Holiday hotstepping: 9 ways to wear the party shoe this season

"While the halls may be decked and presents artfully wrapped, it’s time you give your feet the same decorative treatment. After all, these are the darlings that’ll keep you party-ready – whatever the occasion."

Thu, 07 Dec, 2023 - 02:00

Annmarie O’Connor

‘Tis officially the season for dancing, prancing and getting a bit blitzen. Forget your silent nights in by the fire. The holiday spirit demands that you double down on all things socially sartorial.

While the halls may be decked and presents artfully wrapped, it’s time you give your feet the same decorative treatment. After all, these are the darlings that’ll keep you party-ready – whatever the occasion.

Always the hostess? If basting, stuffing, pouring, and serving is your reality, treat your feet to some sole saviours like Nicki Hoyne’s glitter flats or Kate Spade’s quirky ‘Make Mine a Double’ loafers.

Equally, if you like height without the heat, aim for a trending pair of Western boots or a savvy wedge like one of Stella McCartney’s iconic ‘Elyse’ styles.

When work and play compete for airtime, it’s useful to have an amulet of change – the kind that can transmute a basic outfit in a jiffy.

Zara’s '80s-inspired rhinestone boots provide just the right amount of sparkle while Kate Spade nails the shoe game yet again with towering crystal-embellished pavé pumps that demand attention.

With social calendars promising nights divine, expect full-scale foot candy with prodigious bows and Marabou feathers as standard.

Warning: styles like strapless mules require extra care to compensate for their lack of engineering, or at the very least a two-drink rule and a steady plus one.

For me? My feet are firmly in the fancy flats camp. Should I be too tired to reach for another Egg Nog, I can point in the general direction and hope someone obliges or simply allow my outstretched feet to field compliments.