Converse Shoes

[Deleted User] · January 2013

My bridesmaids are wearing converse shoes, but I don't know what color. They are wearing different dresses in various shades of light to medium blue. I would preferrably like them to wear the same color shoe. Suggestions on what would look best. Thanks!

LDubHawksFan · January 2013

You are paying for them, right??

ETA: I glanced at their website and they have a ton of colors. I would say you should choose either your accent color or silver shoes.....but I still stand by saying you have to pay for them. I personally hate converses and would be pissed about spending money on shoes I'll never wear again. FWIW, H is in a wedding where they are having the guys all wear them, but the couple is buying them for the guys.

OliveOilsMom · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_converse-shoes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:37Discussion:4d33f35f-5dea-4099-a89f-b736ae9764c9Post:5f63b191-d600-4dac-a1c8-6478a2bca2c7">Converse Shoes</a>:
[QUOTE]My bridesmaids are wearing converse shoes, but I don't know what color. They are wearing different dresses in various shades of light to medium blue. I would preferrably like them to wear the same color shoe. Suggestions on what would look best. Thanks!
Posted by rklimo[/QUOTE]

If you want them to wear the converse, you should be paying for them. The only thing a BM is responsible for is purchasing the dress, not the shoes if you are dictating a specific pair.

daveANDkristen · January 2013

Do you have an accent color or are you just doing shades of blue? They could wear shoes in the accent color, otherwise I guess white or whatever shade of blue you like best. I'm not sure what shades are available. If you insist on matching Converse though, PPs are right that you should offer to pay for them. It is not customary to require specific footwear for your WP. Normally you would choose a dress (with their wishes and budget in mind) and they would wear whatever appropriate shoes they already own (unless they wish to purchase new ones, of course).

GoodLuckBear14 · January 2013

Get out your wallet and rethink doing this. You may think it is unique (furthest thing from it) and young. When you look back on your wedding pictures in a few years, it is going to look childish and immature. To me it looks like the person wearing this is eleven years old and got into a battle of wills with her mother who finally said the child could wear her gymshoes if she just puts on the damn dress.

MairePoppy · January 2013

Thank you GLB, I was starting to think I was out of touch. Grown ups should wear appropriate shoes to weddings.

elbow23 · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_converse-shoes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:4d33f35f-5dea-4099-a89f-b736ae9764c9Post:b8a91da1-cdc1-4b5b-b909-412db44a631d">Re: Converse Shoes</a>:
[QUOTE]A<strong>re your BMs okay with this? I would never wear sneakers and a dress. </strong>If your BMs are okay with wearing them, then you still have to buy them.
Posted by Liatris2010[/QUOTE]

I wore a dress with Chucks at my sister's wedding two years ago, and I felt like a fool. OP, please make sure everyone feels comfortable with this combination.

mcda04 · January 2013

I love sneakers but I would never consider wearing them with a formal dress. I just think it looks stupid. If your girls don't wear heels, have them wear flats and if you want a specific style / color, you need to pay for them.

lovesclimbing · January 2013

One reason you should reconsider, besides Converse being completely inappropriate with dressy clothes, is that your wedding will look like a high school prom. This is what teenage girls do at dances in order to be "comfortable". Also, they are not flattering. I cannot emphasize this enough I'm on mobile so I can't bold. Converse will cut off their legs at the ankle and make their legs look short and squatty. A nice heel will elongate their legs and make them look slimmer.

lcobb517 · January 2013

For what it's worth, I wore Converses in one wedding a couple years ago and it was the only wedding I have been in where I wasn't ready to cry by the end of the ceremony, let alone pictures and dancing. As long as your party is okay with how they'll look, and you offer to pay, I think it's a fine idea. Go for something they'll wear again. White, blue or grey might be your best choices.

Will it look formal in your photos? No. But, they're your photos.

GoodLuckBear14 · January 2013

I'd like to know how much Converse paid all of the bridal mags to get this trend started. It had to have been a boatload of money to get the fashion editors to say "ooh. cute!"

lcobb517: why were you ready to cry by the end of the other weddings? Was it the first time wearing the shoes? A cheap pair especially for the wedding? I can tell you from experience that cheap shoes are going to kill your feet because of how poorly constructed they are. A good pair has cushioning and will expand with your feet as the day goes on. This is one of the reasons why we always recommend neutrals so that BMs can wear them again and again and the money won't be wasted.

eta: When I have those 12 - 16 hour days before trial and cannot get away with jeans and boots because I have to be out of the office, I am always in Nine West shoes. After more than a decade of wearing this brand, I still do not get sore feet no matter how long I am in them.

bunni727 · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_converse-shoes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:4d33f35f-5dea-4099-a89f-b736ae9764c9Post:06bdc56e-a603-48c9-96a5-dd49c1f95c1b">Re:Converse Shoes</a>:
[QUOTE]One reason you should reconsider, besides Converse being completely inappropriate with dressy clothes, is that your wedding will look like a high school prom. This is what teenage girls do at dances in order to be "comfortable". <strong>Also, they are not flattering. I cannot emphasize this enough I'm on mobile so I can't bold.</strong> Converse will cut off their legs at the ankle and make their legs look short and squatty. A nice heel will elongate their legs and make them look slimmer.
Posted by lovesclimbing[/QUOTE]

I can: Converse <strong>are not</strong> flattering. :) My MOH, who is the most pro-chucks and anti-formalwear person I have ever met, had to wear converse in a wedding and <strong>hated</strong> it. She has gorgeous muscular calves, but between the converse and the tea-length dress she looked like she had two tree stumps for legs.

Also, converse are really uncomfortable for some people. There just isn't enough arch support, and some would honestly be more comfortable in heels.

That said, if you want them, you want them. So long as your bridesmaids won't be uncomfortable, you are paying for them, and you really like the look, I don't see a problem with a stylistic choice like that. I would probably go with a grey if you don't have a specific accent color picked out. If you do, I'd go with that. Black would probably be pretty harsh, unless you're using it elsewhere.

Simply Fated · January 2013

The first time I saw converse with a dress was in the Twilight movie. After that, I started seeing the trend everywhere. My friend who's several years younger than me, showed me pics of her prom pictures. She was wearing them with her dress. THEN, I saw them at my bf's sister's Sweet 13 party on a girl wearing a dress. My point is, these girls were 17 and 13 years old. It worked for them because they were young. They looked adorable and were there for a party. It didn't look sophisticated, classy or mature. If you're okay with that for your wedding, go for it. I own a couple if pairs of converse. They're terrible for my feet so I couldn't wear them the whole night. And I wouldn't pay for a color I wouldn't wear again. I think this is one of those cases where you should pay for the shoes. Maybe classic black and white? All white or cream? They have blue, too. I think you can customize colors on their site, which might be fun.

jennyd412 · January 2013

I'm wearing blue converse under my wedding dress. My feet won't show unless I lift my dress to show them. If you want to do it, go for it. I do agree that if you are requiring it, you should pay for them, You could do blue, silver, gray or even yellow depending on your accent colors I probably wouldn't do this if their dresses are short or tea-length...just my opinion

mlg78 · January 2013

I'm wearing purple converse under my wedding dress. I hate wearing heels and since I have a six hour reception, I know my feet are going to kill me if I don't. I briefly debated flip flops but I hate the sound that they make. My dress is long and few people will even see my shoes. I'll also get a lot of added use out of them since I volunteer as an event coordinator for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and the awareness color is purple -- bonus!

All of that being said, I'd be hesitant to do this for bridesmaids. I think it's an individual style choice and not something most women would be comfortable with...especially if their shoes aren't going to be hidden by lots of layers under a wedding dress.

HobokensFury · January 2013

I once wore a sneaker under a ball gown- because the other foot was in a cast up to my knee! I would have worn one high heel if it didn't make me lopsided. Sneakers do not belong with formal wear. Period. The End. It's not unique or stylish, it's stupid.

lcobb517 · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_converse-shoes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:4d33f35f-5dea-4099-a89f-b736ae9764c9Post:49cc85dd-9e0b-4034-92e8-6fa39a5c7d62">Re: Converse Shoes</a>:
[QUOTE]I'd like to know how much Converse paid all of the bridal mags to get this trend started. It had to have been a boatload of money to get the fashion editors to say "ooh. cute!" lcobb517: why were you ready to cry by the end of the other weddings? Was it the first time wearing the shoes? A cheap pair especially for the wedding? I can tell you from experience that cheap shoes are going to kill your feet because of how poorly constructed they are. A good pair has cushioning and will expand with your feet as the day goes on. This is one of the reasons why we always recommend neutrals so that BMs can wear them again and again and the money won't be wasted. eta: When I have those 12 - 16 hour days before trial and cannot get away with jeans and boots because I have to be out of the office, I am always in Nine West shoes. After more than a decade of wearing this brand, I still do not get sore feet no matter how long I am in them.
Posted by GoodLuckBear14[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Cheap shoes - ALSO dictated by the brides. I didn't wear the Converse because I thought they would look great, I wore them because the bride asked me to. And I was much more comfortable all day than I have been in more formal looking shoes.

</div>

soontobehanby · January 2013

I told my bridesmaids to wear silver or gray shoes. 3 of them are getting silver/gray converse or toms because they really really really want to. I don't care, I'd rather them there is the shoes than not there. So I picked my battles. This wasn't one. Plus my dress is a bridesmaids dress really, it's more of a sun dress, so I can handle it.

bridalmarch · January 2013

Off the top of my head, I think I have 6 or 7 pairs of Converse. They're awesome with jeans and a jacket for running errands or running after my toddler.

They aren't awesome for weddings, period. I'd be mortified if I had to wear them with a formal dress. I would do it for a friend, but I wouldn't be happy about it.

random4180 · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_converse-shoes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:4d33f35f-5dea-4099-a89f-b736ae9764c9Post:d7f55e04-23f2-492e-9dbe-d6fe5196bd8b">Re: Converse Shoes</a>:
[QUOTE]I considered myself pretty chill when it came to bridesmaids. They agreed on dress. I left shoes, hair up to them. But I would have absolutely vetoed Converse - or any athletic shoes - with <strong>a floor length gow</strong>n. I find this kind of thing very immature and generally just a way to say "look at me!"
Posted by scribe95[/QUOTE]

<div>A lot of people had a lot of negative opinions about sneakers and formalwear but this honestly just sort of confused me- wouldn't a floor length gown draw the least amount of attention to the shoe choice?? I mean, I had a floor length gown, no train- can you tell what shoes I'm wearing? No one else could either.</div><div><a href="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/images/store/4/7/247bdbbb-4339-464c-874d-d528ca7b66cf.large.jpg" title="Click to view a larger photo" class="PhotoLink"> <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/images/store/4/7/247bdbbb-4339-464c-874d-d528ca7b66cf.medium.jpg" alt="" /></a>
</div><div>
</div><div>That confusion regarding length aside, I wore sneakers with my wedding gown and all the BMs had pretty much free reign over their dress, jewelry, shoe, hair, etc choices. None chose to wear sneakers and quite a few wore shoes I would never have made it down the aisle in because I can't do heels. It's not a comfort thing even because I've never walked in them. It seems I just<em> can't </em>walk; standing feels too unsteady for me! I also hate flats- ballet or otherwise. I have permanent tanline on my ankles, even in the winter, and all I wear is sneakers. Any shoes without socks (including sandals) look ridiculous and make me feel super self-concious. With that in mind, you should consider your BM feelings and preferences and whether wearing sneakers is actually what they want. If it isn't, I would definitely reconsider it. I also think you are obligated to purchase ANY required shoes.</div>

Keaganotoole89 · March 2013

For my wedding I"m wearing converse and so is everybody else. They all enjoy the fact that they will be wearing something Comfortable. It's in my style and theme of the wedding. They do make converse now that look like flats. Those are what my girls will be wearing. There sole is very short and looks like a flat but is also a converse. The only person who hated the idea was my "mom" but she didn't have to wear them! I say do what you want to do! It's your wedding. I have been to weddings and seen people wear Converse and with the right look and dress It looks so cute! It all depends on the theme. Now if you have this all elegant theme then stick with some high heels or something. But If your going with a more vintage modern look try something else! In the end it's about you and nobody else!! I love the idea! No one is is going to stop me and change my decision. Have fun!!

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