Stoned, sparkled, and seriously unsubtle, spring’s towering heels stand out all alone. Stable or not, mile high heels are the new footwear imperative. More flattering than flats, spring’s lofty platforms and skyscraping stacked heels, don’t seem so foot-friendly? This spring 2009, more than ever, our fashionably graceful and professionally focused models even came toppling down the runways. But, show me a stunning “high” heel and I’ll buy it! Like many of you, I admit to being madly in love with shoes. Playful, colorful and often breathtaking, shoes have been a weakness for girls since Dorothy blissfully clicked her ruby red heels and Cinderella slipped into her glass slippers.


I grew up with a sister who, contrary to fairytales, wore Chuck Taylor’s proudly, and I on the other hand, wore my shiny white patent leather, even during winter in Wisconsin. Not the best decision for a future fashion denizen, but my mother was stylishly liberal. While I now spend ninety-percent of my time tailgating a toddler, my passion for eccentric shapes and decorative heels is unmarred. I absolutely adore and admire the art and craftsmanship of the shoe; Lanvin, Givenchy, Chanel, Martin Margiela!


It all starts with basic physiology. More than any other item in the wardrobe, our shoes control how (or whether) we stand and walk. They make us taller and leaner or shorter and, well, less lean, and, as every woman knows, they dictate our comfort level at any given moment of the day. The inherently glamorous (and genetically long limbed) would argue that flats would do the same – possessing an effortless sex appeal of their own.


Shoes come in all shapes and sizes, colors and textures and especially in the world of opulence and design, creative license to construct whatever your heart desires. Have you seen the jumpsuit-shoe by Alexander McQueen or possibly the shoesuit? Of course this is not a shoe for any of us, “chasing behind the kid” moms, this is Modern Art to frame and hang.


This spring however brings a shower of shoes to make you want to kick up your heels, spring into step and party like it’s 2009! We at the HOT Report are excited about all of the options that poor little Cinderella won’t ever have. Despite the declining markets, high heels are on the rise, enjoy them but watch your step, we wouldn’t want to see you plunging down.