Choosing a Dress Shoe for Your Special Event

Dress shoes play an important part in the overall look of your Wedding, Prom, or special occasion outfit.

Bridal shoes come in a variety of popular styles, including pumps, stilettos, low heels, sandals and flip flops. The majority of brides choose to wear sexy high heels on their wedding day. A large selection of bridal shoes means that any bride can have the perfect look, whether her preference is stiletto heels, pumps, sandals, or crystal, rhinestone, or sequin embellished bridal flip-flops.

There are several things to consider before buying shoes for your special event.

If you’re planning to purchase bridal shoes, generally it’s best to do it after you’ve bought your dress. This also applies to bridesmaids and the mother of the bride or groom, even prom or grad. If you aren’t planning to wear the shoe again for other occasions, then investing in a very expensive brand or style doesn't make a lot of sense. There are many stylish, comfortable, and inexpensive sexy shoes available to choose from.

If you’re wearing a long wedding dress or prom dress, then the style of your shoes won’t matter as much, as they likely won’t be seen. If you prefer to be more comfortable, choose lower heeled shoes for comfort during the wedding day or your event. If you're wearing a three-quarter length dress, a high-low hem, or a tea length or cocktail dress, then you will probably want to wear high heeled shoes. You may also want a second pair of low heel dress shoes to change into to be more comfortable during your event, such as the wedding reception. While high heeled shoes may add inches to your height, it’s important to remember that you need to be comfortable for several hours, whether you're attending a prom, or a wedding ceremony and reception.

Almost any high heeled shoe can feel more comfortable and secure to wear by attaching non-slip pads to the bottom of the shoe and cushioning pads to the insoles, where the balls of your feet rest.

The general rule when choosing dress shoes to go with your outfit is to match or coordinate them with the overall design, look, color, and texture of your dress. Match simple shoes with an elaborate dress and vice versa for a balanced look. If you want to match the details on your dress with your shoes, start by looking at the embellishments on your dress. If your dress is detailed with crystals, rhinestones, sequins or pearls, look for shoes that also feature similar crystals, rhinestone, sequins or pearls. Obviously it’s much easier to find matching shoes for your wedding dress or prom dress if you choose footwear that doesn’t have these embellishments. The color of your bridal shoes or prom shoes should match or complement the color of your gown at the lower part of the skirt (the area that's closest to your feet).

For many brides, bridal flip flops are a trendy alternative that is no longer reserved for the honeymoon or beach weddings. A pretty pair of bridal flip flops or low heel sandals can ease the stress on your feet. Bridal flip flops are also a great bridal gift idea for newlyweds, and are available in a variety of styles to perfect for beach weddings and beyond.