Hot Hot by Chinese Laundry

The Fire Next Time: Chinese Laundry's Hot Hot platform pump heats up a freezing December.

The Chinese Laundry Hot Hot is so hot we had to take a break from writing to let things cool down! At least that is what we tell Lori when she asks why we forgot to didn't post this last week. (Stupid travel plans.)

Okay, so this content production team isn't perfect, but in terms of a quality holiday shoe the Hot Hot comes pretty close. There's a lot of sparkle out there this time of year. Hot Hot's upper is festive, but restrained—more rippling pinpoints that blingy flashes. And the color? Blush champagne. A wonderfully subtle and shifting warm neutral. Playing up the gold high notes or the redder undertones, you can work a number of outfits back to this shoe.

That's important. The problem with holiday shoes is what to do with them in ordinary time. Consign them to the wilderness of your back closet? Chew toy for the dog? Sometimes we don't know either. Chinese Laundry mercifully takes the stress out of it—Hot Hot will work with your denim or dress looks outside of the month of December.

The obvious answer to "How would you wear this?" is the L.B.D. (or, if you're like some staffers lacking holiday spirit, "I wouldn't." Y'all can just stop reading here.) True, the little black dress with jet black tights would be a punchy and fun party look, especially with some complimentary jewelry. Off the party circuit we see dark denim or cigarette pants—that little sliver of ankle being all-important. Top with a drapey piece and silver, opals, white gold or pearls as accoutrement. The soft, white golds will emphasize the pump's red qualities; silver, pearl and opal will emphasize its glittering light. Stay away from gold or Indian gold looks; the Hot Hot's color balance is too delicate for such bossy, brassy colors.

A five-inch heel with a one-inch platform is going to get you noticed any time of the year, glitter or no, and, possibly-maybe bring you a little bit closer to that mistletoe when Mr. Big walks by at the holiday party. And the thought of that is definitely hot hot.