Gold heels work beyond a wedding once the finish gets treated like a warm neutral instead of a special-occasion signal. Gold sits easily with denim, black, cream or a print, and the heel shape decides how formal a pair feels more than the color does. A simple strappy sandal, like the Steve Madden Annie, the Tory Burch Pierced Strappy Heel Sandal or the Loeffler Randall Dixie kitten heel, reads light with a plain trouser or a slip dress. Something with more architecture, like the Dolce Vita Fatima platform, the Sam Edelman Junie with its sculpted heel or the SIMKHAI Stacey block heel, carries more visual weight even in the same tone. The Reformation Nash is the one I would reach for with denim. Wear gold heels the way you would wear a good tan leather one, and the occasion stops mattering.

Height and base shape matter as much as color once you own more than one pair of gold heels. A thin stiletto changes your posture and the way a hem falls, while a block or sculpted heel gives the foot a steadier foundation. The wrap styles from Retrofete and Alameda Turquesa finish the look at the ankle, so keep the hem cropped or let it brush the strap. The Loeffler Randall Camellia, with its pleated bow, is the dressiest of the group and the one I would save for a night out. For a steadier base, the metallic wedges and platforms in this grid keep the gold without the strain of a thin stiletto. Try any of these with the hem you actually plan to wear, since a heel that pulls your weight forward makes the whole outfit feel less comfortable.

I like gold heels most when they are allowed to be ordinary. A metallic sandal with jeans, a mule like the Black Suede Studio Marci or the STAUD Bea with a dark trouser, or a warm gold heel with a simple dress can all make sense without announcing an event. The finish already catches light, so the rest of the outfit does not need extra sparkle. The Sam Edelman Bianka slingback and the Gianvito Rossi metal pump are the two I would wear on the nights that do call for a little more. Choose the heel you can walk in for the length of the evening, because heel height, toe shape and hemline should support one another. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together What to Wear to a Wedding in Italy and Van Cleef Bracelet.