How to Choose Prom Shoes

• by Carly Schuna

Guide Note

Choosing prom shoes isn't always easy. This guide, How to Choose Prom Shoes, will remind you to consider dress length, color, style and other important factors (like comfort!) when choosing the right shoe to wear to prom.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• General Guidelines
• Step-by-Step Process
• Tips
• Resources

Introduction

• You've got the dress, and prom is growing ever closer. You want great shoes to accompany your dress, but how do you choose which shoes are best? Are heels OK with an evening gown? Should you wear flats with a short dress? What if you find the most glorious pair of shoes you've ever seen, but they hurt your feet if you take more than five steps in them? If you're not sure how to go about finding the right shoes for prom, read on.

General Guidelines

(Creative Commons photo by Jason Meredith)

• Before you hit the mall with your hard-earned cash in hand, consider the basic parameters for choosing a stylish, but comfortable pair of prom shoes.

Consider Your Dress

• Your dress should play a big role in your decision of which pair of shoes to buy for prom. Generally, it's a good idea to get less glamorous shoes for dresses that have a lot of flashiness or detail, and eye-catching or elaborate shoes for plainer dresses.

Dress Length and Shoe Style

• If you're wearing a floor-length dress, you have to consider the fact that your shoes aren't going to be very visible. Flats or ballet shoes are a wise choice for long dresses, because you don't have to worry about the extra height from heels throwing off the proper length of your dress. If your dress is short or asymmetrical, though, strapped sandals or high heels might be the better choice.

Color

• The color of the shoes you pick is important, but don't let it stress you out—it's not necessary for the shoes to match your dress color exactly. Instead, work to find complementary colors or a shoe color that's slightly darker than the dress color. Neutral colors also work well: gold, silver, or white for lighter dresses, and black or gray for darker dresses. If you find a shoe you like and it doesn't match your dress, it's probably OK as long as it doesn't clash.

Comfort

• Comfort should be king when it comes to picking prom shoes. You are going to be dancing after all, so it's important to pick shoes in which you can move around easily. It doesn't matter how gorgeous your shoes are if you're in pain with each step you take.

Heels

• High heels are a common choice for prom, but before you go for those 4" stilettos, stop to consider your history with heels. Do you wear them often, or will the prom be your first time in them? If you're not a heel veteran, it might be wiser to choose a shoe that's closer to the ground so you're as comfortable as possible. Wedges are a good compromise between the height of heels and the comfort of flats. You also want to consider the height of your date—would it bother you if your heels make you taller than that person? If so, choose flats.

Bucking Tradition

• Don't be afraid to choose prom shoes that you love, even if they're not what anyone would consider conventional. Flip-flops, jelly sandals, boots, even tennis shoes—if you feel great in them, you should go for them. Other girls might give you weird looks, but those are probably the same girls whose feet will be killing them by the end of the night.

Step-by-Step Process

(Creative Commons photo by Zabara Alexander)

• Here's a handy numbered checklist you can follow while shopping for the right pair of prom shoes.

1. Gather your materials.
   • Whenever possible, bring your dress with you when you go looking for shoes. A photo or swatch of the fabric will suffice if you can't take the actual dress along. Also, remember to wear tights or pantyhose when you go shoe shopping if that's what you plan to wear to the prom.
2. Look at a variety.
   • Before you choose the right pair, make sure you've considered a wide variety of shoe colors, styles, and sizes. Try shoes on even if they don't look great on the rack, and try a size up or down if your normal size doesn't fit in a particular brand of shoe. A color you'd never thought about might look really good with your dress, so don't discount anything until you've tried it.
3. Choose your pair.
   • When you find shoes you like, make sure they're comfortable and within your budget. If they're not, you may need to continue looking.
4. Break the shoes in.
   • Wear your shoes for an hour or two around the house each day before the prom. Doing so will give you an opportunity to get used to the shoes and also get used to the heels if the shoes are taller than you would normally wear.
5. Dance the night away!
   • If you've chosen comfortable prom shoes that you love, you shouldn't have any problems with blisters or pain by the end of the night. Remember to have fun!

Tips

(Photo by siewlian)

1. Take a friend with you when you go shoe shopping. It's always a good idea to have an extra pair of eyes and someone else's opinion before you make up your mind about a potentially expensive purchase.
2. Go shopping in the late afternoon or early evening. Your feet swell a little bit throughout the day, so shoes that feel fine in the morning might be tight and uncomfortable by nighttime.
3. Bring a backup pair of shoes to the prom that you know are comfy. If you really need them at the dance, you can slip into them then. Otherwise, you'll be free to wear them at any after-parties you're planning to attend.
4. Get mileage out of your shoes. Rather than looking for shoes that match your dress perfectly but you'll probably never wear again, find a pair you love that will go with a variety of things in your wardrobe.
5. If your shoes aren't as glamorous as you would like, embellish them yourself. You can add appliques or stick-on gems to the shoes, wear an anklet, or paint your toenails a funky color.
6. Don't feel like you have to break the bank to buy a pair of prom shoes. Look at low-priced shops, thrift stores, clearances, or Internet sales.

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Resources for How to Buy Prom Shoes

• eHow: How to Save Money on Prom Shoes
• Ezine Articles: How to Choose the Best Prom Shoes for Teenage Boys and Girls  
• About.com: A Prom Shoe Checklist  
• About.com: Top Prom Shoes for 2008  
• Majon International: For the Prom Girl: Dazzling Prom Dresses and Shoes
• phillyBurbs.com: How to Find Your Perfect Prom Shoes