback solution to be blocking my nerves from transmitting pain signals, you know?
Anyway, this is a roundabout way to say that I’ve happily forgone stilettos without sacrificing height once I bought a pair of Prada silk platforms. Yes, I’ve already talked about my love of clunky Simone Rocha platforms, which truly do go with everything and I’ve worn them for evening events in the past. But sometimes I find them too chunky and I want something a little fancier with a clean, elegant line. That’s where these Pradas come in — they’re made of satin and are sleek, making them a good choice for black ties, weddings, and even the occasionally dressed up dinner. I’ve taken them with me on work trips to Charleston and Los Angeles, and even gave them precious luggage space for our last trip to Tokyo.
The idea isn’t that you need these exact Pradas (although I highly recommend them!) but that you should get a pair of platforms to get you through weddings and/or fancy events instead of suffering in your stilettos. And this is the same advice I give my styling clients, especially when we don’t have time to tailor a dress. Instead having the hem pool awkwardly or having her limping in pain by the end of the night because she had to wear sky high heels, I add a pair of (mostly hidden) platforms that keeps the gown from dragging. And sometimes you really can’t tailor certain dresses like this Taller Marmo caftan as seen on Amanda — without the platforms those beautiful feathers would have dragged across the floor.
Look, I’m not giving up on stilettos entirely. I packed both my Prada platforms and a pair of Alexander Birman embellished pumps for this event. As I write this I haven’t decided what to wear. There’s a chance I might wear the pumps and just deal with numb toes because objectively it looks better with one of my dresses. Or maybe I’ll wear the less forgiving dress with platforms. We’ll see!
Anyway, with all that being said, just get a pair of black platforms — they’re going to be more versatile than you think. If you need some guidance, here are six pairs I love:
I’ve worn these Larroude platforms as well as dressed styling clients in them and I’ve found them to be fairly comfortable, stylish, and a good value for the price. The comments on Nordstrom seem to be negative and I’m choosing to ignore them — if my bunion-ed wide feet are fine in these, yours will be too.
It absolutely pains me how much these Prada platform sandals cost now, but I really really really love the pair I own from a prior season. I don’t know what to tell you because they don’t go on sale like they used to. Best advice? If you (or someone you know) is in Europe, ask them to pick you up a pair for some savings. Otherwise if you feel like splurging, I promise they’re worth the money.
Louboutin stilettos might make my feet cry but I’ve had zero issues with their platform sandals. I wore a pair to film something that never saw the light of day and had to be on my feet for a few hours but felt absolutely no pain. Amanda is wearing a similar pair in the photo above and she’s also a convert.
If you think all the other choices are way too high and unrealistic, Nodaleto is a bit easier to wear, without sacrificing height. The brand runs a bit on the narrow side, at least for me, but I still think they’re fairly comfortable. This one has rhinestones to make them extra festive but if the straps feel too clunky, their Chibi sandals are also really good — they just don’t come in black for some reason!
Another option that also has a lower pitch is this pair by Port & Paire. Don’t be fooled by the photo, the heel is still four inches high but because the platform is two-and-a-half inches, your feet are tricked into thinking you’re wearing the equivalent of a kitten heel. Comparatively, these are similar in price to the Larroudes so it depends on if you want velvet or satin. I find satin to be a bit more versatile but it’s splitting hairs.
Okay, fine, these lean more towards wildly unrealistic but if they had my size, I’d have definitely bought them. Sometimes I love an absurd, eye-catching shoe! This has party girl vibes but I don’t think I’d attempt to do more than walk in them because I’d for sure twist an ankle. Anyway, they’re absolutely fun if you want the shoe to be the moment in your outfit.
See you on Wednesday, when I will try to sell you on the merits of a summer bodysuit!
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Here’s a link to the newer version Pradas https://www.nordstrom.com/s/plateau-ankle-strap-platform-sandal-women/7211174?color=NERO&country=US¤cy=USD&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=seo_shopping&utm_channel=low_nd_seo_shopping&srsltid=AR57-fCwFqoLmlh-fOfiPa_SHY4vVrJwJTlSbTl0-JeG3vhKqVUB821AfRY
This has been my M.O. for years as I have gotten older and heels higher than 3” are a no no. Just want to add that this season- SS2023- Prada has brought out a platform sandal with a block heel with a thicker front platform & lower heel so there is maybe 1” of pitch. They are so easy to wear, & are literally a go with everything shoe- from jeans to evening gowns. I have a vintage pair in suede, and the this season version in both leather & patent leather. I highly recommend them. They are pricey, but you will get your money’s worth. I will send link in next comment if I can find them online.