The New Mules You’ll Want In Your Life

Every so often a shoe comes along that makes me go weak at the knees. Generally, I don’t simply fall for a stand-alone, off-the-charts beautiful design. What really gets me going is clocking just how many looks they would work with and that’s the thing with shoes – they’re not just works of art on your feet, they are style problem solvers and the ultimate deal makers of an outfit, giving a look an edge, elevating it or playing it down. That’s my excuse for having so many of them anyway!

This summer, I fell hard for Loeffler Randall’s mules. Knotted, pleated, backless, block heel crowd-pleasers, they are as practical as they are decorative. I don’t mean practical in a school-run kind of way, but in a versatile, easy-to-slip-on, go-with-anything, day-or-night sense. Mules (especially a mid-heel) are the ultimate footwear for cropped trousers Brigitte-style, look more decadent with a blouson peasant dress than sandals, and take you through into evening, giving a mini dress a 60’s spin. And they’re super flattering. With no other strap in sight apart from a decorative knot at the lowest point of your foot, they elongate the leg, which is always a good thing.

I stumbled across Loeffler Randall’s magic mules on Instagram. The gold lame were the first I spotted (ever the magpie!) but I soon realised the brand had cleverly created this divine shoe in most of my favourite colourways - silver, rose gold, rainbow stripes, leopard print and blush. And they come in two different heels heights too - the Penny is 3.5 inches and Emilia 2 inches. Which to choose?

After a sharing my LR dilemma issues with a few fashion friends who’d spotted my current obsession and were debating the purchase themselves, I went classic, with my original love. Gold Emilias were bought. The Pennys are more dramatic but I knew I wouldn’t get as much wear out of the higher variety. I ended up ordering through Anthropologie online rather than buying direct from the US just in case I wanted to change sizes. But it’s good to know they are stocked on Net A Porter as well. 

They are everything I had immediately fallen in love with. They’re low enough that I won’t be teetering around in them, gloriously decadent (I mean, a pleated lame block heel?!) and are so pretty in the flesh they could be framed. I’m transported to an art deco boudoir when I wear them and feel they probably warrant the purchase of a Sleeper marabou trimmed pyjama set and a night in Claridges to make the dream come alive. But in the meantime, they shall be worn and cherished with just about everything in my wardrobe, from jeans to cocktail dresses. For me, it’s a stand out, investment purchase and a little bit of the Midas touch wherever I go.

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