Stripe shoes: Sergio Rossi 130mm Optikala patent leather sandals

Stripe shoes: Sergio Rossi 130mm Optikala patent leather sandals, £490

If you follow fashion at all, you’ll know that while stripes are so much of a classic they could be said to be “in fashion” almost all the time, they’re particularly big news this year. They’re particularly big stripes, too: bold black and white is the look many labels have gone for, with one example being these stripe sandals by Sergio Rossi.

Stripes are one of my all-time favourite fashion looks, so I’m more than happy with the news that we can expect to see a whole lot more of them this year, and I have plans to stock up while I can. As much as I love the look, however, what I like most about these shoes is the subtlety of the pattern: if “subtle” is a word that can ever really be applied to a pair of bright white sandals with a 130mm stripey heel, that is.

That heel is the reason this shoe works so well, though. If the pattern had continued over the entirety of the upper, the effect would probably have been a little much, even for a stripe lover like me. By restricting it to the heel, and on the piping of the straps, however, the brand have created a more subtle effect, which is no less interesting – and probably easier to wear than an all-over stripe would’ve been.

Personally, I think these shoes look best when viewed from the back:

The very large platform gives the vamp a very clunky, 70s inspired feel which I’ve never been very keen on. The back view, however, is pretty much perfect, and is the main reason these jumped out at me when I spied them at Louisa Via Roma. What do you think of them?

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