Every fall, college and university campuses swarm with women wearing all kinds of leather flats, but there are always a select few brave enough to walk across the quad in stilettos. Those risk-takers might look great, but who can realistically trek to class in high heels?
There's a different breed of shoe popping up in storefronts around Los Angeles that could prove the perfect solution. The high-top wedge sneaker is a heel and sport shoe hybrid, providing a middle ground for chic tomboys and girlie-girls who love their heels.
"I always wanted to be able to wear sneakers and create a whole cool tomboyish look, but I couldn't see how to achieve that with plain old high-tops," says designer Monika Chiang, who has a new line of high-top wedge sneakers. "When I created my high-tops, I added a hidden wedge to give the leg a longer look and a more stylish feel."
The colour combinations, materials and styles of this season's high-top wedge run the gamut. Mesh panels, white leather-cap toes and Velcro are all nods to traditional, sporty sneaks.
But with lush suede, metal studs and labels including Chloe, Marc Jacobs and Isabel Marant, these kicks definitely classify as high fashion.
