Ask Belle: Shoes for a Yellow Dress

Dear Belle,

I am attending a wedding in early spring and I plan to wear a yellow dress (this one from Rent the Runway). What shoes would you recommend? I’d like to branch out from standard gold or nude shoes.

Thanks! Elizabeth

Top Row: Butter London Cass 90 Pump ($75) // Nine West Space Age Pump ($50) // Kate Spade Sage Pump ($328)

Bottom Row: J.CREW Mirror Metallic Pumps ($228) // Indicon Pump ($130) // Purple Suede Indico Pump ($120)

While some people might be put off by the golden-rod yellow, I really like this dress.  The shape is nice, and waist-defining.  The color is bold, not pastel.  And I think the scoop neck and wider strap would suit several body types.  

As for the shoes, I understand the desire to try something different, but one word of caution:  It’s fine for a party guest to wear a fun shoe, but a bridesmaid should wear what the bride asks her to wear or, if the bride gives no direction, something that isn’t distracting.  I went to a wedding a few years back where all of the bridesmaids were wearing nude shoes except for one who had chosen to wear bright pink.  In all of the photos, the shoes are the first thing that draw your eye.

I included these Butter nude pumps because they are an.amazing.bargain (They don’t even sell them this cheap on Gilt.), and I added the gold ankle straps just to show what most people would choose to wear with this dress.  But since you said you wanted to branch out, I chose some other options as well.

Grey.  I love grey and yellow together.  It’s so chic and pretty.  But if embellishments and satin aren’t what you are looking for, try these bow pumps or these strappy sandals.  And if you want to splurge, these awesome, AWESOME, LK Bennett shoes really caught my eye.

Green.  Green and yellow is a fun classic.  And while these Kate Spade’s are lovely, they’re a bit pricey for a non-staple shoe.  These tragically-named Jocasta pumps have a bit of a retro vibe and a nicer price, and I think these cage sandals could be an interesting option.  But if basic is what you’re after, these patent pumps from ModCloth are it.

Purple. I’m not sure what possessed me to use pointy-toe, mid-heel shoes in this set, but it was clearly a case of temporary insanity.  I do, however, still think purple shoes are a good idea.  I like this open toe “court shoes” from Dorothy Perkins, these suede platforms with a ruffle back and these D’orsay style pumps from DSW.

Leopard.  Again, I apologize for the pointy-toe work shoes making an appearance in the wedding shoe post.  Given that these are the same shoe as the purple pump, I’m wondering if someone from the Ivanka Trump shoe company has placed a chip in my brain without my knowledge…but I digress…

Leopard looks great with yellow.  It’s not a choice that is for every person or every wedding, but it could work in some cases, esp. with more casual weddings in the early spring and fall.  The trick is finding a shoe without too much black in the pattern.  These Nine West pumps are a good choice.  I also like these round-toe Ivanka Trump heels (there’s that chip, again).  And if you like the idea of leopard, but you’re not sure you can pull it off, try these tortoise pumps instead.

When you’re trying to find shoes to go with a specific dress, the smart play is to take the dress with you to the store.  I’ve been known to lay it on a chair (almost like it’s sitting up) and set shoes on top of it until I found the right one.  This will also draw the attention of the sales people, who may be able to offer a suggestion you hadn’t thought of because no one knows their stock better than they do.