An occasion flat is the shoe that lets you enjoy the wedding. It looks dressed from the ceremony to the last song, it goes with the dress you already have, and it does not need to come off under the table by nine. This edit gathers every women's flat we make with an evening finish: pearl and crystal flats, satin bow flats, patent pointed flats, metallic ballet flats and Mary Janes with a buckle, in black, ivory, gold, silver, burgundy and blush.
What makes a flat an occasion shoe
Finish and shape. The finish is what catches the light: patent, satin, a metallic leather, a pearl or crystal trim, a glitter. The shape is what reads as dressed: a pointed toe, a slingback, a delicate strap, a bow. Put the two together and a flat does the job a heel used to, at ground level. What it should not have is anything chunky; the sole stays slim and the details stay small. Each product page states the upper, the trim, the strap fastening where there is one, and the sole.
The styles
Pearl and crystal flats are the most decorated, a pointed or round toe with a trim across the vamp, for a wedding guest or a mother of the bride who has decided against a heel. Satin bow flats are softer and suit a summer wedding. Patent pointed flats in black or burgundy are the evening pair that also does a work dinner. Metallic flats in gold, silver and champagne are in their own collection and belong here too. Buckle Mary Janes in patent stay on for dancing. Ivory flats are for brides who want to walk down an aisle and across a lawn.
Fit, and a note about timing
Occasion flats fit true to size, with the usual rule that a pointed toe runs snugger, so take the half size up if you are between sizes. Satin and patent give a little; pearl and crystal trims do not. Order at least a fortnight before the day, try the pair on with the dress, and walk around the house for an evening; if it is wrong, exchanges within the UK are free and returns are accepted within 14 days, and there is time to get the right one. The size guide gives inside lengths in centimetres.
How to wear them
Match the shoe to the dress in one of two ways: tone, a burgundy flat with a burgundy dress, or contrast, a gold flat with a green dress. Keep other details quiet; a pearl flat with a pearl necklace and pearl earrings is one pearl too many. A slingback or a Mary Jane if you will dance. A pointed toe if you will stand and be photographed. By day, a patent black pointed flat with a trouser suit is a work dinner that goes straight on to drinks.
Three occasions, dressed flat
A May wedding in a marquee: a champagne satin pointed slingback, a pale blue midi dress, a small gold bag, and the grass is no problem. A December black tie dinner: a black patent pointed flat, a long black dress, sheer tights, a silver clutch. A June garden party as the mother of the bride: a pearl-trimmed pointed flat in navy, a navy dress and jacket, a hat, and a full day on your feet without a thought about them. In each, the flat is the only decorated thing at ground level, and it is enough.
Care
These are box shoes: store them in the box between wears, never loose in a bag. Wipe patent with a damp cloth, satin with a dry one, and brush dust from pearls and crystals with a soft brush. Check a trim is secure before a big day and after it. Keep satin for dry days.
Matching the flat to the event
A church or civil ceremony followed by a sit-down meal: a pointed toe in patent or a metallic, the dressiest shape, worn mostly seated. A garden party or a marquee: an ankle strap or a Mary Jane, which stay on across grass. A black tie evening: a black patent or a silver pointed flat under a long dress. A summer lunch wedding: a satin bow flat in blush or champagne. A winter party: burgundy patent or pewter. The mother of the bride: a pearl-trimmed pointed flat in a colour that matches the outfit, chosen a month early and worn in at home.
The rest of the outfit
Let the shoe be the one decorated thing below the waist. A plain dress in a colour that matches or contrasts, tights or bare legs depending on the month, a bag that matches the shoe's metal if there is one. Keep jewellery in the same metal as any hardware on the shoe. If the dress is patterned, choose a plain flat in one of its colours rather than a pearl or a glitter.
Delivery and returns
Free tracked delivery on every UK order. Returns within 14 days of delivery, free UK exchanges, and a real person at contact@asterfordshoes.com Monday to Friday, which matters when the wedding is on Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear flats to a wedding? Yes, and most guests who do wish they had started years ago. A pointed toe in patent or a metallic looks dressed.
What about a black tie evening? A black patent pointed flat or a gold or silver pointed flat, with a floor-length dress that hides most of the shoe.
Which flat for dancing? A Mary Jane or a slingback, which stay on. A plain slip-on ballet flat can come off on a dance floor.
Do the pearls fall off? Not on a stitched trim. The product page says how the trim is attached; store the shoe in its box and check the trim before the day.
