In January, I made the mistake of telling you that stomping great heels were back for 2011. Big mistake. A flurry of anti-stiletto comments followed.
This was the general vibe:
'Stiletto heels, who needs them? The guy bringing them back should be forced to walk a few miles in a pair.'
'Exactly who are we trying to impress with high heels! We are certainly not trying to wear them for our comfort or health!'
'I dont wear high heels. Give me a nice comfortable mid heel any day. High heels pose some serious health issues.'
So, this week I'm eating heel-humble pie. Clearly, Carrie Bradshaw's Manolo fetish was as inaccurate as every other 'universal female truth' peddled by Sex And The City.
But for all you who aren't into toe torture, there's good news. You're no longer limited to pancake-flat pumps, because - drum roll - the 'flatform' is spring's hottest new shoe.
This new shape offers a thick platform sole, but unlike a wedge the sole is level — pretty much the same height at heel as at toe. In other words, you're elevated, but your foot isn't at a painful angle. Your legs say, 'Hooray, heels!' but your feet say, 'phew, flats!'
This isn't a hoax — the flatform was seen on the most coveted spring/summer catwalks, including Chanel, Prada, Chloe and even Vivienne Westwood (best known for sending Naomi Campbell flying in nine inch clogs). Unlike the 'look at me' sexiness of high heels, the flatform has a demure, understated elegance, allowing you to float serenely by — just a little taller. They genuinely are comfy, too.
The only thing you need to watch for is a too thick sole. Though tempting, the resulting brick will be too heavy to walk in comfortably and can look a little orthopedic. Many styles also have an ankle strap, which will help to hold the shoe in place, but is best avoided if you have short legs.
Practicalities aside, how do you wear them? The flatform is first and foremost a '70s throwback, so it goes down a treat with this season's flares, midi-skirts and floaty dresses. Cork or woven soles look delicious with faded denim — very retro Californian beach babe.
But if hippie revival isn't your thing, you won't miss out. There are loads of leather and satin flatforms in the shops, that work well with smarter trousers, skinny jeans or with a mini for maximum legginess. Topshop do a nice suede, peeptoe pair named Java (£65, topshop.com)
Comfort and chic — could this be a fashion first? Here's hoping it's not the last.
Francesca Hornak writes for the Sunday Times Style Magazine.
