When you’re wearing your best summer dresses to a special occasion the question of what shoes to wear often takes a bit of thought. Walking on grass in stilettos isn’t easy - although thanks to Zara Tindall’s heel trick it can be made much simpler.
Now the royal has done it again with the heel-wearing solutions. The King’s niece has attended Royal Ascot every day so far this year and after dazzling in cornflower blue and a posy print dress, she switched up her look on Day 3 in a bold way.
Ditching pastel shades, Zara went all-out monochrome and showcased a genius hack to make your shoes a little more glamorous without any fuss. Her black court shoes had a gold embellishment on the toe and this was achieved by simply attaching shoe clips.
Shop Zara's Shoe Clips
Zara Tindall's Emmy London shoe clips brought a touch of refined glamour to her simple black court shoes without being overly dressy. They are available to pre-order now and will be delivered 4 weeks later - but they definitely look worth the wait.
Like Zara's, these Lotus Cluster Emmy London shoe clips are more of an investment item. However, they're incredibly subtle and this makes them even more versatile and easy to pair with different shoes. They're inspired by lotus flowers and are made with crystals set in gold-plated metal.
If you've been inspired by Zara to try accessorising your shoes for the first time, then these shoe clips are a great, affordable option. They come in different shapes and the oval design is very chic. Simply clip them on to your favourite heels, pumps or even sandals.
As the name would suggest, the Emmy London Golden Dome clips were clipped onto the front of Zara’s shoes and you never would have known that they weren’t part of the original design.
"Selecting a pair of shoe clips from British fashion brand, Emmy London, who specialise in elegant wedding and special occasion footwear, Zara reworked a pair of timeless shoes into a directional trending piece," says Rivkie Baum, Digital Fashion Editor at woman&home.
She explains, "If you've not heard of shoe clips before, they offer a clever opportunity to rework old favourites. The metal circular disc chosen by Zara gave a staple pair of courts a whole new lease of life."
Zara Tindall’s court shoes were the black Rebecca pumps, also by Emmy London. Everyone should have a great pair of comfy black heels in their collection and shoe clips are a brilliant way of jazzing them up for different occasions whilst not affecting their overall timelessness.
The equestrian royal chose gold clips which can easily be added to any heel - or ballet flat or sandal with enough of a toe cap to attach them to. Some clips are more elaborate and sparkly, so might lend themselves better to more formal ensembles, but Zara’s are minimal enough for smart-casual outfits like jeans and a shirt too.
Rivkie thinks that Zara’s genius shoe hack "upped the ante on her footwear" and she loves the rest of her outfit too.
Shop Monochrome Dresses
You can currently bag yourself quite the bargain with this dress as it's 70% off - and very striking. It's got a straight silhouette, short sleeves and contrasting tipped detailing that draws the eye and gives it an even more elevated feel. Style with pointed heels and, dare I say, shoe clips.
The Viola dress is made from soft organic cotton dobby, which is breathable on a sunny day. It features a flattering V-neckline and short sleeves, accented with black ric rac at the cuffs, waist, tiers, and neckline. The back waistband is shirred and the tiered skirt is so feminine.
This calf-length dress features a collar, buttons down the front and a double-layered yoke at the back. The long sleeves have buttoned cuffs and a sleeve placket with a link button. If you'd prefer to wear it without the belt then simply detach it and let the patterned design speak for itself.
"Zara Tindall's choice of a shirt dress for Royal Ascot was both a cooling and elegant choice," she shares. "Selecting a monochromatic design, the white shirt dress was accented by a striking black collar and horizontal button placket to draw the eye down, lengthening her frame."
When you want your dress to make an impact, opting for a simple black and white, high-contrast design is a good way to go. The neutral tones mean bold but not difficult to style and you can find so many black and white frocks, as well as jumpsuits, shirts and trousers depending on what you feel more comfortable wearing.
The royal wore a black hat and carried a stunning black, classic grain Mulberry Amberley Clutch with her at Royal Ascot. She finished off her look with black and baroque pearl drop earrings from Laurence Coste.
The whole outfit was sensational but if there’s one thing I’ll be trying out after seeing it, it’ll be adding some shoe clips to my collection.
