The VdV Edit: Have I Got Shoes For You!

Let’s talk about one of the most unexpectedly stressful parts of bridal dressing:

Shoes.

If I had a dollar for every bride who stood in my studio saying,
“Darcel, I still haven't found my shoes…”

I would personally fund a footwear vault.

And shoes are one of the things we discuss at the very start at consultation, so it can feel a little panicky to be halfway through the fittings process and still not know, or be able to find, the perfect fit.

Finding the right shoe is easily one of the most difficult parts of finishing a bridal or special occasion look. The dress gets all the glory, but the shoe? The shoe has to work. It has to support fittings. It has to carry you through photos. It has to survive a ceremony, cocktail hour, and a reception where you absolutely will be dancing.

And here’s the first thing I tell my brides:

Your wedding shoes do not have to be white to be bridal.

(Read that again.)

White is beautiful. Ivory is classic. But bridal is about intention, not colour. Champagne, blush, gold, blue, even a statement tone — all fair game. (We’ll dive deeper into adding a pop of colour in your wedding ensemble in another post soon.)

Now, after years of fittings, hemming, bustling, and watching brides test-walk across my studio floor, I have seen too many beautiful shoes not to share the ones that consistently deliver.

So welcome to the very first VdV Edit - shoes that have passed through my studio before my very eyes and earned my approval, or even footwear I myself have purchased and can attest to.

Girl, have I got a link for you.

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them — at no additional cost to you. I only share pieces that have passed through the VdV studio and earned my personal approval.

The Elegant Minimalist Heel

These are the barely-there, clean-line, elongating-the-leg kind of heels. Perfect for modern brides, satin gowns, crepe silhouettes, or anything architectural.

One brand that consistently delivers when it comes to special occasion footwear is Badgley Mischka. Known as the go-to footwear for bridal clients, here is one of the top picks from this brand that I have seen brides choose:

• The Cher Pump (the Regal Blue has passed through the studio three times, to be exact!)

  
  

  The Badgley Mischka Cher Pump in Regal Blue and Soft White
  
  Another timeless option, with a platform for some extra height and just enough sparkle at the back to still be elegant but special:

• The Kiara Platform Pump

                 
  The Badgley Mischka Kiara Pump in Ivory (left) and White (right)
  
  
  
  

What I look for:

• Stable heel placement (no awkward wobble during fittings)

• Good ankle strap support where relevant

• Clean finishing — no visible glue or uneven dye

• Cushioning that can survive at least 6–8 hours

If it looks delicate but feels sturdy? That’s a win.

The Statement Heel (For the Bride Who Understands Fashion)

I have seen rhinestone bows, sculpted heels, pearl embellishments, florals - and I support all of it.

Especially when your dress is clean and structured, a statement shoe underneath is such a beautiful surprise moment.

Studio-approved favourites:

• Jessica Simpson Olivine - I mean, just look at her!

• Badgley Mischka Olympia Sandal - this is a classic sparkly strappy heel that can serve you well for any special event!
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  Badgley Mischka Olympia Sandal
  
  

• Betsey Johnson Lorra Heel - this one was definitely the one for a VdV bride in November 2025, and it's so much more beautiful in person, believe me!

                       

Betsey Johnson Lorra Heel

Pro tip: If you’re doing a shorter dress, a slit, or a second reception look - this is your moment.

The Comfort-First Bridal Heel

Now let’s talk about reality.

Some of you are not “12-hour stiletto” women. And that is perfectly fine (I type this with a single tear rolling down my cheek, but it's fine... really, I'll be okay... I think...)

Block heels. Lower kitten heels. Even a beautifully finished bridal sandal.

I have had brides stand in fittings for hours without a single complaint in these:

• Badgley Mischka Blakeley Wedge Sandal - I'll be perfectly honest, I would be the last person to recommend wearing wedges on your wedding day, but these fit the bill beautifully if heels are too uncomfortable and work well for outdoor, grassy settings!

Badgley Mischka Blakeley Wedge Sandal

• Pointed Toe Pearl Wedding Flats - The bride who wore these was perfectly on trend for her Baroque period-themed wedding and was able to dance all night long without complaint!

  
  Pointed Toe Pearl Wedding Flats
  
  
  

• Zzheels Bow Knot Chunky Heel - A stack heel is a great way to get some height without the pain of a stiletto, and super chunky heels are very on trend in recent times!

  
  

  
  Zzheels Bow Knot Chunky Heel
  
  

What matters here:

• Padding in the ball of the foot

• A heel height you’ve actually worn before

• An ankle strap if you’re not confident walking in heels

Your face should glow in photos — not strain because your feet are on fire.

The Unexpected Colour Moment

Listen to me carefully.

Champagne. Soft blue. Blush. Metallic gold. Even something intense like fuchsia or a deep jewel tone. You're the bride. You can do what you want.

These tones photograph beautifully and often complement ivory gowns better than stark white ever could.

Some favourites I’ve seen styled beautifully:

• IvoireCh 4" Pearl Wedding Sandals in Champagne

  
  IvoireCh 4" Pearl Wedding Sandals in Champagne

• DREAM PAIRS D'Orsay Wedding Party Pumps - These exist in white, but the blue pair is currently in studio for fittings waiting patiently for the grand entrance in April 2026.

  
  

  
  
  

DREAM PAIRS D'Orsay Wedding Party Pump

And yes, not to worry... we are absolutely going to talk about how to intentionally add colour to your bridal look in an upcoming post - because bridal does not mean boring, and it definitely shouldn't mean that you can't ever wear them again once you've walked down the aisle!

What Makes a Shoe “VdV Approved”?

It’s not about price point alone.

I’ve seen affordable shoes outperform designer pairs - and I’ve seen expensive ones disappoint.

For a shoe to earn a quiet nod from me during a fitting, it needs:

• Structure

• Balance

• Comfort

• Elegant finishing

• And a silhouette that works with the gown, not against it

Affordability matters. Comfort matters. Style absolutely matters.

And if I’ve watched it survive multiple fittings in my studio? You can trust it’s earned its place here.

This is just the beginning of The VdV Edit.

We’ll be covering:

• Shapewear that actually works under custom gowns

• Bridal accessories that elevate without overwhelming

• Second-look reception pieces

• Special occasion heels worth investing in

• And the foundational garments every well-dressed woman should own

Because if it’s coming through my studio, and it’s doing its job well?

You deserve the link.

Stay tuned - and save this post for when you’re ready to click.

With Love,

Affiliate Transparency: At VdV, I believe in recommending only what I would confidently suggest to my own brides and clients. Some links shared in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase through them. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support the continued creation of helpful content, bridal education, and studio resources.

Every item featured in The VdV Edit has either passed through my studio personally or reflects the standard of quality, comfort, and design I look for when dressing my clients.

The Custom Experience Is Not the Boutique Experience

 

This is one of the first things I explain to potential clients, and it’s also one of the most important things to understand before choosing between a boutique gown and a custom-made piece.

They are not the same experience.

Neither is better or worse, but they are fundamentally different. And when expectations don’t align with the process, that’s where disappointment can creep in.

There Is No Rack to Browse

In a boutique, the experience begins with a rack of dresses. You arrive, you browse, you try things on. There is instant visual feedback - this works, this doesn’t, I like this neckline, I hate that fabric. It satisfies the very human desire for instant gratification.

In a custom studio, that rack does not exist.

Every piece I create is made from scratch. There is no stock; there are no samples waiting to be tried on the moment you walk in. You’re not stepping into a space to select a finished dress... you’re stepping into a space to create one. 

That can feel unfamiliar, especially in a world where we’re used to seeing things immediately on our bodies.

Because of this, I often encourage clients to try on dresses should the opportunity arise. Trying things on helps you learn what works for you, but just as importantly, what doesn’t. That information becomes incredibly valuable when we move into the custom design phase.

The Boutique Experience Has Its Own Magic

There is something undeniably special about the boutique experience, particularly for brides.

It’s social. It’s emotional. It often includes an entourage of loved ones offering feedback, opinions, encouragement, and tears. It’s the experience we’ve seen in movies and on reality TV: champagne, mirrors, dramatic reveals.

For many brides, that experience is deeply meaningful, and it absolutely has its place.

But it’s important to understand that a custom experience offers a different kind of magic.

A Custom Dress Is Built Around You, Not the Other Way Around

With a custom piece, you are not trying to fit yourself into a dress. 

The dress is being built for you.

Van der Vlugt bespoke lace bridal gown, 2020

From the very beginning, your body, proportions, posture, lifestyle, and personal style are part of the conversation. You are involved in the design process - not just approving a final look, but shaping how it comes to life.

You see your dress begin as something humble and unassuming - often a basic brown cotton toile - and slowly evolve into something extraordinary over the course of fittings. That transformation is intentional. It allows structure, fit, and balance to be perfected before luxury fabrics and finishes are introduced. It helps us to nail down every aspect of foundation and form, before moving onto the details of decoration and finishing (which I call "the fairy godmother effect"), and ensures nothing gets wasted in the process.

This is also why your first fitting is not about perfection. I'm very transparent with my clients about how unglamorous first fittings are and how important that first basic fitting is for me as the creator of the gown.

The first fitting is about establishing foundations:

• Placement

• Proportion

• Structure

• Comfort

Perfection comes later, once the bones of the garment are correct. 

Energy, Environment, and Intention Matter

This is something not everyone talks about, but many clients feel deeply connected to it.

When your dress is made custom, it hasn’t been worn by other people. It hasn’t passed through dozens of bodies, mirrors, or fitting rooms. From a spiritual and emotional standpoint, the energy poured into the piece begins with you.

You know exactly who is making your dress;

You know where it’s being made;

You know the environment it’s being created in.

There is something powerful about that connection - about being part of the process from the very beginning rather than entering the story at the end.

The Process Is Collaborative and Flexible

One of the greatest advantages of custom work is that the process allows for evolution.

As your dress comes to life:

• You can see how ideas translate into reality

• You can make informed decisions along the way

• You can pivot if something no longer feels right

This doesn’t mean endless changes - but it does mean that your voice is part of the journey, not just the final reveal.

By the time you reach your final fitting, you haven’t just received a dress - you’ve witnessed its creation, from zero to hero.

Van der Vlugt custom graduation gown fitting, 2025

Your Dress Can Only Ever Be Yours

Perhaps the most significant difference of all is this:

A custom dress can only ever belong to you.

No other woman will purchase the same design. No one across the world will step into the same gown. Your photos will reflect something entirely one of a kind: created for your body, your moment, and your story.

In a time when images travel fast and trends cycle quickly, there is something deeply grounding about wearing a piece that exists nowhere else.

Choosing the Experience That Fits You

Some clients want the excitement of trying on gowns immediately, hearing opinions, and saying “yes” in the mirror that same day.

Others want intention, craftsmanship, privacy, and a garment that unfolds slowly and deliberately.

Neither choice is wrong, but they are not interchangeable.

Understanding the difference allows you to choose the experience that truly aligns with who you are, how you make decisions, and what you want to remember long after the day itself has passed.

And that, more than anything, is where the beauty lies.

With Love,

Preparing for Your First Fitting: A Simple Checklist

Your first fitting is the starting point for creating a garment that fits beautifully and reflects your personal style. Being prepared allows the process to be smooth, efficient, and productive. Here is a practical checklist to help you arrive ready and confident:

1. Undergarments

Bring a bra that represents your usual lift and shape - lightly padded or more structured, as you prefer. Sports bras should be avoided. If you plan to wear shapewear on your event day, bring it along, too. This helps us build the dress with your body exactly as you intend it to be.

2. Shoes

Wear the heels you plan to wear on the day, or something very close in height and style. Shoe height changes posture, proportions, and how the hem will fall - small differences matter, otherwise it wouldn't be custom.

3. Clothing

Wear simple, fitted clothing over your undergarments, preferably neutral colours. Avoid bulky tops or anything with strong textures that could interfere with assessing your body shape during consultation and measurement-taking. A slim maxi dress that you can easily remove or leggings and a vest top is perfect. 

4. Hair

Tie your hair back or keep it neat. This allows us to check necklines, straps, and back details accurately. Loose hair can hide important lines and affect fitting decisions.

5. Mindset

Bring patience and openness. Fittings are a process of refinement - some changes happen over multiple sessions, and small adjustments now save frustration later. I always say that some fittings are for me and not the client, as they help me make the seemingly minor but very crucial adjustments to patterns and samples moving forward. Some fittings are for the client to see the progress and vision coming to life, but others may seem quite boring and unproductive... trust me, they aren't!

6. Notes & Questions

If you have concerns about comfort, movement, or style, write them down. Fittings are the perfect time to clarify and ensure the garment aligns with your expectations. Make sure your thoughts and desires are expressed. It's of utmost importance to me to hear your voice and not the voices and opinions of everyone else around you.

Basic fitting underway at the VdV studio, 2025

By arriving prepared, you give yourself and your designer the best opportunity to create a garment that fits beautifully, moves naturally, and truly represents your style. Each fitting is a step toward the final moment when you see yourself in a dress that feels made for you... because it is.

You can read the more detailed version of this article here

See you in the studio soon!

With Love,

What to Bring or Wear to Every Dress Fitting (And Why It Matters)

 

Dress fittings are not just about trying on a garment - they are about creating a reliable foundation on which a dress can be built, refined, and perfected. What you wear to your fitting directly affects the accuracy of measurements, the success of structure, and ultimately how the finished piece fits and feels on your body.

Photography by Luvo Photography, 2020

Coming prepared allows the fitting process to be efficient, focused, and productive. It also helps manage expectations on both sides and avoids unnecessary adjustments or emergency fittings later on. Here is what you should always wear - or bring - to every fitting, and why each item matters.

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1. A Proper Bra (This Is Non-Negotiable)

A good bra is essential, particularly for structured, corset-based, or fitted garments. It acts as the template for everything that happens above the waist, and is particularly useful for much smaller busts that need more shape, and larger busts that need support, but also those who have uneven busts... basically, you need to bring a bra.

Choose a bra that:

• is lightly padded or more, depending on your comfort and fit preference, but definitely some sort of padding

• places your bust exactly where you want it to sit

• offers lift, support and stability that you desire

This bra determines bust placement, neckline proportions, and internal support. It gives me, the designer, the template for building your garment and placing seams, boning and padding correctly. If you come to a fitting without one (or wearing a sports bra) it compromises the entire structure-building process.

Important note:

Do not attend a corset-based fitting without a bra.

And please do not wear a sports bra! It compresses and flattens rather than lifts, giving a false impression of shape and volume that cannot be built upon accurately.

If you are unsure which bra is appropriate, ask ahead of time. It is always better to clarify than to guess.

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2. Shoes (Or the Closest Possible Alternative)

Shoes are not just about hem length - they influence posture, stance, and how the garment falls on the body.

Ideally, bring the exact shoes you plan to wear for the event.

If those are not yet chosen or haven't arrived yet, bring a pair with a similar heel height and style to what you plan to wear. 

Even small differences in height can affect proportions, balance, and how the dress interacts with your movement. Your posture in flats versus heels is noticeably different, and that change matters during fitting, especially when fitting the lower part of the body.

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3. Shapewear (If You Plan to Wear It or Are Accustomed to It)

If you intend to wear shapewear on the day of your event - or if you normally wear it - it should be worn to your fittings.

Shapewear affects:

• how fabric sits on the body

• how seams are placed

• how compression and structure interact

This is particularly helpful for:

• more mature clients

• plus-sized clients

• bodies with non-standard proportions

That said, shapewear is not exclusive to any one body type. It is simply a tool - and like all tools, it works best when it is accounted for from the beginning. Have a read about the importance of shape wear and foundation garments, no matter what type of body you have.

If you are unsure whether shapewear is necessary for your garment, bring it anyway. We can assess its usefulness together during the fitting.

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4. Seamless, Neutral Undergarments

When possible, wear undergarments in nude, beige, or tones close to your skin colour. 

Avoid:

• heavy lace

• thick seams

• bold colours

These can interfere with assessing fabric opacity, fit, and line placement, especially in lighter or more delicate materials.

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5. Hair Worn Simply (or Tied Back)

Your hairstyle doesn’t need to be final, but it should be:

• neat

• out of the way

This allows proper assessment of:

• necklines

• straps

• backs

• shoulder balance

Loose hair can obscure important details and distort how a garment reads on the body.

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6. Minimal Makeup (Optional, But Helpful)

Heavy makeup is not required for fittings and can sometimes transfer onto garments. A clean or lightly made-up face is perfectly fine and often preferable, especially when working with light-coloured fabrics.

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7. An Open Mind... and Patience

Finally, bring yourself in a cooperative, relaxed mindset. Fittings are a process. Adjustments are normal. Refinement takes time.

Please do not bring an entourage to your fittings. As exciting as it may be for you to share the experience with others, too many voices can disrupt valuable appointment time and productivity, and too many opinions of those closest to you can distort communication between you - the actual client - and the professional, your designer. Bringing anyone who was not present in the early stages of consultation and design review will inevitably lead to questions and opinions that would have been addressed at those times, and be a waste of precious time together. My recommendation is to always bring one (the same) trusted friend or family member throughout the process - if anyone at all - and when it is time for final fitting or garment collection, a full reveal fitting can be planned with whoever you would like to see the end result.

Your body may fluctuate slightly between fittings, and that is okay. The goal is not instant perfection, but progressive improvement. With this in mind, and knowing your body better than I do, bear in mind things like your menstrual cycle when planning fittings, whether it affects your overall mood, bloating or will even be something to consider for the timing of your wedding day or event.

Trust the process, communicate honestly, and remember that fittings are where the magic quietly happens.

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Coming prepared to your fittings is one of the simplest ways to ensure the best possible outcome for the process and your garment. It saves time, prevents unnecessary revisions, and allows the focus to remain where it should be - on creating a piece that fits beautifully, moves comfortably, and feels like you.

Preparation is not about perfection. It’s about giving the process the respect it deserves.

With Love,

 

Wedding Planning Is Really a Marriage Rehearsal

I've written or spoken about this so many times. No one tells you this at the beginning, but wedding planning is less about logistics and far more about learning how you and your partner navigate your way through stress, pressure, disagreement, and uncertainty... together.

It’s easy to think of wedding planning as a single event to manage: a checklist of tasks to complete and items to get; a day to execute from start to finish. In reality, wedding planning is one long exercise in communication, compromise, and perspective. In many ways, it is your first real rehearsal for marriage.

During this time, you will be pulled in many directions. Opinions will come from all sides - family, friends, vendors, well-meaning acquaintances, even your work colleagues who aren't invited to the wedding. Everyone will have a suggestion, a preference, or a strong feeling about what you should do. This is usually based on their opinions about how they would do it. Very quickly, it becomes clear that you cannot please everyone.

This is where the real work begins.

How you and your partner decide together matters more than what you decide. How you handle disappointment, budget constraints, changes in plans, and unexpected obstacles will set the tone for how you approach the inevitable challenges of married life. Will you be adversaries, or will you be a team? Is it "my way or the highway", or "us against the world"?

Wedding planning has a way of exposing patterns. Who takes the lead? Who avoids conflict? Who gets overwhelmed by details, and who stays calm under pressure? None of this is inherently good or bad, but it is revealing. And it offers an opportunity to learn and know each other more deeply.

There will be moments where things don’t go according to plan - a vendor may fall through, a timeline may shift, or someone you counted on may disappoint you. These moments are not failures; they are practice. Practice in choosing grace over blame, solutions over resentment, perspective over perfection.

The healthiest couples are not the ones whose weddings are flawless, believe me. They are the ones who can zoom out and remember why they are doing this in the first place, the ones who can pivot with the unexpected and formulate a Plan B together. They understand that a marriage will require far more resilience than a seating chart ever will.

Photography by Kyle Archibald, 2022

Preparing for your wedding should never come at the expense of preparing for your marriage. I don't think I can stress this enough. Make time to step away from planning. Go on date nights where wedding talk is off-limits. Re-centre your relationship often. Water it intentionally.

At the end of the day, the wedding is the beginning of the journey, not the end goal of your relationship. And the skills you build during this season will serve you long after the flowers are gone and the dress is packed away.

With Love,

Why Slow Fashion Matters in Bridal

In an industry driven by trends, timelines, and instant gratification, choosing slow fashion for your wedding dress can feel almost countercultural. And yet, bridal is perhaps the one area of fashion where slowing down actually makes the most sense.

A wedding dress is not an everyday garment. It is deeply personal, emotionally charged, and often the most photographed piece of clothing a woman will ever wear. And still, so many brides are encouraged to rush the process - to chase trends, to compromise fit, or to prioritise speed over substance. And yes, sometimes time or budget requires these things, but slow fashion invites us to do the opposite.

Slow fashion in bridal is not about being anti-trend or anti-choice. It is about intention. It asks better questions:
Who made this?
How was it made?
Why does this matter to me?

When a dress is made slowly, thoughtfully, and by hand, it carries something more than fabric and thread. It carries time, skill, prayer, care and attention. It allows space for conversation, collaboration, and refinement. It honours the fact that bodies are not standardised, that style is not one-size-fits-all, and that meaningful things are rarely rushed. You're not just wearing a generic dress that several other people have worn (quite literally, if purchasing directly from a showroom off-the-rack... in which case, please have your dress dry-cleaned before the big day!), but you know this dress was made for you and with you in mind.

Photography by Francis Chu Foon, 2019

From a practical standpoint, slow fashion allows for better fit, better comfort, and better longevity. A garment that is designed specifically for your body moves with you differently. It feels different. It doesn’t require constant adjusting or tolerating discomfort “just for the day.” And long after the wedding is over, it becomes something you can preserve, repurpose, or simply treasure without regret.

From an emotional standpoint, slow fashion gives you ownership of your experience. You are not just choosing from what exists; you are participating in the creation of something new. You are seen, heard, and considered at every stage of the process. Your dress becomes a reflection of you, not of what happened to be popular that season. When working with brides, I take into account their personality as well as their personal style, and much of that is revealed throughout the fitting process and our journey together, not in a one-time meeting. The dress evolves as the relationship between the bride and the studio evolves.

There is also something quietly powerful about choosing craftsmanship in a fast world. About valuing skill, artistry, and human hands in an era of mass production. About recognising that luxury is not excess, but care.

Slow fashion is not always the easiest path. It requires ample planning, trust, and patience. That said, for many brides, it becomes one of the most rewarding parts of their wedding journey. It teaches you to slow down, to refine rather than rush, and to prioritise meaning over noise - lessons that serve you well far beyond your wedding day.

In bridal, slow fashion is not just a philosophy; it's a mindset. And for the right bride, it feels like coming home.

With Love,