What Shoes to Wear With a Mermaid Wedding Dress
Have you set your heart on a mermaid-style dress for your wedding? Congratulations! You have outstanding taste!
A mermaid dress is an elegant way to showcase your gorgeous curves and make sure all eyes are on you for your big day.
However, while falling in love with a mermaid dress is the easiest thing in the world, finding shoes to go with it can be a little trickier and will give you a lot to think about.
For example, while the figure-hugging aspect of the mermaid style is one of its biggest selling points, it does come with the downside of restricting movement somewhat. This is something you may need to compensate for with your choice of bridal shoes.
Moreover, mermaid wedding dresses are often elaborately made, with intricate lace and detailing. So, if this is the case for you, you’ll need shoes that work with your dress’s unique design.
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Types of Mermaid Dresses
Before we get into different shoe styles to go with your mermaid dress, we should mention that mermaid dresses generally come in two types: structured and unstructured.
Essentially, the difference between the two styles is that an unstructured dress has more movement to it, making it more likely that your shoes will be on display at some point.
A structured mermaid dress, on the other hand, doesn’t have the same fluidity in the skirt, so your shoes will probably remain hidden for the most part, as long as they’re not too high.
Best Shoes for Unstructured Mermaid Dresses
If you’re going to be wearing an unstructured mermaid dress to your wedding, we recommend putting a lot of thought into your bridal footwear.
This is because your mermaid skirt is likely to move as you do, so your shoes will be on display more than they would be with a structured dress.
Platform Heels
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Our top shoe recommendation to go with an unstructured mermaid dress is a pair of platform heels. These classic heels will give you a lovely height boost, accentuating your figure even more.
You’ll just need to make sure that the heels aren’t too high for the length of your skirt, or the hem will lift off the ground.
We would recommend these Dream Pairs Tiffany Women’s Platform Pumps since they’re still relatively low will lend a touch of sparkle to any mermaid dress. If open-toe is more your style, we also love these Cambridge Select Women’s Open Toe Platform Heels.
Stilettos
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If you’re a lover of high heels but don’t want to risk lifting your skirt too much with the extra height of platform shoes, you could always choose a classic pair of stilettos!
A stiletto heel never fails to impress, so if you want to radiate elegance on your wedding day, these shoes are the perfect choice.
If you don’t want to risk drawing the eye away from your dress, the best choice is a pair of very simple, white, or nude stilettos. These Women’s Stiletto Pumps from Dream Pairs, for example, manage to look super classy without making it all about themselves.
However, if you want to dazzle your guests, even more, there are plenty of more elaborate stiletto designs available.
The Pointy Toe Dress Pumps by Dress First are decorated with delicate rhinestones for extra wow-factor, and they’re not too high, so you won’t have to worry about the length of your skirt.
Block Heels
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Platform and stiletto heels may look stunning, but they’re notoriously difficult to walk in.
If you’re not used to walking in heels and don’t want to spend your wedding day stumbling around in your mermaid skirt, don’t worry!
You can still enjoy the confidence and stylish look of high heels without having to balance on a needlepoint all day long.
Block heels make a great middle-ground between style and comfort. Cambridge Select stocks its Open Toe Criss Cross Strappy Block Heel in both white and nude, perfect for a traditional wedding day.
If you really want to feel like a mermaid princess on your wedding day, these stunning Block Heel Sandals from Badgley Mischka come in various colors and styles with elaborate rhinestone detailing.
Best Shoes for Structured Mermaid Dresses
A structured mermaid wedding dress will restrict your movement a little more than an unstructured design.
However, this style does allow you more freedom in terms of your shoe style because the dress is less likely to move and reveal your footwear.
Flat Shoes
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You might not have to worry too much about the movement of your dress if you opt for a structured mermaid style, but you most definitely still have to think about your own movement.
Skin-tight mermaid dresses can make walking in heels even more difficult than usual, which is why our top recommendation for structured mermaid dresses is a nice pair of flats!
Since your dress most likely won’t expose them, you can feel stable and comfortable all day long, and nobody will be any the wiser.
We would recommend either ballerina flats or a cute pair of sandals. The ballerina pumps from Lauthen.S will keep foot cramp at bay while still looking stunning in case anyone happens to catch a glimpse.
Alternatively, why not try out these rhinestone sandals by Mayou? They come in a variety of colors so you can match them to the shade of your dress, whether it’s pure white, off-white, or nude.
Wedge Heels
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If flat shoes just aren’t your thing, there is a style of shoe that offers both height and relative stability: the wedge heel!
Wedge heels give you a height boost without forcing you to balance on a stiletto heel all day while navigating your mermaid skirt.
However, you will need to be careful not to buy wedges that are too tall, since this could cause your skirt to lift off the floor and ruin the illusion that the skirt creates.
These espadrille wedges from Calvin Klein are classy and timeless and are only just over 3 inches tall, so they’ll work perfectly.
If your feet do happen to peek out from under your dress during the day, these low-profile wedge dress sandals from London Fog will add just a touch of sparkle to your bridal attire without drawing attention away from your stunning dress.
Sneakers
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Some of you will be staring at the page in disbelief right now, but it’s true that sneakers are always an option for pairing with a mermaid wedding dress.
So many brides feel pressured into presenting themselves in a way that doesn’t really feel like their style on their wedding day.
Sure, you want to draw the eye on your big day, but at the same time, the celebration is literally all about you, so there’s no reason not to wear shoes that make you feel comfortable, especially when you’re wearing a structured mermaid dress!
Plus, contrary to popular belief, it’s totally possible to find sneakers that look adorable with a wedding dress! These white Converse sneakers, for example, are comfy and breathable and plain, so they won’t look out of place if they peek out from under your skirt at any point.
On the other hand, you could opt for a more elaborate sneaker style. The Women’s Champion Kate Spade Glitter Sneakers from Keds look just as beautiful as any bridal shoes, except you get to avoid blisters and wobbles on your special day!
Make a Statement
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So far, we’ve shown you plenty of white and nude heels that will blend in seamlessly with white or off-white bridal attire.
However, if you like to stand out from the crowd, you could choose a pair of bold, statement heels. This is the perfect way to express your non-traditional side in a subtle way if you’re wearing a structured mermaid dress where your shoes will just peek out occasionally.
We think these Dream Pairs Gigi Fashion Stilettos in Floral or Red would lend the perfect pop of color to your mermaid dress. Calvin Klein’s Gayle Pumps also come in gorgeous red and blue shades for a classic, yet daring look.
Statement shoes also provide the perfect foundation for colorful accessorization! Match your bright heels with some gemstone earrings or a pretty hair clip in your favorite color to represent your authentic self.
Final Thoughts
We hope that this article has given you some ideas about which shoes to pair with your mermaid wedding dress!
The key pointer to take away is to select your shoes according to the structure of your dress. Remember: an unstructured dress will move as you walk, while a structured dress mostly will not.
Apart from that, our main recommendation would simply be to go with whatever makes you feel the best, outside and inside. Whether you go with a simple pair of sneakers or 6-inch platform heels, you’ll look absolutely stunning in your mermaid dress.
So, you should choose a pair of shoes that will help you to enjoy your big day to the fullest while expressing your true self!
