Special Occasion Shoes for Women Over 50

My giant search for my Mother of the Groom dress has finally come to a close 🙌! (Tap HERE to check out the post where I revealed all of my wedding event looks, including my MOG dress!) Today, I’m letting you in on the search for my special occasion shoes (AKA my MOG shoes)!

Special occasion shoes are a thangggg when you’re over 50! Comfort rules, but if you’re like me, style is a huge consideration too. Honestly, I’m not willing to sacrifice one for the other! Are you? Here’s how I narrowed down my choices.

As always, click the pink text links or any image (including the collage above) for more information.

Consider Your Event

When making your shoe decision, I would recommend first thinking through the details of your event.

• How long will you be on your feet?
• Is your event indoors or out? If it’s outdoors, what kind of surface will you be on?
• Will there be dancing?
• Will you be walking to and from different venues?

Consider Your Feet

As we age, our feet change in size and shape! Here’s why:

• Ligaments and tendons lose their strength and ability to spring back. This manifests as falling arches, which, in turn, flattens and lengthens the foot and toes.
• As collagen and elastin decrease, there’s a reduction in the built-in fat pad cushioning they provide.
• You can get arthritis. I have arthritis in the joints between my big toes and foots, which has made my feet wider over time!
• Your toes curl up. Be careful! This can lead to corns and calluses as your crooked toes rub against your shoes. (THESE pads can help with this!)
• Your skin dries out, and your circulation slows. You can combat this by giving your feet a good lotion rub once a day using a lotion like THIS moisturizing cream with salicylic acid. (It’s the one I use!)

My feet have grown a half size in the past few years! Have yours? Be aware of these changes as you shop for shoes. If your size has changed, don’t stick with the same size. (That’s just asking for pain!) Instead, adjust accordingly!

Shoe Comfort

We’ve included some low heels, wedge heels, and flats in this post, along with block heels. If you need more help with making special occasion shoes more comfortable, you might want to check out these comfort-helpers.

• Shoe Strap Cushions – This 48 PC. set of various size clear adhesive straps attach to the inside of straps that are rubbing. I keep them on hand!
• Ball of Foot Cushions – These can really help for a long event!
• Blister Blocker Stick – I use this rub-on stick at the first sign of irritation to prevent things from getting worse! It works, and it’s small enough to fit easily in a clutch.
• Blister Bandages – If you get a blister, this cushiony bandage is exactly what you need. It’s a best-seller, and it works!

Rehearsal Brunch

The Rehearsal Brunch we’re throwing for Connor & Abby will be outdoors at The Woodmark Hotel, under their beautiful Olympic Terrace Tent. It sits right on the coast, and our guests will be mingling on the concrete paths in front of a stunning view of Lake Washington (with smoothies in hand) for the first 30 minutes or so. Bob and I will be standing a lot as we greet our 70 guests! Thankfully, we’ll be seated for brunch, which will give my feet a break! The tent is carpeted, which definitely factored into my shoe decision.

I’m wearing THIS lace overlay short sleeve midi dress in mint green (or, as the saleslady said, “Definitely Tiffany blue, dah-ling!” 🤣). It looks green in these photos, but really it’s more of what I would call a mint.

I’m pairing my dress with THESE simple but gorgeous silver block heel sandals (from trusted brand Naturalizer). I cannot even begin to tell you how comfortable they are and easy to walk and stand in! They don’t even feel like I’m wearing heels! The last thing I want is to ruin my feet before the wedding the next day. They come in multiple colors, and are widely available! Click your favorite brand below to head right to them. I recommend Zappos for easy shipping & returns. (They’re owned by Amazon, so in my experience, they know how to do shipping & returns quickly and correctly.)

• Zappos (Free shipping/returns.)
• Nordstrom (Free shipping/returns.)
• Naturalizer (Free shipping $65+. Free returns with Happy Returns.)
• Dillards (Free shipping $150+. Free in-store returns.)
• DSW (On sale! Free shipping with free-to-join VIP Loyalty Club membership. Free in-store returns.)

My full Rehearsal Brunch look (including jewelry) is linked in THIS post.

Wedding

I’m not revealing many of the details of the wedding, but I will tell you it’s outdoors! It’s a full day of events, including dancing, a seated dinner, and more. It really is going to be a spectacular event! I will be walking, dancing, standing, and doing some sitting as well.

This pretty Mac Duggal High Halter Bow Turtleneck Sleeveless A-Line Gown is the one I finally selected! (To see all the dresses I considered, check out THIS post.) When the event requires a gown and not just a dress, my number one go-to designer is always Mac Duggal!)

It’s a demanding shoe day, and I want my shoes to be spectacular! Since the wedding day festivities last all day, the Mother of the Bride (LOVE her!) and I decided to shift to Allbirds Tree Runner sneakers (our fave washable sneakers) for some of the day! I own about 8 pairs of these fantastic sneakers, and I have a blush pink pair from a few years ago that matches my dress perfectly. (Check out their current colors HERE.)

We’re also wearing hats for part of the day since we’ll be in the sun! I found a cute one for $9 at Walmart that is packable and matches my dress perfectly! Click HERE to see the other colors! It would be perfect for a beach vacation.

We both decided to hem our dresses to just above our ankles. (I let the bride’s mom take the lead on this decision, of course.). That means our wedding shoes will show, we will have no problem with length when we switch to our Allbirds, and the hem of our respective dresses won’t get dirty.🙌

Since my dress is a solid, neutral-ish color, I wanted my shoes to be blingy! I considered most of the shoes in this post (see them all in a boutique at the end of this post), but I eventually narrowed it down to these three:

1. Stuart Weitzman Soiree Crystal 85 Block Sandal – The winner! They were comfortable (although not as comfy as #2) and walkable. But mostly, they were just so elegant. The bling is delicate and beautiful. They’re currently on sale at Zappos with free shipping/returns. If you can’t find your size, they’re also at Nordstrom HERE and Stuart Weitzman HERE. If you’re interested, I wouldn’t recommend you buy them from Stuart Weitzman because they’re on final sale, so they’re not returnable. 👎👎👎
2. Naturalizer Vanessa Dress Sandal – These were the most comfortable and came in second place!
3. Naturalizer Ahava Dress Sandal – These were so pretty, but they have fabric under the bling, so I knew they wouldn’t stretch and give as my feet swelled on the wedding day.

Thank you so much for your kindness and patience as I’ve taken you along on my wedding shopping journey! You’ve given me great advice and encouragement, and I’m grateful! Do you have a special event that you’re shopping for? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and spill the tea, okay?

At the bottom of this post, you’ll find our picks for the best special occasion shoes for women over 50! It includes all the shoes I shared today and many others I considered! As we curated this collection for you, we were price-conscious, looking for the best deals and favoring brands with FREE shipping and returns.

Handbag Help Needed!

Speaking of the wedding, since I picked silver shoes for both the Rehearsal Brunch and the wedding itself, I decided I needed a pretty silver handbag to carry as well. I ordered four, and I want to use the same one for both events. I’d love your vote!

• Crystal Mesh Clutch – This has a cool texture, and it’s really unique, but I think it might be too much texture! I don’t want anything to compete with my dresses and shoes!
• Crystal Buckle Clutch – This classic bag has a pretty buckle that looks kind of vintage.
• Top Handle Clutch – This bag is heavier than the other bags, but I love the top handle!
• Crystal Envelope Clutch – This clutch is just flat-out blingy! (Honestly, I think it might be a little much for a daytime event!)

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, okay?

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