Heels are the obvious place for this. Neous' Moriah and Gabriela Hearst's Edwina keep it in suede where the colour goes deepest, and Amina Muaddi's Holli Sling and the Victoria Beckham Angle d'Orsay take it into satin. Khaite's Marlene in calf hair is the textural outlier.

The Amina Muaddi Holli Sling at 70mm keeps the heel manageable and the strap secure. The Victoria Beckham Angle d'Orsay cuts away at the arch, which is why it reads formal.

The Gianvito Rossi velvet pump holds colour deeper than leather does. The Gucci Boulevard adds the horsebit across the toe, so the shoe stays recognisable at a distance.

The Gabriela Hearst Edwina 75 is the plainer shape and the easier height. The Khaite Marlene in calf hair has a surface that shifts as the light moves across it.

Boots make it wearable in daylight. Aquazzura's Martine, Gabriela Hearst's Luke and Jennifer Chamandi's Brando are all suede ankle boots in the burgundy to plum range, and Manolo Blahnik's Calassohi and Khaite's Colt go to the knee. Reformation's Gillian is the plainest version here.

The Aquazzura Martine at 110mm is the tallest here, though a platform takes some of that back. The Gabriela Hearst Luke 90 is the steadier one for a full evening.

The Jennifer Chamandi Brando keeps the heel at 20mm, which makes it the daytime option. The Manolo Blahnik Calassohi runs to the knee in suede and wants a skirt above it.

The Saint Laurent Jill in patent throws more light than suede ever will. The Khaite Colt takes the same shine to the knee, which works best with plain clothes above it.

Satin and velvet are the evening half. Le Monde Beryl's Petra and the Gianvito Rossi velvet sandals hold colour differently to leather, catching light at the toe and going dark everywhere else. Roger Vivier, Staud and Saint Laurent add crystal, which is the point at which this stops being a daytime shoe.

The Jimmy Choo Brigitte at 100mm is the dressier of the pair. The Manolo Blahnik Maysale keeps its buckle and drops to 50mm, which you can wear to dinner and back.

The Gianvito Rossi 35 velvet sandal is nearly flat and still reads as evening. The Alaia Le Coeur 55 is the rounded, softer shape of the two.

The Roger Vivier Trompette puts crystals at the buckle and leaves the rest plain. The Saint Laurent Cosmo 95 covers more of the shoe, so it becomes the whole outfit.

If you take one thing away, it is that a jewel tone shoe is easier to wear than a black one when the outfit already has colour in it. Black cuts a look in half. Burgundy against navy, or emerald against brown, keeps the eye moving instead. Suede is the finish to buy if you want these worn regularly, since it reads rich in flat light where satin can look flat. Save the velvet and crystal pairs for evening and accept they will not survive a wet pavement. The ankle boots in the middle group are the ones that justify themselves fastest, because they go with trousers you already own and nobody has to know you were making a colour decision.