Are wedges really flattering after 50? Our fashion expert reveals the secrets to not looking slouchy or heavy – and why you should NEVER wear espadrilles!

You might think that the question “Can you wear wedges after 50?” requires a simple yes or no answer. But, as is often the case in the context of over-50 clothing, the answer is “Of course, as long as…”

I’ve been thinking about this a lot since, in February, almost the entire front row of Chloe’s autumn/winter 2024 show wore the brand’s black leather peep-toe high wedge sandals. That was the opening shot that signalled that wedges were not only back in the fashion spotlight, but that they were for women of all ages and styles.

Of all the featured shoes, only Jerry Hall wasn’t wearing them. This could be because she’s tall to begin with, or because they didn’t match her outfit – two potential downsides to wedges: they look better with longer hemlines or when they peek out from under flared trousers.

But it could be that Jerry, who is 67, has some reservations about wedges after 50. I wouldn’t have worn them either, and I’m a wedge fanatic who bought her first pair (or my mother did) in the ’70s.

While style comes and goes, I lost faith in shoes when I was 50, leaving behind my wooden Chloe sandals, suede Miu Miu pumps and amazing strappy espadrilles, convinced I was past the age for wedges.

Almost overnight I went from being thrilled to hit the dance floor in my wedges (in case you didn’t know, they’re great for weddings and parties because they give you longer legs, never break or sink into the grass, and provide a thick, squishy cushion to dance the night away on) to feeling like the jolly green giant in them: clunky, heavy, and way too much.

I now realise that it wasn’t so much a wedge issue, but rather the height of the wedge. These days I want to feel sleek (I’m 5’9″ so I wouldn’t feel that way if I were shorter) and more confident, which means the wedge needs to be about 3 inches high (those Chloe Maxine wedges have a 5-inch wedge – a fraction of 5 inches).

But it is also, and even more importantly, a question of tone.

What has brought me back to this style in the last five years or so are the simple, open-toed, ankle-strap black wedges, the shoes that ushered in a sophisticated new era of wedges.

Most often they are in suede or smooth leather, such as the Maxines and Marks & Spencer canvas buckle espadrilles (£29.62, en:marksandspencer.com) or Zara’s cork wedges (£49.99, zara.com) are the high equivalent of summer.

Wedges are subtly different from heels, which is why they are so useful. There is something especially summery about them (partly because many have wooden, cork or jute soles), but there are also times when a heel is too formal and dressy, and a wedge is just the thing. Heels give the impression of being dressed up; wedges add style.

For example, I would never wear high heels to a barbecue at a friend’s house, but I might wear wedges under jeans, such as Marks & Spencer’s tan suede ankle-strap espadrilles (£41.25). They’re a little too high at 9.5cm, but they look good with flared trousers.

If I was going to a summer party, I wouldn’t bother with heels, but I would wear a black chiffon dress and gold wedge sandals from Rixo (£196, rixolondon.com). And on holiday I wouldn’t even dream of wearing heels (cobblestones, sand, heat and I’m not going to dress up much at night), but I would wear cork flip-flops (£130, en:fitflop.com) put me in the Mamma Mia mood. And it’s so comfortable.

I like the light tan suede mules with an open toe to make it look like I’ve put in a bit of effort under my trousers (£41.25, en:marksandspencer.com) and if I were shorter and wanted to add a more elegant touch to an everyday dress, I would be tempted by Penelope Chilver’s leather shoes (£159, penelopechilvers.com) —very similar to the high espadrilles worn by the Princess of Wales with summer dresses. (As it stands, I’m sticking with the much lower (6.5cm), ankle-strap style, and you can get them from John Lewis (£69, en.johnlewis.com).

For weddings, wedge espadrilles are the new suede high heels, but I still think they look best on twenty-somethings (a little too bohemian for us).

I would always go for suede or velvet – velvet is ideal for summer, as long as the event goes into the evening. Again, Chilvers can provide this (£189).

By the way, if you think you can wear a high wedge and want to be on the cutting edge, Dune’s Kaiden sandals (£95, en.johnlewis.com) are no different to Chloe’s wedges at all, and are £800 cheaper.

You are never too old