At the Winnie Harlow x PrettyLittleThing launch party in Los Angeles in July 2021, Pretty Little Liars actress Ashley Benson leaned into one of the era’s defining after-dark trends: sharp black tailoring paired with towering platform sandals.
Wearing an Alexandre Vauthier blazer dress layered over La Perla lingerie pieces, Benson kept the focus on her legs and footwear, finishing the monochrome look with Brian Atwood’s towering “Aida” platform sandals. The combination captured the return of ultra-high heels and lingerie-inspired styling that dominated celebrity nightlife fashion in the early 2020s.
Ashley Benson sharpens the monochrome look with Brian Atwood “Aida” platform sandals, flashing a red pedicure beneath her asymmetrical Alexandre Vauthier blazer dress at the Winnie Harlow x PrettyLittleThing launch party in Los Angeles on July 14, 2021 (Credit: Mega / WENN)
The actress paired an Alexandre Vauthier Spring 2018 blazer dress, with padded shoulders and satin trims, with a black miniskirt with a risqué small slit at the front.
Making a convincing case for lingerie on the red carpet, the American actress wore an unlined, sheer, strappy balconette bra and a graphic couture silk suspender garter belt, both from the Italian luxury lingerie brand La Perla.
Ashley Benson wears La Perla lingerie with Alexandre Vauthier blazer dress and mini skirt (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Adding a subtle rock-chic edge to the tailored look, Ashley Benson layered delicate gold necklaces with stacked rings and understated earrings. She completed the outfit with Marina Raphael’s black suede “Micro Riviera” bag, a crystal-encrusted evening tote designed by a member of the Swarovski family.
Finished with napa leather trims and structured glossy handles, the compact bag was embellished with Swarovski crystals arranged in a geometric burst pattern that caught the light against her otherwise monochrome ensemble.
Ashley Benson carries the fireworks-patterned Swarovski Micro Riviera bag from Marina Raphael (Credit: Mega / WENN)
The Spring Breakers star, who debuted her red hair last month, wore her shoulder-length bob in tousled waves.
She highlighted her eyes with kohl-rimmed eye makeup, dark mascara, and brown eyeshadow, and added a swipe of pink lipstick with subtle blush in the same tone.
Ashley Benson wears her red hair in tousled waves with kohl-rimmed eyes and pink lipstick (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Her red manicure and pedicure amped up the sultry edge of her look, while her Brian Atwood “Aida” sandals boosted her petite height.
The Aida is one of Brian Atwood’s most iconic silhouettes. It hails from the spring 2013 collection and features double platforms, open toes, ankle straps, and sky-high heels.
Ashley Benson adds a pop of color to the all-black outfit with a glossy red pedicure, pairing Brian Atwood’s towering “Aida” platform sandals with slim ankle straps and dramatic sky-high heels at the Winnie Harlow x PrettyLittleThing launch party in Los Angeles (Credit: Mega / WENN)
Ashley Benson’s Platform Sandals Show Why Petite Celebrities Still Rely on Sky-High Heels
Standing at 5ft 3 ½ inches (161.3 cm), Ashley Benson has often leaned on towering platform heels to add height without sacrificing balance or comfort on the red carpet.
Styles like Brian Atwood’s “Aida” became especially popular among petite celebrities throughout the 2010s and early 2020s because the thick front platform softens the heel’s steep pitch while still creating a longer, leg-lengthening silhouette.
Paired with mini hemlines, sharp tailoring, or monochrome outfits, platform sandals remain one of the most reliable styling tricks for creating extra height and dramatic proportions in eveningwear.
👠 Explore More Platform Sandal Style Moments:
- 🖤 Sabrina Carpenter’s Brian Atwood platform sandals show how towering black heels can balance a dramatic train while sharpening a petite red-carpet silhouette.
- ✨ Sydney Sweeney’s crystal-covered Miu Miu platforms bring sparkle, height, and Y2K polish to her bubblegum-pink MTV Movie & TV Awards look.
- 🎀 Jessica Alba’s Saint Laurent “Candy” sandals capture the lasting appeal of bow-accented platforms, from bohemian dresses to polished neutral separates.
- 👖 Heidi Klum’s Saint Laurent “Candy” platform sandals prove how a five-inch heel can turn relaxed denim into a more deliberate off-duty fashion statement.
- 🏆 Gabrielle Union’s Stuart Weitzman Nudist Hollywood platforms add sleek, leg-lengthening height to her crystal Carolina Herrera look at the Oscars.
- 💙 Kim Kardashian and Whitney Port’s cobalt Giuseppe Zanotti platforms revisit the early-2010s love for bold color, cage lacing, and sky-high party sandals.