It used to be that fashion magazines counseled sternly and menacingly against wearing sandals or pumps with an ankle strap. “It interrupts the line of the leg!” “It creates instant cankles!” “It ruins a long, lean look!” To be perfectly honest, a fear of ankle straps threw its dark shadow onto my footwear shopping expeditions for several years.

Fast forward to 2006. Style “rules” are a little more lax than they once were (for example, “avoid anything worn in the 1980s” used to be a pretty firm one, but we all know what happened there), and the ankle strap appears to be making a comeback. A few wardrobe tips to keep in mind if you purchase a pair:

– This is a look best pulled off by those with slim calves. If yours are more robust, recall that no outfit has ever been ruined by a nice pump.

– A thin ankle strap is more forgiving than a thick one (only very tall and lanky Gisele Bundchen types should attempt an ankle “cuff”, as pictured here on Mischa Barton).

– More women can wear an open-toe shoe with an ankle strap (a la Beyoncé here) than a closed-toe one, so when it doubt, go for the shoe that lets you show off your pedicure.

– Do not wear opaque tights. Too many blocks of solid color; not enough “leg” feeling.

– Do not wear a skirt that hits lower than mid-thigh.

– Do not wear anything remotely frumpy as a top or jacket (ankle straps can quickly turn a conservative jacket into a horror of dowdiness).

To see several ankle strap “don’ts” in action at once, take a look at this shot of actress Marg Helgenberger at the premiere of Blood Diamond. Yep, that about sums it up.