These days I'm more than a little partial to platforms. Why?

These days I'm more than a little partial to platforms. Why? They're not the Spice Girl or Scary Stripper variety, but rather a height boosting sleek variety...like these sex-on-a-stick yet classy-as-hell ones, appropriately named FRONTPAGE by Stuart Weitzman and pictured on "the new Angelina Jolie" Megan Fox.

I've decided that Stuart Weitzman is the KING of the platform at the moment, as he's also designed this sizzling cut-out style, named TIJUANA, pictured on Hayden Panettiere.No longer looks like a cheerleader does she?!

These ones are smoking hot, and will be available at Scarpa come September.

But back to me.

If you want to make your legs super long, this is the way to go - high heels elongate the legs and the platform gives you extra height without actually FEELING it...genius!

The key to a non Spice Girl/Stripper look (ie. not looking cheap) nor falling over like Naomi Campbell's infamous trip on the runway, is to choose a super sleek yet stable platform, and to buy them from a quality designer who uses leather as opposed to PVC or plastic like Pammy Anderson would wear.

Many designers have also put in hidden platforms in many shoes to give those of us not blessed in the legs department an extra boost, like this cone-heeled style BENZ by Paco Gil.

So comfy you could wear it on a Girl's Night Out and not be traipsing behind most of the night. And that's saying a lot when you're a Mum like me, used to ballet pumps and flat boots.

If you're a real heels girl or fashionista and don't need to wearing training (w)heels, you may want to try something more directional this coming spring, like Paco's lilac/tan combo - with seriously stacked heel.

If not, boots are a great place to start for newbies to the platform - appearing in kneeboots, ankleboots and shoeboots at a store near you.

I know you've probably heard this before (and I'm not quoting the pages of VOGUE when I say this) but getting a pair of platforms is an investment, even in these credit crunchy times, as the look is set to continue through spring and into next winter, and there are some great bargains to be had in stores at the moment.

For all you haters out there - and I know there are a few - hell even Manolo Blahnik himself does not have a penchant for platforms - you'd better get used to them, as they're not going away anytime soon.

Mark my words, they'll be making the styles Carrie Bradshaw used to wear look positively old fashioned!