When it comes to style crimes, wedges are fairly minor offenders.

I don’t hate them with the same kind of passion I reserve for Birkenstocks, in fact I think I actually owned a pair of wedges, back in my younger years. However recently wedges have come to reside permanently on my “don’t” list, no matter how many times Harper’s Bazaar tells me “the nautical look is in this season”. Apparently wedges are best worn in tandem with a pair of capri pants and a jaunty striped scarf whilst sailing in the French Riviera.

My problem is that wedges scream “indecisive”. They are truly the lazy woman’s high heel. Anyone who has ever owned a pair of wedges will tell you they are actually incredibly easy to walk in. It’s the easy way to add 5cm to your height.

The problem is that when someone wears wedges, it LOOKS like they are taking the easy way to add 5cm to their height. It’s not the same as teetering around in a pair of perilously high heels, an act which requires equal amounts of skill and determination (and some would argue, stupidity).

Wedges remove all the mystery and sex appeal from high heels. They are a cop out. If you are worried about your height, get lifts put into your regular shoes.

Otherwise wear a nice pair of decent flat shoes (there are plenty of them around), and leave the death-defying high heels (my new babies) to brave days.

(Oh, and just in case you are a fan of wedges? The pair pictured here is from Fiorelli and retails for $109.95).

By Caroline Warnes

“Compact” is an understatement when describing Imation’s Atom USB Flash Drive.

It’s only marginally larger than a standard sized paper clip, yet stores up to 8GB of data.

The Atom offers data storage portability while also providing password protection and partitioning software for safe and efficient file management. The Atom is both waterproof and dustproof, which means that the data it holds will be safe even if the drive is left to the elements.

The Imation Atom Flash Drive is available in capacities of 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB, with pricing starting from $14.80.

We have 10 of the 2GB drives to give away, valued at $20.60 each.

To be in the running to win email competitions@lasoo.com.au with the word IMATION in the subject line and tell us in 25 words or less why you would find this gadget useful. Entries close next Thursday.

Competition terms and conditions

The Touch Diamond is a brand new stylish feature-packed smartphone from manufacturer HTC.

It’s a stunning-looking phone that is slightly smaller than the much-hyped Apple iPhone, yet manages to combine just as many features.

It features a 2.8-inch VGA screen that comes to life when you turn the Touch Diamond on - thanks to HTC’s new TouchFlo 3D display technology, which gives the illusion of a 3D touchscreen.

The feature list reads like a checklist of everything you’d want: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, a 3.2-megapixel camera and HSDPA data speed (that’s 7.2Mbps) are all included. The media functionality is also strong - Windows Media Player is included to handle most audio and visual files.

The HTC Touch Diamond is available exclusively through Telstra for use on the Next G network.

Click here to find offers on HTC smartphones from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

I’ve loved Drink Me, Alice for a while - it’s the work of a local art and design student who is committed to making beautiful, unique jewellery.

Each piece is inspired by images you’d find in vintage children’s storybooks and vintage art and the collection is made from clear glossy resin, genuine semi-precious gemstones and pearls.

This beautiful Cherry Blossom Fairy ring is so gorgeous and unique and is a steal at just $32.50.

I’m also loving the brooches which would brighten up any outfit - how cute is the Blue Puppy brooch?

If you’re shopping for a fashion-forward male, there is also a range of cool cufflinks on offer (no cutsey puppies, just motifs of the ace of spades, fleur-de-lys and skulls). The cufflinks sell for $39.50.

By Caroline Warnes

Buy any Olympus digital camera from Camera House before the end of the year and you will go into the draw to win the ultimate photo destination holiday.

The lucky winner of this competition has four destinations to choose from, with the total prize value coming to $15,000.

Option one is two weeks in Cambodia, including a hot air balloon flight over Ankgor Wat and a visit to the Royal Palace. Option two consists of 12 days in Egypt, which includes entry to the Giza pyramids and the Sphinx. Option three is a nine day safari in Africa, while option 4 is nine days in Peru.

The winner will receive $1000 spending money for their trip.

Click here to find offers on Olympus digital cameras from a Camera House store near you.