I thought the whole espadrille craze was going to be a passing fad, but then a year went by and espadrilles are as hot as ever. Now that it looks like espadrilles are going to become a summer staple, I'm desperately trying to find chic new styles. The standard ankle-tie espadrille is starting to look tired and ordinary and that is just not acceptable in my wardrobe.
I've had my eye on these pump-style espadrilles from Dani Black (left) since last summer, and I still find them eye-catching. They are unique and a little more refined than your typical espadrille. The stripes across the toe add a lot of visual interest and the slightly pointier toe dresses up the look. They would look amazing with gaucho pants or the new dressy shorts that are everywhere this season. Last summer they were going for over $100, but are now a steal at $49.94. These basket-weave leather topped peep-toe espadrilles from Steve Madden (right) not only have the espadrille trend covered, they also pack a one-two punch in the leg lengthening department. First, the platform wedge effortlessly adds three inches of height, but feels more like you are wearing sneakers. Second, the flesh-colored leather, with no ankle strap in sight, gives the appearance of one long line all the way to the toes, creating the illusion of an additional few inches of leg. They turned my petite 5'4" sister into a leggy 5'7" trend-master instantly. Seeing is believing.
