By Tanya Turner

Wouldn’t it be nice to have dress shoes that are also comfortable? This is not as imposable as you may think. Armed with only a few of the tricks fashion experts know, you too can find drop-dead gorgeous evening shoes that you can wear all evening at no cost to your feet.

What is the perfect dress shoe? I think you would agree that it should make your feet look sexy and elegant, match your evening outfits and be comfortable for walking and dancing.

The reason most women think of wearing dress shoes as a sacrifice for the sake of beauty is because 80% of special occasion shoes really are uncomfortable. But since they want to look their best for the prom, wedding or evening banquet, most women will put up with sore feet. You don’t have to, though.

Here are several tips that will help you find the “perfect” evening shoes:

All dress shoes have heels. Of course - high heels make your legs look longer and slimmer, make your feet look sexy and force you to keep good posture. However, you don't have to wear 4-inche heels to get all these benefits. Go for kitten style heels - about 2-inches high. They are more stable and comfortable.


Another way to get comfortable heels is to choose wedge-heel shoes. Even if the heel is high, they are easy to walk in and you probably won't even feel the height. By the way, wedge heels are quite fashionable this year.


About 50% of evening shoes are made from fabric but, if you can afford it, always go for genuine leather shoes. Quality leather has an amazing ability to adjust to the shape of your foot and always feels better than synthetics.


Get your outfit first and match the shoes to it; don't do it the other way around. It will be very difficult to find a color that would match perfectly, though, so go for a color that is complementary. Black evening shoes are classic - they work with any dark colored outfit. If your dress is in a pastel color, try ivory shoes; soft, warm ivory usually works better than pure white.


Avoid straps; they might be sexy but they're also a pain.. Instead, choose dress shoes with a longer, enclosed toe. This style always look very elegant.


Go for shoes with a soft, cushioned upper lining. A leather lining is preferable. If your perfect shoes have a very hard sole, get cushioned comfort inserts; they're sticky on one side, for attachment to the sole of your shoe. Most online and traditional shoe stores sell them.


Make sure the shoes are your correct size. Shoes that are too small or too big will never feel comfortable on your feet.


So you see, it's possible to get and wear beautiful evening shoes without suffering. Keep these tips in mind, when you shop for dress shoes, and your next purchase should make you very happy.

Tanya Turner is a women's fashion she writes for http://www.1000shoes.info/, a site that provides consumer information, advice and reviews of best shoes retailers.