Rehearse more than standing
The first time you wear occasion shoes should not be while the taxi is waiting. Try them with the complete outfit while there is still time to make a different choice. Walk, sit and turn. Pick up the bag you will carry. A dress that looks the right length while you stand may brush the floor when you bend or catch on a heel as you move.
Think about the event's actual setting. A dinner with a short walk from a car is different from a garden reception or several hours on your feet. Look beyond the invitation's dress code and consider steps, paving and soft ground. When you need different footwear for part of the day, plan where the second pair will go rather than assuming a tiny evening bag can hold it.
Keep the fitting honest
Wear the hosiery you intend to use. If you will go without it, make that the fitting condition. Notice whether your foot slides forward or whether the back rubs when you walk. A high price or a familiar label cannot answer those questions for you.
Do not rehearse through pain to prove that you can manage. Nor should you expect padding to rescue every unsuitable shape. A lower heel, a wider base or a different upper may meet the outfit just as well. The relevant comparison is between shoes you can use for this event, not between the pair in front of you and a photograph of someone standing still.
Look at the whole outfit once
Check the visible toe, colour and finish below the hem. A metallic shoe may echo jewellery; a fabric shoe may blend into a dress. Exact colour matching is optional. Sometimes a deliberate difference looks more settled than two near-matching shades that do not quite agree.
Keep a note of any adjustment the outfit needs, then put it away together if possible. Clean the shoes as their care instructions allow and check fastenings before the day. The point of the rehearsal is to remove a small uncertainty from an already busy morning, leaving you free to enjoy the occasion once you arrive.
