Shoes For The Less-Traditional Mother-of-the-Bride, Or, Saturday Morning at 10:29am

Recreation

It’s taking me a hot minute to find shoes for my mother-of-the-bride outfit. As I’m not posting images of the dress until the wedding itself, I wasn’t sure you’d be interested in the shoe process but but I asked myself, “Would you like to see a stream of fancy metallic shoes scroll by on a Saturday morning?” and answered, “Why the heck not?”

So before the footwear cascade begins, a thought. I also asked myself, “Why is it so hard to know what will work?” and I think it’s because the dress silhouette is not my usual. I tend to wear clothes that could be, if you squint, with a little imagination, t-shirts. The exceptions being this Prada piece, and my wedding dress. My MOB dress has a slip under and a silk organza over, blouson sleeves, and a slightly full skirt. Completely unfamiliar geometry.

But I’m getting closer to understanding what I need.

Parameters:

Dress is forest green with a slight sheen; I don’t want black. Too heavy, and I keep Sue’s color consultation in mind.
Dinner is on grass; ceremony “aisle” is brick: I need a sturdy heel or flat.

At first I thought “Bronze!” but bronze is a rare commodity and these were out in my size.

So then I ordered three, count ’em, three gold pairs of pumps and sandals, and one pair of slingbacks deemed, “Alabaster.” We’ll start there. From Cult Gaia, spectacular, but not standard and I wasn’t sure that their non-standardness fit the already non-standardness of my dress. Nothing worse for a High WASP than going out on a fashion limb but doing it wrong.

Slingback by Cult Gaia, with an architectural heel, crossed ankle straps, and a brass flower ornament at the toe.

Would be so perfect with an antique linen or silk-cotton dress. Delicious. Like full-fat milk in morning tea.

Tried these, from Margaux,(no longer available) thinking that the volume of the dress needed balancing with a bow. Great to wear with pants, or a full skirt. My dress, however, I now understand, requires a heel.

Cafe latte grosgrain flat mules, with a bow

Below, from Aquazurra, absolutely beautiful shoes. However, again, I need a heel. But do I in fact need a bow at the toe? Maybe not. Again, unfamiliar geometry.

These, from Loeffler Randall, came so close. But now I’m thinking that the necessary higher heel (trust me, it’s needed) obviates the bow-at-the-toe concept. Obviates. Don’t you love a good big word in the morning? Like the smell of perfectly browned toast.

So on we go. I will be ordering three more pair. First, on the premise that if the dress is complex, the shoes should be as simple as possible, these from LK Bennett. Not quite sure I want anything described as court shoes, consorting with royalty isn’t my thing, but nonetheless.

Second, in case what I need is more foot, less shoe, from Anonymous Copenhagen, a brand I’d never heard of. It’s amazing what’s out there for the obsessive. Might order these in silver, just to test my assumption that I can no more wear silver on my feet than I can in my ears.

Third, ceasing to think and simply falling for a perhaps wholly impractical design, from Malone Souliers. Yet another brand I’d never heard of. What does that signify?