HOT TAKE: THE WEDGE LIVES ON
Hot Take (n): a quickly produced, strongly worded, and often deliberately provocative or sensational opinion or reaction.
My name is Alexia Ioannou and I approve of this message.
Remember when I said the wedge is not dead? Well she lives on and she is coming with us into F/W.
I’ve been having night sweats and blurry visions of people walking the streets in baseless bottomless shoes.
WE NEED HEIGHT. WE NEED VOLUME. WE NEED SUPPORT.
I want to pound the pavement with every step I take and for the ground beneath me to let out a subtle cry as my wedge firmly imprints the floor, lifting me up the extra 3 inches Jesus didn’t have the juice to give me himself.
Let’s talk through our options.
The wedge boot (the woot?).
A simple google search of the “wedged boot” may reveal an assortment of frightening images. With the majority of wedged boot offerings being chunky, clunky and straight up ugly, making this style is a delicate trend to subscribe to.
There are a few things to be mindful of when adding this silhouette to your wardrobe. One being to find a wedged boot that hits you at your hottest spot, for most of us that is right below the knee. The above YSL Suede Ankle Platform Boots are exactly what you don’t want to buy. Aside from burning your eyeballs at first glance, they are also extremely unflattering. You will find a handful of rare exceptions to this rule (like these Celine Black Boots by Phoebe Philo). The goal is in finding a shoe that elongates the body, this is literally why we suffer in high-heels. Beauty is pain!
Two being to take into account the shape of the toe. When looking back on popularized wedged boot silhouettes a common theme seems to be a perfectly rounded babydoll toe. Giving off a sometimes fatty foot appearance. Don’t get me wrong - I am open to a slightly rounded toe, but there is nothing more flattering on the foot than a perfectly pointed-toe. I predict to see the babydoll toe make a resurgence soon, more on this later.
Historically Givenchy, Celine & Prada have best developed the wedge boot. Period. Prada continuing to design the silhouette in both their traditional and sport line. Whether it be style or durability, Prada continue to offer something for everyone.
Do I dare contest that the Givenchy Shark Lock boots have survived enough seasonal trend rotations to exist as a wardrobe staple? Optimal in height, paired with a shady wedge covering to give you just a peek of what’s underneath. I’ve yet to wear these, but I’d love to kick my enemy while they’re down in these sturdy booties.
Looking to more affordable and current options, Schutz’s Asya Up boot has my attention. A variety of wearable wedge boots came out of the Celine Phoebe Philo era as well, below you’ll find some highlighted.
Shop them secondhand for a fraction of the price:
Prada Sport Brown Suede Boots IT 35.5
Celine Brown Wedge Boots IT 36
Prada Sport Black Leather Wedge Boots IT 36
Givenchy Short Tan Lock Wedge Suede Boots IT 37
Prada Sport Brown Suede Wedge Boots IT 7.5
Celine Black Leather/Suede Wedge Boots 37.5
Givenchy Black Leather Boots (sans buckle) IT 38 - I’ll probably buy these if you don’t
Givenchy Black Leather Rain Boots IT 38
Givenchy Black Shark Lock Wedge Boots IT 38.5
Givenchy Red Shark Lock Boots (yes to this color) IT 39
Prada Sport Black Leather Riding Boots IT 40
Prada Black Leather Wedge Biker Boots IT 41
The wedge pump.
It’s September and I’m beginning to have seasonal withdrawals from peeping my pretty little toes out of the front of my favorite designer sandals. Is the wedge pump the shoe that will cure all of my needs? Me thinks so!
Miu Miu & Prada-yada-yada does it again. We see this in their newer as well as older seasons. Other designers have their moment here too, it’s really about the tone & texture of these styles that show how the wedged heel shouldn’t be limited to only the warmer months. I don’t know about you, but I’m willing brave my little piggies in the colder temps for the sake of a good shoe.
Buy these so I don’t:
Prada Silver Leather Wedge Pumps IT 5
Prada Silver Patent Leather T-Strap Pumps IT 35.5 (Same material as the boots highlighted above)
Prada Green Leather Wedge IT36
Prada Sport Suede Brown Mule Wedge IT36
Miu Miu Grey Suede Peep Toe Wedge IT 36.5
Gucci Patent Leather Wedge Pumps IT37
Miu Miu Brown Suede Wedge Peep Toe Pumps IT37.5 (MUSTTTTTT BUY)
Prada Black Patent Leather Pumps IT37.5
Christian Dior Black Wedge Pumps IT38
Miu Miu Red Patent Wedge Pumps IT38 (unreal.)
Celine Brown Peep-toe Wedge IT38.5
Prada Leather Slingback Wedge IT39
Miu Miu Black Patent Wedge Pumps IT39
Prada Suede Wedge Pumps IT39.5
Miu Miu Patent Leather Wedge Pumps IT40
Miu Miu Burgundy Lizard Wedge IT40 (I’M SICK OVER THESE.)
Miu Miu Olive Velvet Wedge Pumps IT40
Celine Blue Suede Wedge Pumps IT 10 (May I offer you some color?)
Miu Miu black & Gold leather lizard wedges IT40 (killer & two for the price of one - ok!)
The wedge sneaker.
Yet to find anyone that can supply this vision well outside of Isabele Marant’s famously coined “Ugly Sneaker” from the 2010’s, these were recently reimagined (yet still ugly). I love to hate these (wait I kind of want these). I’m all for a shoe that looks you in the face and says “HELLO!”, but these kind of feel like a confusing statement. Not quite providing the comfort of a sneaker or the sexiness of a wedge. Also, velcro on the feet over the age of 5 is so damn wrong. Don’t even poke me about the recently launch Sneex (these people need to hire me), I literally get a hot anxious feeling all over my body when I think about them.
Prove me wrong in the comments.
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