Platforms have always been a staple in my wardrobe regardless of this new autumn winter 2022 trend. The first pair of shoes I bought myself after I had Allegra was a pair of wine red Chloe platforms from The Outnet five years ago! I still love, cherish and wear those platforms very much, so much so I bought them again, but in tan and have subsequently gone on to purchase many other pairs of platforms.
The truth of the matter is, when debating what type of heel I might like to wear for an occasion that I want to be wearing heels for, platforms are far more comfortable and a little bit nicer to the feet than a pair of stilettos for example, with a sole so fine you can literally feel a pebble and all the cracks and crevices of the pavement beneath your feet.
Of course not all platforms are made equal and not all are made with comfort and practicality in mind. Those incredible Valentino Garavani platform pumps are absolutely stunning, however they are a sky scraping 155mm high! They remind me of a shoe I once wore from Office Shoes in my hey-day, when I used to frequent the London clubs several times a week and had somehow managed to master the art of dancing all night long in incredibly high shoes. When I say all night long, I literally mean the last person IN THE ENTIRE CLUB ON THE DANCEFLOOR and when I say high, I MEAN INCREDIBLY HIGH!
The aesthetic was way more important to me back then, whereas now I can look at a beautiful shoe, like those Valentino platform pumps and any high street shoe inspired by said platform and appreciate their beauty all the while knowing, my ankles can’t handle all that height – even with an ankle strap! The platforms that sit in my shoe collection are of a far more modest height, that is just as suitable for me to wear to a work event, as it might be a wedding and even to the pub on a Friday night.
And this is where the platform boot comes in. You’ve got all the height, the drama and aesthetic of a platform, but the platform boot is just a little bit more sensible, particularly for our UK weather, and the ankle support from a boot always makes them feel that bit more secure on the feet and that bit easier to wear.
Versace and Valentino have been at the helm of this new resurgence of the platform and it’s quite nice to see some shoe trends being led by fashion houses other than Bottega Veneta! However, if spending £1000 upwards on a pair of boots isn’t your thing at the moment – it’s certainly not mine, then there are some really good platform boots on the high street totally inspired by gorgeous platform boots from the fashion gods.
Here are 10 of my favourite platform boots on the hight street:
