ST YLE GUIDE | SHOES
Best Shoes
FOR A BEACH WEDDING
by Justin Gibson
B
each weddings are romantic and
magical, the type of scene that
ties together the happily-ever-
after at the end of a movie: the bride
and groom silhouetted by a backdrop of
sunset skittering across the ocean, the
lapping waves providing the soundtrack
to the ceremony, usually a dolphin family
leaping out of the water when the happy
couple kisses. There’s just one thing
these movies never get right — the shoes.
Beach weddings are a conundrum.
Everyone hates — hates — the feeling of
sand in their shoes. And yet, weddings
typically call for footwear sleeker than a
rubber flip-flop. What should you do?
Consider a barefoot wedding. Depending
on the resort and the planner, it’s
typically very easy to acquire canvas
bags for your guests to store their shoes
in, allowing them to wiggle their toes in
the sand. Never fear about undercutting
any shopping they might’ve done:
they’ll need comfortable shoes for the
reception’s dance floor.
If that’s not right for you, queue this list
of shoe possibilities for beach weddings,
all of which you can dress down or up as
needed.
FO R H E R
FO R H I M
FLAT SANDALS: The tried-and-true of beachwear
for your feet, perfectly pairable with a breezy dress.
Consider embellished or metallic ones to elevate the look. BOAT SHOES: The ol’ reliable of near-nautical
BLOCK HEELS: A great choice for instances in SLIP-ONS: The same thing as boat shoes, but
which the sand is packed down to create firm ground,
or if the ceremony happens to be right next to the
beach but not quite on it.
WEDGE HEELS: The best of all of the above.
Stand taller, but without your heel sinking into the sand.
footwear. Easy to slip on and off as needed, yet still
capable of tying together the look of any suit.
sleeker, suaver — and therefore stylistically louder.
LOAFERS: Loafers have come a long way since the
time of your father and his father. Look for ventilated
pairs made of perforated mesh or woven materials.