You might think that the question, “Can you wear a wedge after 50?” would require a simple yes or no answer. But, as is often the case in the context of over-50s clothing, the answer is, “Sure, provided…”
I’ve been thinking about it a lot since nearly the entire front row of Chloe’s fall/winter 2024 runway show wore the brand’s high-heeled, black leather, open-toe sandals back in February. It was the sound of a starting gun that signaled not only that wedges are back, front and center in fashion, but that they’re for women of all ages and styles.
Of the lineup, only Jerry Hall didn’t wear them. This may have been because she’s tall, or because they didn’t go with her outfit, both of which are potential downsides to the wedge — they work best under longer hems or just below flares.
But Jerry, who is 67, may have second thoughts about wedges after 50. I wouldn’t have worn them either, and I’m a die-hard wedge fan who bought my first pair (or my mother did) in the 70s.
Queen Letizia of Spain wears a pair of strappy espadrilles during her visit to a sports centre in Madrid
Sienna Miller wears the Chloe Maxine wedges in a 5 inch wedge, a fraction of 5 inches.
Nearly the entire front row of Chloe’s Fall/Winter 2024 runway show wore the brand’s high-top, black leather open-toe sandals
For weddings, espadrille wedges are the new high suede pumps. Lady Amelia Windsor attends Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding in a pair of white wedges
While styles come and go, I lost faith in shoes in my early 50s, abandoning my wooden Chloe sandals, suede Miu Miu slingbacks, and those fabulous strappy espadrilles. I was convinced I was past the wedge age.
In no time at all, I went from feeling happy to hit the dance floor in my wedges (in case you didn’t know, they’re great for weddings and parties because they make your legs longer, they never break or sink into the grass, and they provide a thick cushion to dance on all night long) to feeling like a happy green giant: clunky, heavy, and ‘Too Much’.
Now I realise that this wasn’t so much a wedge issue as it was a wedge height issue. These days I want to feel elegant – I’m 5ft 9in, so maybe I wouldn’t if I were shorter – and confident, which means the wedge has to be about 3in high. (Those Chloe Maxine wedges have a 5in wedge – a fraction of 5in.)
But it is also, and more importantly, a matter of tone.
What has brought me back to this style in the last five years is the plain black wedge heel, with a peep toe and an ankle strap. They are the shoes that ushered in a new, sophisticated era of the wedge heel.
Actress Reece Witherspoon is spotted wearing a pair of blue strappy wedges while walking around Los Angeles
Singer Nicole Scherzinger explores the streets of Mykonos in a pair of cream embellished wedges
The Princess of Wales wears a pair of cream wedges at a nature festival in 2019
They usually come in plain suede or leather, such as the Maxines and the canvas buckle espadrilles from Marks & Spencer (£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’re so practical. There’s something summery about them — partly because they’re often made of wood, cork, or jute — but there are also more occasions when a heel feels too formal and expensive, and a wedge feels just right. Heels feel like dressing up; wedges feel like adding flair.
For example, I would never wear high heels to a friend’s barbecue, but I could wear a wedge heel with my jeans, such as the suede ankle straps from Marks & Spencer (£41.25). At 9.5cm, they are a little high, but they work well with flared shoes.
If I were going to a summer party I wouldn’t wear heels, but a black cheesecloth dress and gold wedge sandals from Rixo (£196). rixolondon.com). And I wouldn’t dream of taking heels on holiday (cobblestones, sand, heat, and I don’t really dress up for the evenings), but I would take a pair of cork slippers (£130, fitflop.com) totally put me in the Mamma Mia mood. And so comfortable.
I like to wear a tan suede open toe mule so it looks like I’ve put some effort into it under trousers (£41.25, marksandspencer.com) and if I were shorter and wanted to dress up an everyday dress, I’d be tempted to go for the Penelope Chilver leather pumps (£159, penelopechilvers.com) — much like the high espadrilles the Princess of Wales wears with summer dresses. (As it stands, I prefer the much lower (2.5in) ankle-strap style, and you can get those from John Lewis (£69, johnlewis.com).
For weddings, wedge espadrilles are the new high suede pumps, but I still think they look best on twenty-somethings (a little too boho for us).
I would always go for suede or velvet — velvet is fine in the summer, provided the event goes into the evening. Again, Chilvers can supply (£189).
By the way, if you think you can handle a high wedge heel and want to be ahead of the curve, Dune’s Kaiden sandals (£95, johnlewis.com) don’t look much like the Chloe wedges, and are £800 cheaper.
You’re never too old.