Heel The World, Make It A Better Place

That is not a typo.

Have you ever met one of those crazy people who believe in the 'power of heels/fashion/makeup' and how it has transformative qualities and can make you a better person?

I'm one of them, and yet I'm not, not completely anyway.

On one hand, I do believe in the power of great style and how it gets you noticed for all the right reasons and how it empowers you through it's unwavering ability to give that little bit more confidence and self-esteem. On the other hand, however, I also think that the clothes and shoes and stuff are only half of it. Because if you are inferior in attitude and intellect, no amount of great hairstyling and heel-walking training (I'm sure there's a better word for it which I don't know of at the moment) is going to stop people from noticing what's really hidden underneath.

In short, fashion can elevate you, but it can only take you up to half the building. The rest has got to come from yourself. Does anyone really think Audrey Hepburn is the icon she is just 'cos she has amazing Givenchy LBDS and a beautiful face?

Anyway, I'm sorta deviating from the main point here. Which is to share some of the most amazing shoes I've encountered through hours of surfing the Net (does anyone say surfing anymore?). You could say I've become height-biased. This doesn't mean that I favour tall guys over short ones (though it is the truth), but rather that I've now developed the habit of discarding a potential shoe-rack occupant just because it's not high enough, a.k.a. not more than 3 inches high.

So, right now, any shoes that I welcome into my home must either be very flat or very tall. My life just got an extreme edge.

Anyhow, I'm gonna cut to the chase and showcase some of the big favourites, starting with flats.

If I'm not wrong, these are from Forever 21. One of the things that can instantly attract me to a pair is, of course, its colour. Its bright, distinct colour, to be precise. The pinkish purple shade of this one plus the glittery sheen just does it for me, and the bows don't hurt either.

These are from an online blogshop named Mezzanine, which stocks these runway-inspired shoes for prices a quarter of what may cost you for the original. Obviously, these are inspired by Marc Jacobs. For some reason, I am a sucker for anything that features a quirky graphic, mainly pictures of weirdly drawn people. The gray and white stripes that act as a background for the cartoon figures complement them perfectly, and make this pair absolutely indie chic.

Ahhh, animal prints. Once upon a time, I hated them to the core and could not see why it was a recurring trend and such a hit among celebs. Now I've seen the light. Personally, as long as it wasn't taken off the body of the original wearer, I'm loving it. Leopard and zebra prints are thus far my biggest faves, which half-explains why this pair made it onto the list. The print is made even better by the fact that it's pieced together by sequins, and you know what I feel about shine!

I loved this one because of, what else, its crystal studded Union Jack flags. There's just something about 'crystal-studded' which pulls me in. Must be the way it shines and looks oh-so-precious. The flats are otherwise simple, which keeps the spotlight nicely on them glammed-up flags.

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I loooove these to death, for one very obvious reason - retro floral prints! Anything that includes this one very special feature, be it cups, dresses, cushion covers, is sure to catch my eye. Must be one of the side effects of my enduring love with all things vintage, I guess. Oh, and I have to mention the mary-jane straps as well. Without it, the retro feel of the flats would never have been fully achieved. ;)

This is another pair from F21. It's one of those subtly elegant pairs which complement your outfit without showing off the fact that it's doing the complementing, you know? I love the gold tips; they remind me of a luxury pen somehow. Besides that, gold and black are such versatile colours, more so when they're paired together that I'm sure you can pair these with almost anything in your wardrobe.

And now....Heels.

Donatella Glitter Peep Toe Heels from F21 (4.5 in. heel height/0.75 platform height). Isn't the glittery gold fabric on this pair so intoxicating? It's not hard to imagine a champion of bling and glam wearing this (here's looking at you, Beyonce). This pair will give any outfit an instant glam-ification, so what's not to love?

Heels from Viktor & Rolf's Pierrot collection. The design is like nothing else I've ever seen, and it's got lace too (now I sound like I'm high on sugar)! The details on the heel certainly aren't overlooked as well, and the diamond shapes stay very true to the Pierrot spirit. And oh, the height! This is a pair that pretty much ticks all my personal boxes.

Boots from peepboutique.blogspot.com. It crosses the sleekness of a good black boot with the sweetness of a mary jane heel to great effect, hence it's got hints of androgynous chic peppered by unmistakable feminine chic. I also love, love the sneaker-like holes. I'm sure there's a better name for that that I don't know of at the moment. Plus, the buckles are to die for!

Open-toe heels from Chie Mihara. My favourite thing about this has got to be the pleat detailing on the front, and how they are layered on top of one another to create a soft, irresistible focal point. The white colour looks a little grayish here, which gives it a subtle, slightly washed out hue. Oh, and it looks pretty comfy too. I bet I would wear this everyday if it were mine...

Zip up boots from Charles&Keith. Don't you just love the metallic gold stripes on this one? Personally, anything that looks like it came from 50 years later is a hit with me. Paired with something contrasting like a black tutu skirt, it could just be really awesome. One day, one day, I'll have the means to raid C&K like nobody's business....

Berry Platform Pumps from Forever 21 (4.5 in. heel height). I'm not sure about the texture of the fabric, but it sure looks like velvet from the picture. The biggest drawing point of this pair would have to be its blueberry colour; it's bright without being overwhelmingly so. Plus, it looks like something from an 80s revival, and really, no one can ever forget the 80s, can they?

For very obvious reasons, this reminds me of Blair Waldorf. New York-accented preppiness is written all over this one. The plaid stockings are paired with the muted gray heels to great effect, and it just might make you wish this were part of our school uniforms - I know I do.