High time: The return of the heel

It’s a reasonable route for many to favour comfort over style when it comes to footwear. With the rise of the ugly shoe of season’s past (see: androgynous flatforms, Birkenstocks, and Crocs) we’ve all become a little too used to laying low. But there’s no need to beat yourself up over it, even Victoria Beckham ditched her signature skyscrapers for the more convenient life of Stan Smiths by Adidas Originals. However, those lazier laidback ways are leaving us now, with 2018 tipped to be the year that we see heels make their comeback. Come 2018, there will be no room in your closet for boring shoes because a simple court heel will no longer do. – You need to think grander with embellishments, over-the-top textures, cowboy influences and unexpected materials…

THE WESTERN REVIVAL

The Louis Vuitton Cruise show, held in Japan’s capital, Kyoto marked creative director, Nicolas Ghesquiére’s fourth Cruise collection for the French fashion house. The collection was a splendid mashup of East meets West thanks to classical Japanese patterns fused with leather coats, animal prints and cowboy boots. Ghesquiére revealed that the inspiration for the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2018 collection came from the 1970s film, Stray Cat Rock, which quickly accounts for the biker jackets and cowboy boots seen in almost every look. Having also made an appearance in Dior’s 2018 Resort collection, and despite being the ultimate Americana silhouette, it’s been a while since we’ve seen cowboy boots so popular in one season. Yes, the cowgirl look is back but don’t be fooled, these booties aren’t to be paired with a checked skirt and denim mini. This time around, they are to be worn them with loose knitted cardigans, soft skirts and sheer tulle à la Dior or with a sequined mini dress as seen at Louis Vuitton.

LYCRA LOVE

The fashion buzzword of 2018 will no doubt be the ‘pantashoe’ given life by none other than Balenciaga. These lycra boots travel all the way up the leg, and feature a flattering pointed toe, giving the illusion of longer legs to everyone wearing them. So far, they’ve been spotted on the Met Gala red carpet underneath Salma Hayek’s thigh-splitting gown and as street style staples on everyone from the Kardashians to Rihanna – where most fashion critics believe they belong.

EMBELLISHED DREAMS

Consider these your latest staple and vow never to underestimate the transformative power of sequined heels for daytime. It can’t be disputed that Prada is the decorative frontrunner this season. Designer, Miuccia Prada created a seductive collection by taking the traditional trappings of glamour – feathers and embroidery – and lavished them onto everyday staples, like pencil skirts, cardigans and heeled sandals. Prada had a message here, and it was to stop keeping your prized possessions for special occasions and rather let them give you a little extra feminine power for your everyday activities. There’s no reason not to let these over-the-top textured heels become your new jeans-and-a-tee companion. In fact, the more mundane your outfit, the more of statement these heels will make.

PLASTIC FANTASTIC

That’s right, this weather-proof material is back. And while many are attributing the return to Yeezy for introducing it back into the fashion zeitgeist a few seasons ago, plastic was seen all over the catwalk this Spring/Summer 2018 fashion month. Chanel went plastic fantastic with transparent thigh-grazing PVC rainboots. However, these may not be conducive to life in Africa and our hot and sticky climate. Rather rock this look with plastic hints, like the pink plastic block heel on Louis Vuitton’s silhouette ankle booties.

EXTRA, EXTRA HIGH PLATFORMS

It’s totally fitting that with the revival of the high heel, vertiginous heels make their own comeback. Here, you might look for a pair with a stabilising platform to rest the ball of your foot on (see Michael Kors), or you may be as daring as it gets with a long stiletto heel (thank you, Giuseppe Zanotti!). The point is to wear them with cropped cigarette pants or a super-mini hemline to ensure maximum visibility (and envy).