Choose the Shoes

I haven't posted about my dress yet. That is mostly because I went alone to my first fitting and the couple of pictures I took don't exactly do it justice. But, tomorrow morning I have my second dress fitting and my mother is going with me so we should be able to take some better pictures. In the meantime, I will tell you that it is a v-neck and v-back ivory Alencon lace sheeth with a chapel train and a swarovski crystal detailing along the neck and the back and the waist. It definitely has a retro 30's vibe about it that I adore! I can't wait to be reacquainted with it tomorrow!

In anticipation of being able to see and even wear my beloved dress I purchased a couple of pairs of shoes to try out along with two pairs that my bridal salon carries. So without further ado, here are my four candidates:

The first pair is the Hadley d'orsay open-toed pump by J Crew ($185 +shipping on jcrew.com):

Pros: I love the knot over the toes. Appropriate for the oocasion--heh. They are very sophisticated looking and have a retro feel that goes with the dress. They're also pretty comfy and the heel height, 3.5 inches, is just about right for this 5'4" girl marrying a 6'2" guy.

Cons: The ivory color is a little more yellowish than I'd like. I think it might be too yellow for the dress.

The second pair is the Amy satin sandal by Anne Klein New York ($237.11 with free shipping on zappos.com):

Pros: The color, bridal white, seems perfect (I won't know for sure until tomorrow). The height is awesome, 4.5 inch heels! I love love love the ankle straps with the rhinestone buckles! These are some gorgeous shoes!!

Cons: The heel height might be too high since I wore 3.75 inch heels for my first fitting when we worked on the hem length. My feet are pretty gross from marathon training for the past two years. I'm going to have to work really hard on getting them to look decent in the three weeks I have before the wedding after my fall marathon if I'm going to wear sandals!

The third pair is the Crystal satin sandal by Grace (~$120 at my bridal salon):

Pros: They're significantly cheaper than either the J Crew or the Anne Klein shoes. They also have a nice retro style and a little sparkle that plays off the crystals on my dress nicely. They also have a nice 3.5 inch heel. I already know the color works with my dress.

Cons: It seems like so many brides have Grace shoes. They feel a little too cookie-cutter bridal for my taste.

Lastly, is the Evita satin sandal by Grace (~$120 at my bridal salon):

Pros: The price, the heel and the color are good, just like the Crystal. Also, like the Crystal, there is a nice little bit of sparkle on the knot of the bow. And, of course the bow itself is pretty adoreable.

Cons: Like the Crystal these seem maybe a little too bridey for my taste. The bow also might not work with my dress.

So these are the contenders. So far just looking at the shoes on paper (or in blog post, as it were!) I think the perfect shoe would be the Anne Kleins if the front had the satin knot of the J crew shoes and the price of the Grace shoes! It might be a whole different story when paired with the dress. One pair may rise above all others. We'll find out soon. Stay tuned!