8 comfortable heels for women attending Christmas parties who want to dance all night – and one of Kate Middleton’s favourite designer’s wearable shoes made the cut
Party footwear has always required sacrifice—specifically, sacrificing comfort, balance, and ultimately, the bone structure of the feet.
We want to shine in sparkling high heels, but know that we will have to pay a high price for this. Until now.
Yes, it’s a Christmas miracle. This season, the most stylish party shoes can also be worn.
You can say goodbye to ugly pumps and you don’t have to master walking in mules. Walking around the office party is a thing of the past thanks to the well-placed heel and cushioning technology.
So, which one to go for? We welcomed the spring/summer platforms back with open arms, and they’ve gotten a stunning makeover this season.
Left: top, £79.99, tkmaxx.com; skirt, £390, cefinn.com; shoes, £325, russellandbromley.com; bag, £255, luluguinness.com. Right: Dress, £35, markandspencer.com; shoes, £295, medem.com; bag, £229, lkbennett.com; bracelet, £65, Oliverbonas.com; ring, £65, astridandmiyu.com
Left: Top, £118, and skirt, £160, lkbennett.com; shoes, £85, monsoon.co.uk; ring, £9.99, hm.com. Right: Dress, £209, lkbennett.com; shoes, £130, boden.com; bag, £55, monsoon.co.uk
Opt for larger pieces, like the large gold bow from Monsoon, £85, which also comes with a matching clutch, £55.
And let’s hear it for the unrivaled elegance of heels, which are back just in time for Christmas.
Look for open-toe shoes – Me+Em’s chic black pair, £295, are the perfect complement to a cocktail dress and pair equally well with personal style.
Esska Shoes’ heels are ultra-glam and come in all shades, including a pink velvet pair.
The up-and-coming London brand is run by a husband and wife team, with Dan running the business and Suraiya the genius designer behind the clever camouflage of the padded insoles.
Heel heights range from 5.5cm to 9cm, but they are all block heels and each is as comfortable as the next. Yes, and they are available up to size 9. This is a real holiday for your feet.
For statement low-heeled shoes, look no further than Penelope Chilvers’ eponymous label, a favorite of the Princess of Wales and Alexa Chung.
All of her shoes are super comfortable, with low heels ranging from one to two inches, but where we used to have to shelve them for practicality’s sake, her collection of evening styles comes in sparkling silver, lustrous gold and rich velvet. Golden Mary Janes are high on my holiday wish list.
Left: Dress, £140, and bracelet, £38, boden.com; shoes, £199, penelopechilvers.com; bag, £31.50, accessorize.com; ring, £22, orelia.co.uk. Right: Dress, £425, medem.com; shoes, £160, esskashoes.com; bag, £395, luluguinness.com; bracelet, £18.99, hm.com
Left: Dress, £175, shoes, £75, and matching clutch, £40, monsoon.co.uk. Right: Dress, £340, cefinn.com; shoes, £165, esskashoes.com; bag, £20, accessorize.com
Some of the styles featured here will cost you less, but these comfortable shoes are meant to last a lifetime, not just for Christmas.
If you shop wisely, they won’t get overlooked at the bottom of your wardrobe or discarded on the dance floor.