The wardrobe whisperer

Our experts solve one reader’s fashion dilemma

Q

For dinners out and an upcoming wedding, I can’t stand the thought of putting painful high heels back on. I’m

57 and 5ft 4in, so I’m not sure I’ll look ‘put together’ without a heel. What summer fancy flats and low-heel sandals could I wear that will still look dressy, not frumpy, and as though I have made an effort?

— Linda

A

I sympathise, Linda. A colleague and I were just discussing how only 20 minutes in heels this week had left her feet throbbing the next day. And she’s a braver woman than me; I’m struggling to recall the last time I did anything higher than a 2in block heel (which also happens to be the Queen’s preferred height of elevation).

But happily we live in a postwhere heels world, there is choice galore when it comes to flats and low shoes. In fact, on some shopping websites, it’s now quite tricky to find a heels section at all. I have two fabulous muses in my quest for flats. Supermodel Liya Kebede appeared at Cannes (which has a bemusing history of telling women they should wear heels on the red carpet) wearing an incredible cutaway YSL gown with black flat-as-asandals, pancake and 60-year-old actor Amy Sedaris looked great at a recent premiere in New York in a puff-sleeved dress with bow-adorned ballerinas.

For your dinners and wedding, there are some delectable options across all budgets. I love the idea of making a statement with your choice of flats à la

Sedaris. Kurt Geiger has a strikslip-ons ing selection of with conversation-starting embelembroideries, lishments and like these gold lobsters, while Zara’s rhinestone sandals have a hint of Carrie Bradshaw, but will be far comfier than her 4in numbers – they come in several colours, including black and this bold emerald green.

If you’d like to dip your toe into something with a soupçon of height, there can be little chicer than Roger Vivier’s ‘Belle Vivier’ mules with a small but powerful 1in heel – they’re a serion ously elegant take the design classic. If your budget can’t stretch to those, I know plenty of fashion editors who swear by M&S’S twoslingbacks tone which, at a glance, could be mistaken for Chanel. They have Insolia tech for extra comfort and will go with everything. For a one-stop wedding look, Rixo has gora geous dresses and new shoe range to match, with some very danceable and walkable low heels in the mix. And LK Benslip-ons nett’s croc-effect look modern and won’t sink into the grass at weddings. Plus, your feet should be happy

the day after – joy!

Dress, £315, and flowers sandals, £185, both Rixo (rixo.com)