Ferragamo Romy Patent Pump

It’s very rare that I will like a pump with a stacked “wooden” heel, but Ferragamo’s latest fall offering has me considering changing my mind. As a rule, tacking on a wood or wood-resembling heel makes the whole shoe look like the designer gave up trying to make it look pretty. “It’s the new deconstructed style!” Sorry, guys; if you expect me to pay over $300 for a shoe, it had better be absolutely magnificent. Luckily, this one is. It’s got a beautiful shining patent leather covering with a tan Napa leather buckled strap over the vamp. As well, the rounded toe and platform toe gives the whole shoe a bit of a playful look, even though the 3.2 inch heel insists that this shoe is all business. I personally like the contrasting tan and black and could see myself wearing this on a business trip or with a sexy skirt. A Ferragamo shoe pretty much demands an excellent outfit to match. If you want to pop, this is the shoe to wear.

The shoe also comes in a sickly beige; and to tell the truth, if I had seen that color first, this review may have taken a different direction. In contrast to the sharp black, the tan strap and platform fade off into a dull vanilla palette of different shades of taupe. I do realize that neutral is in, but silly me, I thought that was only for home decoration. When it comes to your attire, you’ve got to have one accessory to make the ensemble pop. Anyway, go with the black – and enjoy your $395.00 shoes in nearly any situation. I found these at NeimanMarcus.com.

Oh Deer has made its own version of the contrasting platform and heel pump, and the Marilyn does impress me to some degree. Although I strongly dislike the red sole, I’m getting the same feeling that I get with the Ferragamo – if you’re going to go with black, you’re going to look amazing. This shoe has a genuine leather upper and is leather-lined, as well. The four-inch heel and rounded toe finish the look off nicely, and the stacked platform gives the height-challenged a little lift. Find it at Zappos.com for $68.95.

This is a shoe I could see myself wearing. The N.Y.L.A. Women’s Zephah Platform Pump has a gunmetal grey leather upper and a staggering four-and-a-quarter-inch heel. Yes, the heel and platform resemble the wooden chunks that I hate so much, but it works on this shoe, especially with the riveted cut-out detailing on the vamp and the sweet peep toe. The price is definitely right, too – at $39.95, I’d snap this one up in a second. I found this one at Endless.com.