For any devout shoe lover, one of the best things about planning an outfit for a special occasion is deciding on that all important finishing touch – the perfect shoe. But it can’t be just any shoe – it needs to be stylish, elegant and inject the perfect amount of sophistication into your look.

You also need to take into account the demands of the occasion both in terms of dress code and practicalities which is why here at Upper Street, we’re devoting our next Masterclass to the art of designing a special occasion shoe. Read on and be inspired to design your very own Cinderella shoe…

Metallic platform peep toe shoe

Ease the feeling of wedding guest outfit panic by designing a shoe that will go with everything. An asymmetric metallic platform peep toe such as this statement shoe in white gold leather, bronze and pewter snakeskin will see you through every wedding in style. Depending on the colours you’ll be wearing, you can customise your shoe design accordingly or design a platform court shoe in a similar style for winter weddings.

Black animal pointed court shoe

For a truly elegant shoe, a large bow and a dainty strap add the essential finishing touches. We think this black animal d’Orsay cut pointed court is a real investment shoe and the very glamorous footwear equivalent of the Little Black Dress. Customise yours to tone with your gown and if required, select a lower heel at the checkout to ensure that the heel height suits the length of the dress.

Asymmetric jewel platform peep toe shoe

Summer demands bright colours and if the occasion is a little more relaxed then why not let your shoes make a dazzling statement? Create a colourful contrast with a design such as this d’Orsay peep toe platform with flame, sea and turquoise satin asymmetric panels and finish off with a marine satin and black patent counter back and ankle strap. With these shoes you’re sure to be the belle of the ball!

Luxe Metallic Suede platform peep toe shoe

We love a special birthday here at Upper Street and feel that the occasion should always be marked with shoes! It’s the perfect excuse to push the boat out, design a bespoke shoe in our fabulous new Luxe Metallic Suedes. We adore these platform peep toes in green Luxe Metallic Suede with a sparkling gem cluster and think they are definitely a party shoe to remember! This gorgeous fabric is not available on the website so treat yourself and book a complimentary appointment at our Highbury studio.

Colour block platform court shoe

If you’re excited about that invite to the polo, races or garden party event but find yourself still searching for the perfect standout shoe, why not design your own? At Upper Street you can choose from a myriad of colours, shapes and finishing touches that will ensure you’ll end with a unique shoe that compliments your look to perfection. We love these seductive fuchsia pink Italian satin platform courts with a red counter back and heel.

Gold snakeskin sandal

Going out for cocktails demands a glamorous shoe with sparkle and shine and a glitzy sandal fits the bill perfectly. These gold snakeskin sandals with Swarovski diamante embellished front straps can be worn to complete head to toe shimmer or accompany a more dressed down look to become the focal point of your outfit.

Whatever the occasion, Upper Street have all your bespoke shoe needs covered – all you need to do is decide which one will be the perfect shoe to complete your Cinderella moment. To help with your decision take a look at our shoe galleries and design guides for more special occasion inspiration, then design your dream shoe, sit back and wait for it to be delivered to your door!

Upper Street shoes come in a huge range of sizes from the petite 33 (UK 1.5) to the generous 43 (UK 10) with 4 width fittings. We also offer free alterations to fit and we’re so confident that you’ll love your final design that we’ll refund you if you don’t!

To book an appointment in our London Studio, email iloveshoes@upperstreet.com or call us on 0845 680 9365.

If you can’t make it the studio but still want to see our full range of luxurious materials, visit our Upper Street Swatch Store.Whether you’d like to experience the richness of our suedes, feel the silken quality of our sumptuous Italian satins or visualise our glossy patents as a shoe, you can order as many swatches as you want!

Upper Street - the made-to-order luxury shoe label where you can design your own individual shoes and have them delivered right to your door.

Whilst we are renowned for our love of high heels here at Upper Street, we appreciate more than most that sometimes height is not always the most practical option. A lower heel doesn’t have to mean a sacrifice in the style stakes – especially when it comes to a return of a recent fash pack favourite – the kitten heel.

From the classic elegance of Audrey Hepburn to the modern day catwalk revival that took place for AW10 at Stella McCartney, Prada and Marc Jacobs, the kitten heel has been welcomed back by those in the know as the perfect everyday chic choice.

Leopard snake kitten heel

At Upper Street the design choice is endless. Design in glossy patent for simplistic luxe or play with animal prints and snakeskin for a unique shoe. Buckles are a stylish finishing touch for work wear and the addition of a Mary Jane strap provides extra security when running in heels is required!

At Upper Street we believe you should be able to stay on your feet all day long without the pain factor so we have a whole host of lower heel options for you to select at the checkout once you’ve finalised your design.

Blush patent bow platform, Black round toe court

The favoured nude heel works perfectly for every day in a blush patent with a bow to finish – select a 3.5″ heel and a 0.25″ platform at the checkout. Let your tootsies reside in style and comfort with this shapely round toe court in black pony with suede and patent asymmetric front detail. You decide how low to go with either a 2.25″ or a 3.75″ heel.

Take a look at our lower heel option feature for more inspiration  - design in beautiful autumn berry shades and add a bow and a peep toe for a stunning evening shoe. Or seek vintage inspiration with a classic sandal design finished off with a bow – a design made for the kitten heel. For extra evening glamour try designing with a flower or beautiful jewelled crystal.

For even more comfort with added style, look out for the launch of the Upper Street ballet flat …coming soon!

Upper Street shoes come in a huge range of sizes from the petite 33 (UK 1.5) to the generous 43 (UK 10) with 4 width fittings. We also offer free alterations to fit and we’re so confident that you’ll love your final design that we’ll refund you if you don’t!

To book an appointment in our London Studio, email iloveshoes@upperstreet.com or call us on 0845 680 9365.

If you can’t make it the studio but still want to see our full range of luxurious materials, visit our Upper Street Swatch Store.Whether you’d like to experience the richness of our suedes, feel the silken quality of our sumptuous Italian satins or visualise our glossy patents as a shoe, you can order as many swatches as you want!

Upper Street - the made-to-order luxury shoe label where you can design your own individual shoes and have them delivered right to your door.

Autumn Winter 2011 is the time to shine and metallics shades, always a key evening trend, have now crossed over into daywear. Gold is a key evening metallic staple – embrace the 20′s American glamour as seen in ‘Boardwalk Empire’ with a gold T-bar heel. Gold metallic flowers and gems bring an Art Deco touch whilst metallic leathers, snakeskin and satin are all key fabrics. For those looking for a more subtle alternative, white gold is pure molten perfection.

For daywear, gold T-bars work beautifully with the 40′s inspired tea dresses as seen at Miu Miu and Marni. To keep the look modern, a metallic platform adds essential height and compliments the longer hemlines that are around this season. Try designing with deeper hued metallics such as bronze and copper for a day heel with a rich luxurious feel.

Gold bronze T-bar sandal, Gold round toe brogue

Return to the glamour and decadence of the 70′s with a platform sandal with contrasting bronze leather and gold snakeskin T-bar. Wear with flares or with a jumpsuit at night for a Studio 54/Halston vibe! Go back in time even further to this season’s other time-travelling trend, the 40′s and pair these gold snake and leather brogues with a pretty tea dress.

Gold bronze platform peep toe, White gold snake bow peep toe

For a versatile metallic heel to take you through the party season in style, try an asymmetrical design like this peep toe platform in bronze and pewter snake. The perfect shoe to compliment a cocktail dress or wide leg trousers and a YSL inspired Le Smoking jacket. These white gold leather peep toes have been given a touch of shimmering glamour with a contrasting metallic gold snake platform and bow – for a different feel, try designing a similar shoe with a flower, Swarovski jewel cluster or a buckle.

Gold black patent brogue, Gold snake pointed court

Metallics are too good to save for after dark alone. This season the fash pack will be bringing a little shine to their daylight hours with metallics in the form of clothing and accessories. Mix up masculine tailoring with these elegant gold leather and black patent brogues for workwear. For full on glamour dazzle in these gold snake pointed courts with a delicate ankle strap embellished with Swarovski diamante – show stopping and sexy and if you choose a lower heel option you’ll be dancing all night!

If you’re lusting after lustrous heels to bring a little shimmer to the long winter months, visit our design studio and create a pair of bespoke shoes guaranteed to bring a twinkle to your eye! Our Metallics inspiration feature and glitter laden shoe gallery will help to provide inspiration and if you’re still stuck for sparkle suggestions.

Upper Street shoes come in a huge range of sizes from the petite 33 (UK 1.5) to the generous 43 (UK 10) with 4 width fittings. We also offer free alterations to fit and we’re so confident that you’ll love your final design that we’ll refund you if you don’t!

To book an appointment in our London Studio, email iloveshoes@upperstreet.com or call us on 0845 680 9365.

If you can’t make it the studio but still want to see our full range of luxurious materials, visit our Upper Street Swatch Store.Whether you’d like to experience the richness of our suedes, feel the silken quality of our sumptuous Italian satins or visualise our glossy patents as a shoe, you can order as many swatches as you want!

Upper Street - the made-to-order luxury shoe label where you can design your own individual shoes and have them delivered right to your door.

In the second part of our AW11 Upper Street trend feature we’re welcoming in the wonderfully warming palette of Autumn Berries. Boozy burgundy tones combine with rich autumnal browns and oranges for a luxurious take on 70′s daywear.

With the 70′s once again dominating the catwalks at Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Chloe, the rich browns and burgundies of the era are a key trend for daywear – think shades of cognac, chestnut and Bordeaux.

These rich earthy tones work beautifully in sumptuous suede and materials such as kid leather and snakeskin evoke the 70′s era to perfection. When you patchwork these three together as spotted at Marc Jacobs, you have the quintessential 70′s shoe. Work the trend with a platform court or a Mary Jane or add in brogue detailing for a new twist.

Burgundy suede snake peep toe, Chocolate orange snake platform court

Burgundy and other boozy red wine hues are THE shade for both clothing and accessories this autumn. Contrast rich burgundy with a violet snake counter back and heel for a versatile shoe to take you through the day and effortlessly on to the evening. If autumn could be summed up in one shoe, we think this good enough to eat, luxe 70′s platform court in chocolate and orange snake is it – feed your footwear habit and indulge!

Leopard snake platform court, Satin snake platform court

Set your inner shoe lover free and hear her roar with a combination of classic leopard and chocolate snake, sleekly designed in a 70′s inspired platform court – perfect for work wear. If a lower height is required for the office select a 3.5″ heel with a 0.25″ platform at the checkout. Bring in the grown up, 70′s luxe factor with Italian black satin paired with autumnal orange snake for the perfect platform court to be worn with everything.

Patent tripple strap pointed court, Suede d’Orsay platform court

Every girl needs a choice and we love these berry alternatives. Sharpen your senses with a pair of berry flavoured, glossy patent pointed courts with sumptuous suede triple straps – a winter heel to fall in love with. Take autumnal inspiration from fashion stylist Katy Lassen’s platform court with a strap in a bold colour block design of chocolate, cinnamon, dark purple and burgundy suede. “My design was inspired by rich autumn colours  -chocolate, cinnamon, dark purple and burgundy. I wanted the shoes to compliment the colours in my autumn wardrobe but also create a bold colour block design that looks contemporary as well as rather retro”.

If you’re thinking of adding rich chocolate, glossy berry and spicy cinnamon shades to your autumn/winter wardrobe this season, take a look at our Autumn Berries inspiration feature and Shoe Gallery and design the perfect  autumn footwear to fall for.

Upper Street - the made-to-order luxury shoe label where you can design your own individual shoes and have them delivered right to your door.