Foot fashion is flat. The thick platforms and 3-inch tottering heels are giving way to the more simple sole as spring and summer warm the scene. The world is
flat once againMost of the top designers in New York and Europe shod their models in flats when they unveiled the trendiest looks for spring and summer.
The longer skirts and Capri pants that came into vogue last spring are returning and those are the looks that flats were most often shown with on the runways.
The lower hemlines, drapey suits and calf-baring pants reaching stores this spring all contribute to the illusion of an elongated silhouette and compensate for the height advantage lost when wearing flats instead of heels.
Flats also look more in sync with new season's top looks. It seems designers finally realized women had comfort in their minds (how about that?).
Malcolm Kawasaki, a buyer with Nordstrom's at Ala Moana Center, says comfort is what island women are thinking about when they buy flats. But that doesn't mean sacrificing style.
Kawasaki said shoe designers -- from upscale to mass market -- are offering flat heels for all occasions.
Bally and Ferragamo have two-toned flats that still exude power for the business women who wears suits or trousers. Nine West shows off a feminine ballet slipper with a thin elastic strap over the instep, perfect with a drapey skirt for evening.
Neiman Marcus features a flat-soled Anne Klein with a stretchy-fitted heel you can imagine Audrey Hepburn or Julia Ormond skipping about in as "Sabrina."
Of course, flats don't go with everything. But in warm weather, a simple shift and a pair of strappy flats will keep your look cool.
By Cynthia Oi, Star-Bulletin
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