Giuseppe Zanotti Platform Pumps, $795 via Nordstrom

With the incredible sell-out success of the Christian Louboutin Daffodil, it was only a matter of time until other designers of a similar caliber created their own version of the shoe to get in on a little bit of that sky-high shoe money. Like Louboutin, Giuseppe Zanotti has done high platforms with high heels plenty of times in the past, but the construction and shape of the Giuseppe Zanotti Platform Pump makes the extreme proportions all the more obvious.

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We first saw the Christian Louboutin J-Lissimo Spiked Sandals back during London Fashion Week at the Mary Katrantzou show, and back then, it was one of those shoes that made me wonder whether or not it would ever see the light of day in a retail store. It looks as though it’s indeed been produced; Louboutin, after all, can more or less do whatever he wants and his pack of devoted fans will follow right along behind him. They’re a devoted group.

With the wacky design of this shoe, I thought it might be fun to play Fill in the Blank a day early. You know the drill: Complete the sentence in the title quote or buy through Net-a-Porter for $795.

Christian Louboutin Painted Python Slingbacks, $1495 via Neiman Marcus

For some reason, I have a complicated relationship with multicolored python. Some days, I want nothing but natural. Other days, the more colors, the better. Most days I fall somewhere in the middle and find myself craving single-color python accented by a bit of black, but I get bored with that sometimes too. Python! It’s serious business.

With all that in consideration, I think that the Christian Louboutin Lady Peep Painted Python Slingbacks are the best of all available worlds. The paint splotches blend in reasonably well with the natural grain of the python scales, but the colors pop just enough to let you know that there’s something special going on, even at a bit of a distance.

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Miu Miu Metallic Trim Wedge Sandals, $690 via Net-a-Porter

My favorite footwear time of year is when the resort and spring sandals start popping up at retail. As much as I love boots, they all start to look the same after a while; sandals, on the other hand, have as many colors, textures, embellishments and shapes as you can think of. Miu Miu is a perennial favorite of mine, but even more so when it does things like the Miu Miu Metallic Trim Wedge Sandals.

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Jimmy Choo Denton Neoprene Sandals, $795 via Net-a-Porter

High-end wetsuit sandals? Sure, why not.

At this point, the Jimmy Choo Denton Neoprene Sandals don’t even register on the list of weird things that Choo has done to perfectly serviceable pairs of shoes. In fact, for someone with a very sleek, modern, even futuristic personal style, these shoes might be a fairly decent basic black heel. That’s where footwear design is these days: wetsuit high heels seem like A Thing That Obviously Exists.

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Nicholas Kirkwood Floral Print Satin Pumps, $532 via Neiman Marcus

Picking the correct footwear for family events is hard. Or at least I hear that it is. My family eats all holiday meals in our pajamas, so I wouldn’t know. If you have a big, judgmental group of people to impress, though, that’s got to be a bit intimidating. Your Aunt Rita might not be a fashion person, after all. And if you have one of those families where everyone gets all dressed up in their church clothes? I can’t even imagine.

I can try, though. If I were to be in that situation this year, I’d want to wear the Nicholas Kirkwood Floral Print Satin Pumps. The rich red and green floral pattern is just about as perfect for Christmas as anything I’ve ever seen. Even judgey old Aunt Rita might approve.

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Jimmy Choo Agnes Pumps, $525 via Net-a-Porter

I’ve had my share of criticisms for Jimmy Choo over the past couple of years, but when you get past the flash and the gimmicks and Tamara Mellon’s terrible taste, the company actually makes some excellent shoes in basic shapes. Normally I reserve my praise for Choo’s spare, strappy evening sandals in neutral metallics, but this time, I think some attention should be paid to the Jimmy Choo Agnes Pump in striking orange patent.

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DKNY Marcey Suede Sandals, $255 via Net-a-Porter

Today is a travel day for me, so things might be a tad quiet around here for the rest of the day and early tomorrow. I know, I know – what will you do at work for the rest of the day with the holiday work slowdown setting in and no more shoes to ogle? That’s why we wanted to make sure you had a festive – and relatively affordable – pair to enjoy for the day: The DKNY Marcey Suede Sandals.

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Giuseppe Zanotti Snake Print Sneakers, $650 and Alexander Wang Dillon Sneakers, $385. Both via ShopBop

With brands as luxurious and varied as Christian Louboutin, Lanvin and Miu Miu already jumping on the high-end sneakers bandwagon, the number of designers that would like to dress our feet during our down time as well as our workdays and evenings is only going to continue to increase. This season, we have two notable new entrants to the field of women’s tennis shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti and Alexander Wang.

Wang is perhaps a more obvious fit for this product category; his aesthetic has always been casual and contemporary, and the athletic inspiration in his recent collections virtually assured his fans that sneakers would be on the way. The Alexander Wang Dillon Lace-Up Sneakers (right) are no surprise, but the Giuseppe Zanotti Print Snake Sneakers are a little less predictable.

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Mulberry Signature Patent Pumps, $400 via Luisa Via Roma

Like many women, my first introductions to truly high heels were via my collection of Barbie dolls and their attendant wardrobes. My mom wore heels, but neve as high as Barbie did, and never in the shades of candy pink and purple that truly enchant young girls. Barbie, with her forever-molded foot and extensive shoe closet, seemed like the height of footwear sophistication.

Every now and then I see a pink pump that makes me think “Barbie shoe,” but the Mulberry Signature Patent Pumps in bubblegum pink are the closest approximation of the shoe inside my head that I’ve ever come across. I defy anyone to find a design closer to what Barbie wore in the late 80s and early 90s.

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