Cocktail parties are great for getting together, having relaxed conversation, chilling out and mingling with new people. But dressing up for the party! That’s an enormous challenge, at least for people like me and I'm sure that I'm not alone. 

Folks like us get baffled easily at the questions of how to dress up and which shoes to pair up with a cocktail dress. Should you go for ‘staying comfort’, ‘making an impression’ or, just, ‘towing what’s trendy’? 

Here is a primer on picking the right pair of shoes for your next cocktail party. Stay with us. 

Why is choosing the right pair of shoes important while partying? 

There are two distinct parts to answering this question. One is about the biomechanics of our body, and the other is aesthetics. 

Biomechanics 

In an event where you need to stroll a lot or stand for a longer duration, our legs do the maximum heavy lifting. It causes muscle fatigue. Joint aches are not uncommon either. And together, they can spoil the mood even if you are enjoying a party a lot!  

So, to stay active and agile in similar events, you need to make the right choice about shoes. 

Aesthetics 

How many people might notice your shoes in a formal gathering? This answer is almost everyone you interact with and others too. Don’t you agree? Try wearing a pair of different shoes. It will be an instant head turner and a laughingstock, at the same time. 

So, it is important to choose a pair of shoes that aesthetically blend well with your attire and personality.

However, the blend does not always mean matching. It can be found in contrast too. But your shoes must flow well (at least, not stick out like a sore) with the rest of your attire. 

What shoes to wear with a cocktail dress?

Let's dive straight to know which shoes look best when worn with a cocktail dress. 

High heels

High heels are for formal and elegant dresses. You can easily wear high heel shoes and stilettos for an occasion where you are expected to maintain a elegant dress code. 

Some examples where you can wear heels are cocktail evenings, weddings, or formal business meetings! 

You can pair high heels with casual wear too, depending on your personal style statement. It can add a bit of flair to your regular jeans or skirt. 

To make your strides stable and comfortable, take heel-first steps or heel-to-toe steps while wearing a high heel or stiletto. 

High heel shoes must fit correctly. Oversize or undersize high heels cause more discomfort and disturb your posture. You should be able to distribute your body weight evenly across the shoe surface.  

Take a look into our range of occasion shoes here.

Ankle boots

Ankle boots are great for a chic, yet casual look. They also blend perfectly with black dresses of a little shorter length.

But you need to be careful about the season. Summers are not the right time to wear ankle boots. 

Regarding pairing up with cocktail dresses, ankle boots go perfectly with dress pants.

Does your cocktail dress code approve a little flirty femininity? You can pick up ankle boots confidently. Ankle boots with pointy toes or high heels look classy.

We have a cool collection of flat ankle boots, take a look here. 

Block heels

Block heels are friendlier to your toes and leg muscles than stilettos. They disperse the pressure of your body over larger areas.

Usually, these shoes come with sturdy square or rectangular-shaped heels, unlike pointed, thin heels of stilettos.     

Block heels are least painful and, generally, do not cause blisters. Better support helps comfortably standing for longer hours in occasions like cocktail parties. Besides, these shoes often come with better padding. It also improves comfort.

Shoes with block heels come in a wide range of colours and textures. So, you can pair them with a variety of dresses. 

Some of the occasions suitable for wearing block heels are concerts, date nights, office parties and informal events. They do not look flashy. So, you can wear them in ceremonial events also.  

Take a look into our block heel ankle boots here.

Strappy sandals

Strappy sandals are great for parties with close, intimate friends and they are ideal for summers.

With straps wrapping your feet (sometimes ankles), these shoes portray an airy, stylish look. They can be fabulously matched with the right dresses and colours. 

These shoes can be flat or heeled. So, if you prefer wearing heels to your next cocktail party, you can pick strappy sandals with modest heels.

Sandals are great for a little less formal events, like date nights, beach parties and informal cocktail parties. They jell well with jeans, shorts, skirts. Sandals with moderate heels can also complement your office suits. 

Flats and wedges

Flats and wedges are comfortable but don’t have many fan followers as cocktail shoes. If you are planning to pick a flat or wedge, be ultra careful about the shoe’s glamour quotient. It must look dressy and dazzling. 

You can definitely wear flat shoes to a cocktail party. They are the most comfortable to wear in events that require longer hours of standing.

Flats and wedges can blend perfectly with maxi dresses. However, try to pick one that looks dressy or dazzling. 

Take a look into our range of wedge sandals here.

Things to remember while choosing shoes to wear to a cocktail party

• FIRST, you might need to stand for longer hours while interacting with people.  
• SECOND, your choice of shoes should never compete with the rest of your attire. 
• THIRD, it’s better not to experiment with stilettos and high heels unless you are confident to wear them gracefully.   

Conclusion:

Cocktail parties are great for meeting cool people. So, make sure you choose a shoe from the list we shared that expresses your style and personality perfectly complementing your cocktail dress.