When it comes to making an investment in fashion it's always a bonus when the item you fancy calls up more than one trend at a time. In this case, an earth-tone platform sandal calls up the palette of Spring 09 and the shape of the must-have shoe at once. What's more, even though these shoes are, by definition, 'trendy', they still look classic and somewhat refined--if you're going to walk in 5" platforms, better keep the color somewhat understated. Check out our favorites in the gallery below, with pricing information and where to buy credited under each picture. For examples on the Spring 2009 runway, check out our trend report from the Paris shows, entitled "50 Pairs of Fabulous Shoes".