Your Stylist: Festive holiday party shoes
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Resident Image stylist and market editor Melissa Magsaysay soothes your sartorial woes in the weekly Your Stylist blog column
In this installment of Your Stylist I talk about shoes that feel perfectly fit for the upcoming season of holiday parties. I’ve been getting in the mood to start adding holiday-esque flourishes to my outfits as well as my home (spicy pumpkin candles, a wreath on the door –- that’s the extent of it, but it does the trick). I feel that this time of year could be good to treat yourself to a new pair of party shoes that are far more fun than they are costly.
They can be sparkly, bright, bejeweled or rich (velvet) but definitely don’t have to break the bank (although they might come close to breaking an ankle, but hey, they’re cute -– no one said anything about comfort). My hands-down favorite pair is the “Hessling” velvet platform shoe from Aldo ($130). These treacherous 5-inch stack heels will have you teetering a bit, but since the platform is so thick, you’re actually on even ground, just much higher than you’re used to. They are comfortable because of the even platform but take a little getting used to. The rich black velvet and retro style are perfect with a simple black dress or sleek little suit, to give it a playful vibe and unexpected twist. Velvet is always a great fabric for holiday dressing and a shoe is a great place to wear it, since a velvet jacket or dress can feel and look too heavy. I also love the velvet sandal, right, from Zara ($109). It’s more subtle than the Aldo shoe and could work for either day or night, with tights or bare legged.
To add some pop to your holiday look, try something red or leopard print –- which are both big trends for fall, so you might already own something similar. Gold-tipped leopard heels, above left, from Reiss ($270) have that “Mad Men” sex kitten appeal and would look pretty hot with, well, anything, really. But a chic black tux jacket and black trousers would look the classiest with shoes like these.
Red accents obviously always work at holiday time, and these “shooties” from Nine West ($130) are a sophisticated take on the fiery color. They are casual enough to be work with a dark skinny jean or with something much more dressed-up. There is a little half-peep toe, which is subtle but still sexy, and the heel isn’t crazy-high, so chances are you can make it through a whole party without having to use the edge of a table as a crutch.
If you want to wear some festive footwear but just aren’t up for the high-heel challenge, these glittery, champagne-colored oxfords from Deena & Ozzy ($48) are positively adorable and still add that sparkle to your ensemble, without the pain.
Send your style queries to melissa.magsaysay@latimes.com
Melissa Magsaysay
Photos: Top: Aldo ‘Hessling’ velvet platform shoe $130 at aldo.com/Aldo. Left: Reiss ‘Carlotta’ shoe $270 at reissonline.com/us / Reiss. Middle right: Zara velvet sandal $109 at Zara stores/Zara. Middle left: Nine West ‘Getem’ shootie $140 at ninewest.com/Nine West. Bottom right: Deena & Ozzy glitter oxfords $48 at Urban Outfitters/Urban Outfitters