Are Wedges Really Flattering After 50? Our Fashion Expert Reveals the Secrets to Not Looking Heavy or Bulky – and Why You Should NEVER Wear Espadrilles!

You might think that the question “Can you wear platform shoes after 50?” requires a simple yes or no answer. But, as is often the case in the over-50s clothing context, the answer is “Of course, provided…”

I’ve been thinking about this question for a long time since last February, when nearly everyone in the front row of Chloé’s fall/winter 2024 show wore the brand’s black leather open-toe wedge sandals. It was the starting gun that signaled not only that wedges were back, front and center, but that they were for women of all ages and styles.

Of the shoes in the line, only Jerry Hall didn't wear them. Perhaps it was because she was tall, or because they didn't fit her outfit, two possible drawbacks of wedges: They work best under longer hemlines or just peeking out from under flared pants.

But Jerry, who is 67, might have reservations about platform shoes after 50. I wouldn't have worn them either, and I'm a big fan of platform shoes who bought my first pair (or my mother did) in the 1970s.

Although style comes and goes, I lost confidence in shoes in my early 50s and ditched my wooden Chloé sandals, suede Miu Miu pumps and strappy espadrilles, convinced I was past the age of wearing wedges.

Almost overnight, I went from enjoying hitting the dance floor in my wedges (in case you didn't know, they're great for weddings and parties because they make your legs look longer, never break or sink into the grass, and provide a big marshmallow cushion on which you can dance the night away) to feeling like the happy green giant in them: bulky, heavy, and too much.

Now I realize it wasn't so much a wedge issue, but more of a wedge height issue. Now I want to feel elegant, I'm 5'9″ so I might not feel as elegant if I were shorter and more confident, which means the wedge needs to be about 3 inches high. (These Chloe Maxine wedges have a 5.9″ wedge, which is a fraction of 5 inches.)

But it is also, and even more importantly, a question of tone.

What brought me back to this style over the past five years were the solid black wedges, with an open toe and an ankle strap, the shoes that established a sophisticated new era of the wedge.

Most often, they come in suede or plain leather, like the Maxines and Marks & Spencer's canvas buckle espadrilles ($29.62, marksandspencer.com) or the cork wedges from Zara (49.99, zara.com) are the equivalent of high summer.

Wedges are subtly different from heels, which is why they are so useful. There is something particularly summery about them, partly because many of them have soles made of wood, cork or jute, but also because there are more occasions when a heel seems too formal and precious, and a wedge is perfect. Heels make you look dressed up, wedges make you look stylish.

For example, I would never wear high heels to a friend's barbecue, but I could wear wedges under my jeans, like Marks & Spencer's brown suede ankle strap espadrilles (41.25). They're a little too high (9.5cm), but they're perfect for wearing with flared trousers.

Heading to a summer party, I wouldn't bother with heels, but would wear a black cheesecloth dress and gold wedge sandals from Rixo (196, rixolondon.com). And on vacation I wouldn't dream of taking heels (cobblestones, sand, heat, and I don't really dress up in the evening), but cork flip-flops (130, fitflop.com) got me in the mood for Mamma Mia. And so comfy.

I like the pale beige suede open toe mules to make it look like I put in a little effort under pants (41.25, marksandspencer.com) and if I were shorter and wanted to spruce up an everyday dress, I would be tempted by Penelope Chilver's leather pumps (159, penelopechilvers.com) a bit like the high espadrilles the Princess of Wales wears with her summer dresses. (As things stand, I prefer to stick to the much lower (6.5cm), ankle-strap style and you can get them from John Lewis (£69, johnlewis.com).

For weddings, wedge espadrilles are the new suede high heels, but I still think they look best on 20-somethings (a little too bohemian for us).

I would always go for suede or velvet, velvet being perfect in summer as long as the event goes into the evening. Again, Chilvers can supply (189).

By the way, if you think you can handle a high wedge and want to have a head start, then the Kaiden sandals from Dune (95, johnlewis.com) are not at all different from these Chloé wedges, and 800 cheaper.

You're never too old.