Singaporebrides | Essentials
February 2015
Wedding Shoes 101: Everything You Need To Know To Shop For The Perfect Pair
Ah, wedding shoes. Searching for the perfect pair of shoes to walk down the aisle in is as important as finding the right man.
The perfect pair of wedding shoes has to be of a right height, perfect size and a captivating design, and comfortable to be in for the whole day. To help you find the perfect pair of shoes to get married in, SingaporeBrides has put together a three-part guide on everything you need to know to shop for the perfect pair of wedding shoes. In the first installment, you’ll be introduced to the basics – the different heel heights and the six most common heeled and non-heeled wedding shoes.
What You Need To Know About Heels
High heel shoes typically come in different heights ranging from 1-8 inches or more in height and a variety of styles. Kitten heels are the shortest at 1-2 inches. It is comfortable to be in for long hours and gives you a slight boost of height so you’ll look taller and slimmer on your big day. Kitten heeled shoes can be closed-toe, peep-toe, fashioned with an ankle strap or a slingback.
(Top) Christian Louboutin’s Follies Resille; (Left) Valentino’s Rock Stud Kitten Heels from Nordstrom(Right) Kate Spade Peep-toe Kitten Heels
A medium high heel is usually between 2-3 inches and normally appear in a closed-toe style, otherwise known as pumps. The moderate height of such heels is high enough to give you an extra boost in height, lengthening your silhouette, but isn’t too high that they are uncomfortable to stand or walk in, even if you aren’t accustomed to wearing mid-high heels on a regular basis. Pumps may sport a round or pointed front, a peep-toe front or an ankle strap.
(Top) Kate Spade multi-glitter pumps from Wedding Chicks by The Why We Love; (Bottom) Christian Louboutin’s Pigalle in Nude
Stilettos have the highest heel height of the three. It can go up to 8 inches and are usually accompanied by a platform on the front to ease the arch of the feet. Steer clear of stilettos for your big day if you are not used to wearing high heels or do not wear them at all. But, if stilettos are your BFFs, then by all means put them on and strut down that aisle.
(Top) Christian Louboutin’s Follies Strauss; (Left) Badgley Mischka’s ‘Kiara’ Crystal Back Open Toe via Nordstrom; (Right) Jimmy Choo’s Anouk in Red
6 Common Types of Heeled and Non-Heeled Shoes:
Shoes come in many shapes, height and designs. To help you pick out the perfect pair for you, we’ve listed six more commonly worn varieties of heeled and non-heeled shoes for your consideration.
Wedge Heel Shoes
Wedge heels refer to a raised heel that does not separate from the heel to the sole of the shoe. It can be as low as a kitten heel or as high as an 8-inch stiletto. The wedged design of this type of high-heel shoes provide more support than stiletto-heels as it has a wider base and evenly distributes your weight across the entire length of the shoe. Brides who want both height and comfort for her big day can consider getting open or closed toe wedged heels.
(Left) Satin blush open-toe wedge heel with ribbon details by Megan Welker via Style Me Pretty; (Right) White platform wedge heels with diamante details by Samuel Goh Photography from Forever and Always
Ankle Strap Shoes
Ankle strap heels are extremely sexy, secure, stylish and versatile. The strap that goes around the ankle can be thin or thick, depending on the type of look you’re going for. A thin ankle strap exudes femininity and looks dainty whereas a thicker strap gives off a mod look.
Christian Louboutin’s Valnina
Slingback Shoes
Unlike ankle strap heels, the strap on a slingback heel goes around the back of the achilles heel. This provides a more elegant look while offering additional stability in standing and walking.
(Left) Golden yellow bow slingback heels by Marta Locklear Photography via Weddingwire; (Right) Ivory garden rose slingback heels from BHLDN
Peep-toe Shoes
Peep-toe shoes are somewhat of a tease, showing only the tip of your toes while keeping the rest of the feet covered. The cut of the opening at the front of the shoe determines how much of your toes or feet are shown.
Badgley Mischka embellished peep-toe pumps in Sapphire by Multifolds Photography from To Love and To Cherish
Cone Heel Shoes
A cute twist on the stiletto heel, cone heel shoes have heels shaped like an ice cream cone – wider at the sole of the foot and narrower at the base.
Image cc licensed ( BY ND ) flickr photo by Ryan Polei
T-Bar Shoes
For T-bar shoes, there is a second strap that connects the one around the ankle to the front of the shoe.
(Left) Analisa T-Straps from Something Bleu via BHLDN; (Right) Christian Louboutin’s Salonu
Cut-out Shoes
Cut-out shoes feature a patterned cut-out on any part of the shoe for a lattice and peek-a-boo effect.
(Left) Lattice Heels from BHLDN; (Right) Jimmy Choo’s Anouk in black laser-cut suede and nude mesh pointy toe pumps
Open-Toe Booties
Laced or mesh open-toe booties add a romantic and rustic twist to the traditional booties, making them the perfect wedding shoes for bohemian and vintage brides seeking that rustic touch.
(Left) Badgley Mischka’s ‘Foley’ Mesh Bootie via Nordstrom; (Right) Swiss Dot Booties from BHLDN
Ballet Flats
Not a fan of heeled shoes, not even short kitten heels? That’s perfectly all right. Lace or glitter ballet flats are just as great for weddings.
Lille Flats and Rhea Ballet Flats, both from BHLDN
Flat Sandals
Flat sandals are great for informal garden or beach weddings, where high-heel shoes may not be the best idea. Go for simple ones with a bow or fancier ones embellished with crystals and glitter for more oomph.
(Left) Crystal embellished sandals by Amy Majors Photography via Brides.com; (Right) Miu Miu star-shaped sandals by Carmen Santorelli Photography via Destinationido.com
Stay tuned for Part Two of our Wedding Shoes 101: 5 Tips on Choosing the Perfect Pair of Wedding Shoes.
Feature image: Vivian and Josh’s Parisian Garden Wedding at Grand Hyatt Singapore by Bloc Memoire Photography
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