TAKING TO LOWER CLIMES FOR SS15

High heels, they're great right? Elongating legs, allowing mere mortals the ability to feign Gisele-esque pins - well, sort of anyway. They encourage a strut, a walk of confidence, a stride of power and unfortunately, more often than not, a fair amount of arch ache. 

We can't all be like Carrie Bradshaw, romping around in 6" heels like we're floating on candy floss, yet we all still attempt it - even if that does mean carting around a pair of ballerina pumps for when we just can't go on - and when we think no one is watching. We find ways of stashing our forbidden flats, because heaven forbid anyone discover that we are only human, and that unfortunately does not come with stilts pre-attached. 

The handbag becomes the shoe receptacle. During a toss up between a shoe change - and a choice of shoe change at that - and, I don't know, something useless like, erm, a purse, it's a no brainer, right? We take to hiding them under our desks, in our lockers, I've heard of people clearing out a filing cabinet drawer (the bottom one FYI, more chance of it going unnoticed) and just as the aforementioned Miss Bradshaw kept sweaters in her stove, isn't the glove box of your car made for portable shoe storage?     

However, and yes I do feel like I'm cheating on what has salvaged me from my 5ft 3" normality for the umpteen years of our alliance, but since the world wide domination of the Stan Smiths and the street style pages being overrun with birks (even being matched with woollen socks to increase versatility) appearing your actual height, however diminutive that may be, is now officially O.K. 

This Spring/Summer designers heeded our needs and accessorised their looks with FLATS. Yes flats. Even Queen of vertiginous heels, Victoria Beckham embraced lower climes with white pointed shoe boots. Brogues, pumps, even flatforms are a few inches smaller this season and prepare for some rather questionable tan lines as the return of the gladiator sandals is nigh, whilst Burberry is keeping the trainer trend ongoing (not to mention the recent appointment of Rihanna as creative director at Puma), meaning that the gym shoe sure has got legs.

Will I pack up my beloved heels? Of course not, there'll be no silly talk like that on this blog! But over the years of my borderline unhealthy penchant for shoes of all kinds (except this kind), I have left my flats forlorn and unloved. They deserve some respect, or at least a walk, heck I might even take them for a run.

Want to know more? Check out my article on this season's biggest shoe trends at The Metropolist.

(Images via: My own taken by OJ Creative, The Coveteur & unknown)