May 20, 2011 by admin
Bridal Shoe Tips
If you’re thinking of wearing high heels to your upcoming nuptials then make sure you invest a lot of thought regarding the pros and cons before making your purchase.
Remember, the bride is guaranteed to be kept on her feet for most of the day. As well as greeting people outside the church, you can expect to be standing for plenty of photographs, working the room for lengthy periods of time, not to mention dancing the night away! Do you really want high-heel-induced foot pain to ruin your day (or the day after for that matter?)
To ensure your first dance is beautiful rather than painful, here are some tips to keep in mind when buying your bridal footwear.
Ÿ       Buy your shoes in good time before your final fitting so that your dress can be altered to suit the level of the shoe. Sometimes dressmakers have a tendency to go an inch longer, but I find it’s not worth it and you certainly don’t notice it in photographs. You don’t want to be tripping over your dress and then having to pick it up when you’re dancing, so, to avoid this problem, have your dress altered so that it’s resting just above the base of your foot. If it kick-flairs out as you walk, then you know you’re not going to trip over it.
The perfect heels for a wedding gown:
Dune peep toe sandals available from Debenhams Galway (approx €90)
Mink coloured low heeled sandals from Dorothy Perkins in the Terryland Shopping Centre Galway (approx 45)
Silver side bow low-heeled bridal sandals from Schuh on Shop Street in Galway. Also available in white. (approx €65)
Veneek Diamante sandals from Schuh (approx €70)
Ÿ       Wearing new shoes around the house a week before the wedding will scuff the heels very slightly thereby making them less slippery when you wear them on your big day.
Ÿ       If you spot a pair of shoes you like, return to the shop in the evening and try them on then. Your feet expand throughout the day and trying them on in the evening will give you a more accurate sense of whether or not they will fit your feet properly.
Ÿ       If you’re not used to wearing shoes with a heel but would like to don heels for your wedding day, then don’t jump in at the deep end and buy a pair of stilettos. If you live in flats, then its essential that you first train your feet to footwear of a new height. Begin by wearing shoes with a low heel or better still, wedge heels of a medium height. Once you become accustomed to wearing these, progress to shoes that are slightly higher. By taking things gradually, you will be much more confident when you walk down the aisle in your bridal heels.
New bride Kate Middleton was photographed recently wearing a pair of LK Bennett wedges. Recreate her look with an identical pair from Dorothy Perkins in Galway. (approx €40)
Kate’s blue dress is from Zara.
Ÿ       We have all experienced that burning feeling in our feet during a night of dancing. While it might be tempting to kick off the shoes for a few minutes, this is actually a big mistake! Your feet will swell slightly after you take off your shoes, which in turn will make it even more uncomfortable when you slip them back on. To minimise high heel induced foot pain, wear cushioned inserts and make sure you sit down every 20 minutes. Alternatively you could bring a pair of pumps with you. Dune have created a set of inexpensive party pumps, which, with their silver sequins, would not look out of place on the dance floor underneath a bridal gown!
They can be purchased from Debenhams or on online here:
Ÿ       Six-inch heels (and higher) may seem like a tempting purchase, unfortunately however they can usually only be worn by women with a shoe size larger than a size six / seven, otherwise you risk damaging your feet.
Ÿ       If you are wearing heels that are too high, your toes will be left carrying the bulk of your weight. This can actually result in severe damage, particularly if the toe of the shoe is also pointed or tight. Surgery may even be required to correct the resulting problems. To determine whether or not your new shoes are too high for your feet, just stand in your heels with your knees straight and see if you can raise yourself up on your toes by about an inch. If you can’t, your heels are too high!
Some brides choose to wear colourful shoes underneath their gowns. The right choice can look beautiful in photographs! And who of course can forget Carrie Bradshaw’s famous cobalt blue Manolo Blahniks which she wore to her wedding ceremony in the first Sex and the City movie?
Ÿ       Wedding guests with a penchant for hitting the dance floor should pay attention to this next trick! To ensure that your dancing is not interrupted by the discomfort of a tight fitting leather shoe, then just place a few drops of water in the toes of the shoes the night before you wear them. Once the water is combined with the heat of your feet, it will help the leather soften and expand around the toes. Alternatively you could do what Victoria Beckham does and direct a hot hair dryer on the moistened leather.
Victoria Beckham
Ÿ        If your feet are prone to odour, then sprinkle some salt on the fabric inside the shoe. This should successfully soak up the odour. If however your feet (and not your shoes) are the source of the odour then just soak your feet in strong black tea for several minutes before patting them dry. Its best to do this at night before going to bed as the tea will stain the skin and in order for it to work effectively, you cannot rinse it away immediately. Gently pat the skin dry. Do this regularly for best results.
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