Cinderella shoes have always been fashion’s ultimate fantasy footwear: part fairytale, part transformation symbol, and now, a major trend. Rachel Hochhauser, the New York Times best-selling author of Lady Tremaine, has spent years exploring the cultural power of Cinderella’s story, and she has a few thoughts on why the iconic shoes still captivate us.

“An unexpected side effect of publishing my debut novel—Lady Tremaine, a retelling of Cinderella from the so-called ‘evil’ stepmother’s perspective—is that not a week goes by without someone sending me a version of the Cinderella shoe,” Hochhauser says. “Glass heels, crystal mules, iridescent strappy sandals… My DMs have become a clearinghouse for the most enchanting footwear on the internet. After months of joyful perusal, I’ve made an executive decision: This is Cinderella toe summer, by which I mean it’s time to embrace shoes that put your pedicure on full display. Making you feel like a princess is a nice side effect.