Blue satin jewels peep toe, Emerald turquoise satin platform

In a few weeks the nights will start to draw in and the days will be getting a lot shorter. Here at Upper Street this means it’s time to step out in shimmering evening heels guaranteed to bring a touch of glamour to your autumn/winter evening wear wardrobe.

This season it’s time to harness grace and style with elegant d’Orsay cut shoes, platform sandals, sumptuous satins and every shade of the AW11 jewel spectrum from emerald to sapphire. Add in some sparkle with a sprinkling of diamante or a crystal gem cluster and you have the perfect party season heels.

Cinnamon purple platform sandal

Evening wear is the perfect opportunity to channel AW11′s  70′s glamour trend as seen on the catwalk at Roksanda Illincic. These cinnamon and tangerine suede sandals with their splash of vivid purple satin are the perfect heel to wear with a dress or jumpsuit for that Studio 54 vibe.

Scarlet satin gem cluster d’Orsay

The retro elegance of the 40′s makes a welcome return this season. Take inspiration from this stunning lace dress by L’Wren Scott and add in these classic round toe courts in scarlet satin, finished with an opulent Swarovski gem cluster. The elegant d’Orsay cut is never out of style meaning that you’ll have a pair of go-to evening heels for years to come.

Double cross gold snake sandal

For sheer decadence you can’t beat the full on glamour of molten metallics for evening wear – a dress such as this one by Vivienne Westwood Anglomania demands a pair of head turning heels! Snakeskin was all over the AW11 catwalks so these double crossover metallic gold sandals in snake sprinkled with Swarovski diamante will up both your shimmer and fashion factor in one hit.

Be inspired by our Jewels feature, fall in lust with lustre and visit our shoe design studio to create your perfect AW11 evening heels. Raise the glamour stakes as high as you dare and receive your beautiful bespoke shoes in time for the party season.

Upper Street - the made-to-order luxury shoe label where you can design your own individual shoes and have them delivered right to your door.

Image Source: Style.com, Net-A-Porter

Jean Queen Donna Ida

Donna Ida Thornton is the owner of designer denim emporium Donna Ida and considered by many to be the leading authority on all things denim. Her legendary Denim Clinic service will have you in your perfect pair of jeans in no time and like us, Donna believes great jeans deserve great shoes. Here our favourite Jean Queen reveals the jeans and shoes you should be wearing this Autumn/Winter.

Donna Loves Autumn Colours: “Gorgeous Autumnal colours from mustard yellow, to rusty amber and brick red were seen on the catwalks at Givenchy and Gucci. I love the bright red of William Rast’s Kara in Scarlett, or for a more subtle take on this trend, MiH Jeans Oslo in Camel have a more mustard colour. I would style these with a simple tee in Autumn and a chunky knit in Winter and chunky platform heels in tan.”

Chocolate camel snake brogue

Here at Upper Street we adore rich Autumn shades and think that these brogues in chocolate patent, camel leather and snake would be the perfect partner. The platform incorporates a subtle nod to 70′s daywear and with snakeskin featuring heavily on the catwalks, they nail two AW11 trends in one.

Donna Loves Jewel Tones: “Rich colours of claret, plum, green and teal shades will update your wardrobe in an instant. Dress down with chunky cardigans, or add glamour with a metallic tee or sheer blouse. This trend was spotted at Celine and Victoria Beckham’s shows and looks like it will be huge for Autumn/Winter. The Made & Crafted Snips in Blood is a chic shape in a rich wine colour which is great for the office. The Mother Looker in Plum can look more glamorous for evenings. Try wearing these with a contrasting shoe colour for an eye catching look.”

Fuchsia gold tip pointed court

For high fashion glamour, these jewel fuchsia suede pointed courts with a metallic gold snake tip as designed by Catherine Nieto of Grazia magazine would be stunning for both evening and a touch of metallic for daywear.

Donna Loves Cropped Jeans: “Cropped styles are no longer saved for Summer as they are the new hot length for Autumn/Winter. Try the ankle-length J Brand Maria in Ozzy with a coated denim which gives a shine to the fabric, perfect for a night out with black stilettos. For a daytime look, try J Brand Jodphur in Stallion that works the equestrian style to be teamed with ankle boots. For a casual look, the Current/Elliot Boyfriend in Moose falls mid-calf and is so cool and slouchy with relaxed turn-ups and ballet flats.”

Black patent buckle pointed court

The ankle length J Brand Maria jeans are perfect for showcasing a pair of classic pointed courts in a glossy black patent leather with a buckle. As well as being a hot AW11 trend, these elegant heels will take you from the office to any occasion that requires a little black dress.

Donna Loves The New Flares: “I am such a fan of flares, and for Autumn /Winter, they still dominate with higher waists and wider legs. Soft denim, cord and velvet fabrics bring a new look for the season. The J Brand Ali in Toffee have very on-trend front pockets & Citizens of Humanity in Brass in Whisper are much wider on the leg. Heels are essential for this look, so go as high as you dare!”

Burgundy suede platform peep toe

We’ll take Donna up on that dare to go high with these berry hued burgundy suede platform peep toe courts with a gorgeous violet snake counter back. A platform shoe is perfect for flares, giving that all important height and “legs go on forever” factor!

Donna Loves Luxurious Fabrics: “Sumptuous fabrics are back! Clear out your closets and make way for suede, cord, velvet and leather for the Autumn/Winter season. My tip, buy now and wear for evenings, and they’ll look fabulous in the daytime when the weather gets colder. I love J Brand 901 in Suede and Siwy Hannah in Bazaar. Team them with metallic sandals or courts for a glamorous look.”

Gold bronze T-bar

Add a little luxe to your footwear collection with these beautiful gold and bronze metallic T-bar sandals. Sumptuous fabrics demand sumptuous shoes and with metallics being one of the key trends this season, these sandals would work for both day and evening.

Donna Loves Printed Jeans: “The ultra chic fashion pack will be wearing Current/Elliot Stiletto in Leopard Print, the perfect skinny jeans with heaps of attitude. These will look modern with simple T-Shirts teamed with sexy blazer. Pointed courts are a must-have for this look, it’s all about confidence.”

Purple leopard pointed court

If attitude means contrasting your print colours then we’re ready to go rock’n'roll with these purple leopard pointed courts. Not for the shy and retiring, this statement look is sure to get you noticed – have the right shoes and the confidence will follow!

Now that you know which jean styles will be favoured by the fash pack this season, take a look at our AW11 trend features Autumn Berries, Jewels and Metallics and then start designing your perfect bespoke heels to stride out in style.

Upper Street - the made-to-order luxury shoe label where you can design your own individual shoes and have them delivered right to your door.

Images courtesy of: Donna Ida

With the glossies recently declaring that the platform has had it’s heyday and that we should all be turning our attention back to the classic pointed court, I’m keen to climb up on my (platform) pedestal in defence of the shoe shape that for me, provides that extra, all important fash-factor.

Keeping in mind the need for less is more when it comes to a platform court– I too prefer to err on the side of elegance as opposed to something more suitable for spinning around a pole – for pure edginess I don’t think you can beat a platform shoe.

This studded snake sandal is projected straight into rock chic territory by the pewter platform and for me it just wouldn’t have as much impact or wow factor without it.

I’ll happily indulge in some classic ladylike glamour once in a while in the form of a stiletto or kitten heel but when I’m looking to add an offbeat element into the mix, the platform is my go to shoe when planning an outfit.

The queen of the platform court has to be Olivia Palermo – this girl knows how to elevate herself in the style stakes with the simple addition of that extra height in the front. Whether she’s walking the red carpet or shopping in Manhattan, Olivia always achieves platform perfection with her vast collection of courts, peep toes and sandals.

Why I prefer a platform.

1) They take a classic design such as a pencil skirt out of secretary territory and toughen it up a little.

2) They’re perfect with a skinny, straight leg and this season’s flared jeans and seeing as I’ve been hell bent on channelling the 70’s this summer, the platform and I have become fast footwear friends.

3) When it comes to staying power and staying upright on my heels, I find that a little platform height at the front really helps to even out the tilt, making them a more comfortable option.

4) They provide the best optical illusion ever when you team a nude pair with some tailored shorts, trousers, dresses or skirts – pure leg lengthening magic. A style Kate Middleton was clearly on board with during her recent North American tour.

I like to vary the height of the platforms that I wear according to the occasion and outfit, so love the fact that with Upper Street you can choose to design with a 3.5” or 4.5” heel and platform height. I’ll be channelling a little Manhattan luxe with my next design and take inspiration from this camel snake brogue design.

Fashion’s elite may be telling us that we should banish our platforms to the back of the shoe closet but I say, if you find a formula that works for you then stick with it. That for me is after all what style is all about.

What do you think about this particular debate – is change afoot or is it simply another passing footwear trend to be filtered and interpreted as appropriate? You’ve heard my platform plea – now take a look why Lisa, Upper Street’s Marketing Manager, will be coveting her pointed courts all over again

Amanda, The Online Stylist

Upper Street - the made-to-order luxury shoe label where you can design your own individual shoes and have them delivered right to your door.

Image Source: Zimbio

Red & black snake T-bar, Natural snake suede T-bar

One of our favourite sandal shapes of the summer has to be the T-bar sandals. With the fashion world continuing to show it’s love of all things 70′s, the T-bar is the perfect summer shoe to wear right now… and we’re Tempted with a capital T by this iconic retro style.

Whether you opt for 70′s brights for full on disco glam factor or stick with a more neutral but luxe palette, this shape will ensure your tootsies on are on trend this season.

Favoured by style savvy celebrities such as Diane Kruger and Natalie Portman, a T-bar always looks stunning with a red carpet inspired look. Show them off to full advantage with a shorter length dress or let them peak out from under something floor length and glamorous.

Cerise violet satin T-bar, Mixed gold metallic T-bar

Camel snake suede T-bar, Patent natural snake T-bar

For perfect work wear, we’d pair these camel snake and chocolate suede heels with some relaxed tailoring. The glossy black patent and natural snake design would make the perfect day to evening shoe that will take you straight from the office out for cocktails with the girls.

Coral turquoise T-bar, Studded animal snakeskin T-bar

Ramp up the wow factor by choosing a variety of colours, textures and embellishments. These stunning coral snake and turquoise suede heels with a turquoise metallic snake ankle strap would be perfect for any summer social event. For a sexy statement evening shoe, toughen up with these black snake and animal print T-bar’s embellished with studs – perfect for adding a touch of rock chic to your look.

Whether you choose to pay homage to the 70′s trend or just want to create a pair of stand out heels for the summer, visit our shoe design studio and get creative with your T-bar sandals. Take a look at our T-bar sandals feature for further ideas on how to play with colour and texture.

Upper Street shoes come in a huge range of sizes from the petite 33 (UK 1.5) to the generous 43 (UK 10) with 4 width fittings. We also offer free alterations to fit and we’re so confident that you’ll love your final design that we’ll refund you if you don’t!

To book an appointment in our London Studio, email iloveshoes@upperstreet.com or call us on 0845 680 9365.

If you can’t make it the studio but still want to see our full range of luxurious materials, visit our Upper Street Swatch Store.Whether you’d like to experience the richness of our suedes, feel the silken quality of our sumptuous Italian satins or visualise our glossy patents as a shoe, you can order as many swatches as you want!

Upper Street - the made-to-order luxury shoe label where you can design your own individual shoes and have them delivered right to your door.

Image Source: Time2, NikkiNakkiLou, J’AdoreFashion, Handbag.com