Forget boat shoes, espadrilles and those legions and legions of rope-embellished heels, this summer the perfect complement to the nautical look is a pair of eye-popping red platforms... and if they have a wooden heel, then even better!
These River Island ones certainly tick the boxes and would look oh-so-fab with a pair of smart, cuffed shorts and a polo t-shirt. Great for wearing on into the night, they're £69.99.
Related: Strappy patent shoes from River Island | River Island's yellow patent flat dolly shoes
Designers are great at re-inventing the wheel so to speak, and YSL have done it again with the Tribute heel. Revamping it to the point that the only thing that is the same as the original, is the platform heel and the cross-ankle strap. Not that I'm complaining, this YSL green satin Tribute heel with patent trim is actually quite adorable, bordering on cool in fact. I love the constrating green and black patent leather, you don't see many green shoes around in a colour that doesn't look like nature got blended up in a blender and poured over mulch, while the patent leather gives it a nice contrast, especially with the cut out detail. Another thing to love? BlueFly have taken $150 off the retail price, they're now $600 down from $750. If only they were marked down by $600...
Related: Yves Saint Laurent's Tribute canvas leopard pumps | YSL black patent 'Monaco' t-strap sandals
Just the thing to add a little Elle MacPherson soignée chic to your wardrobe these flat sandals from Browns are the perfect preppy shade of tan. The braiding adds a nice bit of textural interest without being too fuddy duddy and they would make even the most floaty floral dress smart enough for the office. They're by Christian Louboutin and will set you back £460.
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It might sound a little silly but when I first saw these Toopshop Hackle-High leg fringe sandals I thought "Jack in the beanstalk" because of the fringe strap that climbs right up the leg. Then I decided that you would get the weirdest tan line if you wore these out in the sun - I think on a way too practical level sometimes when it comes to shoes. But all that aside I actually think these shoes are very cool. You can get the gladiator-style boot without actually wearing boots that strap all the way up your leg would make walking so much easier. And the price isn't too bad - £25 isn't too much to ask, and they're also available in 2 other colours. I might have to order me a pair now...
Related: Topshop 'Gladiator' Sandals | Gladiator sandals roundup: will you be buying a pair?
It's been a while since I've seen Balenciaga shoes that weren't gladiator boots (and seen on Mary-Kate Olsen) or rather outrageous. These Balenciaga pink satin multicolor floral printed sandals definitely don't fit into the previous two categories but do go with Balenciaga's spring 2008 floral theme. Bright, colourful and complete with chunky heel, these shoes just seem to hark back to the 1990s, which is rather scary because I really hoped I would never see those kinds of shoes again. They're not a must-buy for me, but it could be interesting to see if anyone does wear them. Love them? They've been marked down from $725 to $580 at BlueFly.
Related: Balenciaga Black Patent D'Orsay Cut Stilettos | Balenciaga navy sandals for just £118
Could these be the ultimate heeled summer sandal? They are slightly chunky, slightly gladiatorial and the straps will ensure they keep your feet firmly in the shoe. The mink colour is fast proving itself as the perfect neutral as it goes with coral, neons, white and grey tones.
They'll set you back £85 from Oli and will look great with this season's slouchy capris and gathered minis.
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Looking for a bit of a height boost of about 6 inches? Because this will definitely give you the extra height you crave if you're any good at walking around in sky high heels. Not only are these shoes tall, they're also very shiny and sexy. Made from 100% patent leather this shoe will hold your foot in place with fine ankle straps and straps across the toes. While skyscraper heels and patent leather can look really cheap and nasty, these are actually quite edgy as they're not 100% black and it is Burberry Prorsum after all. For girls looking for stilts, these sexy platform sandals will set you back £395 - ouch!
Related: Embrace the rain with Burberry's wellies at Net-a-Porter
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