It takes a lot of foot to pull off these powerful sandals or else Alexandre Birman’s sandals, strapped and buckled to excess, will overwhelm your daintiness. Lucky for me, that’s not a problem! Maybe that’s why I love these mixed-skin platforms so much. They are designed for a woman of stature (that’s how I like to refer to my size), while scrawny wisps of girls would be engulfed by such a serious shoe.

Birman is never one to shy away from a daring heel, and even I was a little thrown by this one. I hadn’t realized python and suede are best friends, but now that I see them teamed together, I totally notice the chemistry between the creamy-soft skin and ombré scales. The toe begins delicately – a receded platform makes for a lighter look and that python portion is essentially a dorsay, although you wouldn’t recognize it at first look. All the boundless straps, plus series of buckles, change the game entirely. Credit the brilliant topstitching where the suede and python meet for unification. Bold and brash and beautiful, this is a total man-eater shoe. Strap them on and take a bite! On Net-a-Porter for $695.

Pair with: A breezy fall kimono dress will play down the sexy factor. Chado Ralph Rucci’s wool jersey, with knotted trim and perfect pleating, is a fitting counterpart. At Neiman Marcus, $5,600.