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After the platform comes the flatform

The easy, and sometimes only, answer to completing an outfit is a pair of heels. However after hours on your feet your soles are hurting you and you begin to wonder was the sacrifice is worth it.

Nearly every woman wants the height that heels can provide but without the pain that you have to endure when wearing them Blisters, bunions and burning balls of the feet are often the price one has to pay for walking around in high heels over long periods of time and taking chair breaks every 20 minutes to recuperate doesn’t quite cut the mustard.

Well the flatform is the latest trend to hit the catwalk and gives the wearer height minus the pain.

In flatforms, the front of the shoe is the same height as the back, enabling the wearer to keep their foot completely flat. This means that the shoes are, allegedly, much more comfortable than traditional high-heels, making the wearer taller but keeping their feet level so they aren't forced to balance or hobble around at an awkward angle with toes on the ground and ankles in the air.

Championed by Prada in the summer, the brogue/espadrille/ trainer hybrid which has cross-gender appeal is getting a lift from a quick-stack platform stuck underfoot. The look gathered momentum on the autumn/winter catwalks, with fashion-forward label Ashish opting for a dogtooth high-ankle variety and Paris Fashion Week designer Sonia Rykiel ditching the stiletto and sending out the prettiest finale dresses with studded and metallic stacked brogues.

In fact, Style.com recently reported that dozens of models were seen stomping down many a Spring 2011 runway, including Derek Lam's, Vena Cava's, and Prada's, wearing flatforms.

Either way, it seems to be right. For the same reason that massively oversized statement jumpers have become a must-own for autumn. This strangely appropriate addition to our wardrobes offers balance and just the right amount of clunk to this season's prettiest of trends.

Geek chic on your feet is definitely here to stay, so stand tall in your flatforms, at least for a season or two. Since they're flat, they're super-comfy; they're versatile enough to be worn with anything from corduroys to flippy skirts; and they make the vertically challenged appear taller. What's not to love?

But on the other, they look as if you're wearing a pair of bricks on your feet - not the most flattering of looks, especially when paired with a leg-length cutting ankle strap.

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