Fashion

Gladitorial footwear from Steve Madden

To be honest, I thought we might be over them. I mean, once a shoe has been molded into a jelly version of itself, you expect it’s on the way out—one can only stretch a trend so far. But not so with the gladiator, a shoe still storming the streets this season, and storming them in classier, sleeker and downright gorgeous styles.

A recent birthday trip to NYC provided the slap in the face (or kick in the pants, I suppose): within my five-day visit, I had collected a mental catalogue of nearly a hundred pairs of the strappy shoe parading about town. How could I have been so blind to the gladiator’s obvious victory over shoedom? My recovery from the blow was quick. Feelings of revelation were rapidly replaced with twangs of desire and a moment of weakness in Zara even had six pairs slung up one arm as I bent over, nearly perspiring, zipping, sliding and buckling my tired feet into a deep brown pair of the warrior wears.

Now that I’m back on familiar ground, I’ve scoured the shops and filled my arms with gladiator shoes yet again—but this time with Halifax finds—letting you know where to find the sweetest sandals in this city.
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