New Trends in Wedding Shoes / What Do I Wear With My Gown?

The New York Times (2/21) had an interesting article on new fashion trends in wedding dresses saying brides are moving away from prom-like princess styles: “…Kleinfeld, the venerable Manhattan bridal salon… has seen a spike in demand for plunging necklines and negligee looks, one that has only intensified since the spring bridal collections began arriving in stores.” The article also mentioned that “At the spring bridal shows in New York last October, tastemakers like Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Reem Acra, Angel Sanchez and Carolina Herrera unveiled a preponderance of strapless styles, trumpet shapes and even a few above-the-knee looks. More daring designers offered filmy peignoir dresses, two-piece looks and skirts slit all the way up to the hip.”

So what kind of shoes should you look for if you’re going for that movie star at the Oscars look instead of being just another traditional bride? Well, there are two modes of thinking on that one, depending on just how fabulously different you want to be.

First off, if your dress has a lot going on (say it’s covered in boudoir-evoking lace or white feathers) and it has a slit in the front or is short enough that your shoes will be completely visible, you’ll probably want simple, elegant shoes to balance the look.  For short girls, I think a v-front or short dress is much better than the traditional long wedding dress (although you can easily hide platforms under a long dress!). If you’re leaning in that direction, remember to skip the ankle straps; that line across your foot will make your legs look shorter. The ivory Nine West slingback heels below are refined and simple enough to let your dress do the shining but far from your super basic strappy heels. And I love love love the transparent straps on the shoes below by Valerie Stevens (they also have a clear heel!) and Carlos Santana (4.5 inches tall). They’re super minimalist but at the same time really unexpected and amazing.

Left to Right: Nine West Tarissa fabric sandals, Valerie Stevens Clear high heels, Carlos by Carlos Santana Pacific platform sandals.

On the other end of the spectrum there are girls who almost shudder at the thought of pure white virginal dresses. Designers have been thinking about you girls too and have started creating more and more dual and tri-color gowns. The New York Times article I mentioned above showed a picture of a beautiful fishtail white dress with a black lace covered v-neck bodice and a black ribbon trailing from the point of the v to midway down the dress. I’ve also seen stores stocking white dresses with brightly colored ribbons tied around the waist (Isaac Mizrahi did one for Target) and others with trains of gold or taupe for contrast. Or maybe you’ll just wear a bright red dress (more power to you!).

If you want your wedding to be one of a kind and your outfit to follow suit, what should your footwear look like? Of course you could get colored shoes to match the accent color on your dress, blue heels to compliment the blue sash around your empire waist for instance. But you can also try shoes in gold or silver if you prefer a less matchy feel. I imagine the Cole Haan platforms below with a drapey Grecian [a la Rami Kashou from this season's Project Runway] or one shoulder gown (oh and what if you had ivy leaves in your hair?! It would bring out the forest green in the stones so perfectly!).

Left to right: Calvin Klein red Nora satin evening shoes, Bebe blue Dree satin heels with sequins, Cole Haan G-Series Greenbrae.Thong platform sandals.

Lastly, the most safe and the most free-spirited brides both fall into the third camp. Surprised? Well, if you want a traditional long dress that’ll cover your shoes completely so no one will see them during the ceremony anyway, you might want to pick shoes that are all for you. Plus, since most people change for their receptions (eating anything in a white dress is asking for disaster), this way you can change your clothes and keep the heels! And of course, our free-spirited brides will wear these stunners whether you think they go with their wedding dress or not! You’ll definitely feel like you’re walking on sparkly clouds in these gold sequin platforms by Casadei. And can you imagine the gasps of delight when just your fuschia and feather covered toes peek out from under the hem of your white dress as you walk down the aisle? I can’t even begin to tell you how much I am in love with the stained-glass inspired Louboutin’s below (“but mom-to-be, I got them because they look like the walls in the church” or ”since we’re not having the wedding in a temple…” - you know how you get what you want. ).

Left to right: Casadei 2016C gold satin wedges, Manolo Blahnik fuxia Satin d’Orsay heels, Christian Louboutin Libelle gold multi Ankle Strap Sandals.