Simply put: Pierre Hardy shoes are hot. In all my years working in fashion, I have never met a pair of Pierre Hardy shoes I haven’t loved–or loved on a woman’s feet. To wit, check out Leighton Meester, who donned a vertiginous bronze leather heel with gold hardware. Yes, it is an intense shoe, verging on terrifying for most women perhaps, but for the adventurous type with the calf muscles to pull it off, the rewards are plentiful. First off, given the multi-strap ankle tie, it would be fair to warn petite women or those with less-than-slender legs to be cautious wearing these shoes (translation: they can cut you off at the ankle and make you look short). But once on, they make such a fabulous statement on the foot–particularly if paired with a more subdued color or overall look. I’d dare wear these shoes with a minidress as I would a tailored wide leg pantsuit.

$1,240, available in alternative colors at Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills CA or at www.pierrehardy.com