I have a soft spot for people who learned a craft with their hands before putting their name on it, and Jeffrey Campbell is one of them. Long before the label became internet shorthand for a towering platform, he worked in shoe development in Marikina, in the Philippines, alongside factory staff, making samples. He and his wife Christina started the Los Angeles label in 2000, and it is still independent. Its mission is progressive silhouettes with an inclusive idea of who gets to wear them.

Around 2010 the Lita lace-up boot became a defining shoe of the fashion-blog era, with its chunky platform and high heel spreading across personal style blogs and online shoe shops. What I love is that it is not a one-boot story: the same appetite for play turns up in high boots, suede options and metallic sandals. Jeffrey Campbell hands the attitude to the shoe and leaves the rest of the outfit up to you.

I think of these as shoes that set the tone before the coat comes off. The Steller Boot and the Reflect High Boot, both in brown, would make a strong base for dark denim or a short hem. The Narrows Flat is a subtler profile that can carry an outfit without asking for a heel. The Essential Boot in chocolate suede feels softer than a black platform, and the Headturner Boot in brown snake shifts the attention back to texture. I went deeper on a related idea in Are Suede Shoes Worth it?. I went deeper on a related idea in Denim Dress Guide: Midis, Minis and Shirt Styles Worth Wearing Now.

When the plan is a night out, the Murals 2 Sandal in rose-gold metallic brings the bright note, and the Islara Sandal keeps things quieter. Picture her moving from an early dinner to the music in those high boots, with a small bag and nothing else fighting for attention. My practical note: pick the hemline before choosing a high shaft, so trousers do not bunch over the boot and a mini has room to move.

Jeffrey Campbell makes the most sense to me as a label where the footwear is the loud part. The Lita is the famous chapter, but the range shows it does not have to live on one platform shape: the Botita Boot, a simple flat and a metallic sandal can all carry the same playful edge. I would choose the shoe by how it changes the line of the outfit, not only by how dramatic it looks alone. That is the fun here, a pair can make a familiar dress feel like it belongs to you. Although I will admit the boots usually win.