I’ve long struggled to find a go-to pair of shoes for wedding season. My footwear selection is seriously pared-down, and it’s more practicality-centric than anything else. Chunky black options abound—as do relaxed sneakers. Needless to say, finding anything to pair with the wedding guest dresses (and really, the bridesmaid dresses) hanging in my closet has historically felt impossible. But a pair of gold summer slingbacks from Urban Outfitters has given me a healthy dose of hope that no sartorial challenge, not even this, is too great.
Wedding season shoes need to do a few things. They need to be light enough in color that they won’t detract from the romantic ensemble you’ve assembled (or the pastel gown your friend, the bride-to-be, has kindly asked you to purchase). They need to have a heel that’s high enough to feel semi-formal, but low enough not to kill your feet after hours on the dance floor. And ideally, they need to be wearable outside of wedding season. Call me crazy, but I like anything taking up space in my closet to be versatile enough to wear in more than one setting. The thought of snagging a pair of slingbacks to wear once or twice crushes my efficiency-loving heart.
The strappy Urban Outfitters slingbacks I’ve found meet all three of these oh-so specific criteria—and even better, they’ve passed my test with flying colors. They’re not just wearable outside of wedding season, they’re veritably versatile. They’d look as good at the office as they would at cocktail hour; you can wear them on a night out, on vacation and on your next date, too. They’re 2000s-referential enough to feel on-trend without skewing particularly timely (i.e. they don’t come with an expiration date), and they’re probably the most adaptable find I’ve added to my wardrobe in a long, long time. Oh yeah, and did I mention the slingbacks are only $39?!?
If I sound effusive, it’s because these shoes deserve it. I didn’t realize a footwear feat this phenomenal was even possible to achieve.
Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.