If you’re one of those ladies who can strap on seven-inch heels at seven o’clock in the morning, and keep them on for the next 12 hours, you have my utmost respect. I’ve been known to put my feet through their fair share of hardships, but an entire workday in mile-high stilettos is an activity in which I happily do not partake. I do, however, desperately need to let my toes out of the black-bootie prison which they've been kept in for the past several months. Flat, barely-there sandals are a no-go—their utter horizontal-ness makes for the most unflattering derrière positioning, and doesn't mix well with NYC street grime. But luckily, there's middle ground between a stiletto heel and those thin-soled toe-floss contraptions, and it comes in the form of embracing chunky-heeled sandals.
Rag & Bone Wyatt Sandals : These are your “I’m not quite ready for the sweltering heat of summer, I want to hold onto every last semblance of winter while I can” option. Are they really sandals? No, not really, but with your toes peeping and your heels breathing, they’ll make even the constantly leather-clad girl’s transition into spring that much easier.
Pedro Garcia Xola Leather and Suede Sandals : The ankle strap was invented by a friend of women—an addition to heels that help keep our shoes snugly attached without the clacking sound of mules. And with the wide, two-snap ankle strap and the low block heel, these minimalist shoes are fit for city life. But with suede in toe (ha, puns), beware of rain, puddles, and dewy spring grass.
Prada Crisscross Ankle-Strap Sandals : It’s the 21st century; there’s a robot roaming around Mars; it’s time for futuristic shoes complete with reflective silver surfaces to make their way into the “staples' section of our closets. Thank you, Miuccia, for getting it.
Maiyet Multi-Strap Block-Heel Sandals : At four inches tall, these sandals are the highest on the list. But with a heavy Lucite and wood-block heel, a reliable ankle holster (the aforementioned godsend), and four other straps, these muted navy shoes are more likely to make you feel like a sturdy glamazon than a newborn Bambi.
Tabitha Simmons Leticia Perforated Leather Sandals : And, for the girl who cannot wait for Sunday’s Easter brunch: a pair of heels that will make your feet look like they've been decorated in doilies—and I mean that in the best way possible.
—Elizabeth Brockway
