Monday, April 27, 2009

Building a Shoe Wardrobe: Part 3 The Evening



Christian Louboutin Very Croise Sandal

Now that we have discussed the importance of a basic black pump and a ballet flat, it’s time to discuss another important facet of building a shoe wardrobe: the evening shoe. I really think it's a good idea to have at least one or two timeless evening shoe options. First of all, if you have an event come up, it's nice to already own a shoe that works with most everything, so you can just focus on buying a dress. In addition, a beautiful evening shoe can transform a plain little black dress into a much dressier outfit. So if you're in a jam with a last-minute event, you can toss on that LBD and gorgeous pair of satin sandals, and you're all set.

In my mind, nothing can ruin a beautiful evening look, like putting on a pair of inappropriate shoes with an evening gown. And when I say inappropriate, I’m thinking of pairing something like a delicate chiffon gown with a a pair of office-appropriate black pumps or a chunky platform sandal. Perfectly wearable in other scenarios, but they just do not work with a gown.

Another issue with evening sandals is comfort. I have ended so many evenings with aching, blistered feet. Granted any 5-inch shoe is going to be somewhat uncomfortable if you’re standing in them all night, but make sure any shoes you pick are somewhat tolerable. For example, if you mainly wear flats, don’t pick evening shoes with 4- to 5-inch heels. A heel of 2 or 3 inches is just fine.

It is impossible to pick a shoe that is going to work with any evening dress you might one day wear, but stick to something as neutral as possible like black, silver or gold. I adore evening shoes in vibrant reds or turquoise, but if you’re just building your shoe wardrobe and want to maximize your shoe investment, go for something neutral that you can get maximum wear out of. Later on you can add in some more unique choices. It is also nice to have a sandal and pump to choose from.

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