Yves Saint Laurent Accordion Wedge Boots, $1595 via Net-a-Porter

Ladies and gentlemen of TalkShoes, to borrow a bit of Internet language, I am disappoint.

Even though I’ve seen what seems like a dozen variations on Yves Saint Laurent’s accordion wedges since they first debuted on the runway six months ago, I still looked at this picture of the Yves Saint Laurent Accordion Wedge Boots and immediately thought, “Wow, a cutout version! These are easily the best ones!” Well, they’re not actually cutouts at all. Even so, they still might be the best.

I’ve long wondered why more designers don’t do more with the broad, flat canvas that is the wedge heel. It’s a spot aching for customization, and although companies like McQueen are creative enough to cover a wedge with detailed carving from time to time, most other designers leave it bare. Because of that, I’ve liked the accordion wedges from day one; at the very least, they provide some visual interest in a spot that most designers inexplicably ignore.

But when I saw this pair and thought that the heels had been hollowed out, I was excited. If they actually had been, it would be such a great visual compared to the solid swath of suede that makes up the shaft of the boot. But instead, that’s just camera trickery playing off the shiny gunmetal wedge. And they’re pretty cool this way, too, but not as cool as the cutout ones were in my head. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1595.

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