In 1996, in London, a shoemaker and a magazine editor started a shoe label. Jimmy Choo had been making bespoke, hand-made shoes in an East London studio since the 1980s, and he co-founded J. Choo Limited with Tamara Yeardye, now Mellon, formerly Vogue's accessories editor. The first boutique opened on Motcomb Street.

Sandra Choi, his niece by marriage, joined as a founding director and has overseen the design of the collections since the start. The brand calls the pearl a house code, and Vogue has said the label's pearl-encrusted slides are "the ultimate finishing act to your wedding day." That is the feeling this edit chases. Think of it as a Jimmy Choo heels dupe edit in plain terms: pieces from other labels that share the pearl trim, the crystal strap and the satin point, with their own names and their own shapes. Maybe you want a color the original does not make, or the sparkle without a label on it.

Start with the pearls, since October parties and weddings are where they live. The Kamra is a white satin pointed slingback with a pearl-beaded strap, and it is the one I would put under a slip dress. The Nolah goes the other way: a white block-heel mule with faux pearl straps, easier to walk in and happy with straight jeans. The Georgie is a cream pointed kitten-heel mule studded with pearls and crystals, a good match for a wool coat. For evening, the Dame in black satin has a pearl-chain ankle strap and a crystal ornament at the toe, and Kurt Geiger's Chelsea covers a black block-heel slingback in tiny crystals.

Before you commit, run a thumb across the trim. Pearls should sit evenly, with no gaps and no rough edges near the strap, and the strap should lie flat against the ankle bone.

Pointed satin carries sparkle better than almost any other base, because the sheen gives the stones something to bounce off. The black satin pumps in this group are the clearest example: Badgley Mischka's Cher has a crystal brooch crowning the toe, while the Banee II is covered in tonal crystals so the shine reads as texture rather than decoration.

For a lighter touch, the Jacey from Aerosoles puts a crystal-embellished knot on the vamp of a satin pump, and the Steve Madden Baylin ties a rhinestone bow onto a black satin stiletto. The Frenchie in bordeaux satin is my pick if black feels too expected for a holiday dinner, and the nude Barlow scatters rhinestone studs so the effect stays quiet under trousers.

Harper's Bazaar tells readers to "look for buckles, brooches or crystal detailing to make toes twinkle," and that is a useful checklist. Hold a pair up to a window. Stones should be set firmly, the same height across the toe, with the satin pulled smooth and no puckering at the seam where the upper meets the sole. If you can see glue at the edge of a stone, put the pair back.

Wear them with a black column dress and bare legs, or with a velvet blazer and slim trousers. What I would skip: heavily studded pairs if your dress already has beading, since the two will compete.

Harper's Bazaar describes satin shoes as "soft and lustrous," balancing "the hard edges of structured denim or sharp tailoring." That is the case for a plain satin pump with no stones at all: it does the quiet version of the same job.

The colors here are the fun part. The Rosalie is azure blue satin with a soft bow at the back, the Morrie is a dark cherry techno satin with a slender ankle strap, and the Marseille is ivory with a bow and a wrapped heel. The Nureen and the Carey stay in black, one with a sculptural heel and one with a flared heel, which makes them the easiest to wear on a Tuesday. The Tiff adds an asymmetric bow on a pin heel, and the Rosie wraps satin ties around the ankle, a nice detail with a skirt.

Check the toe box first. A pointed toe on satin should hold its shape without creasing across the vamp, so press lightly on the tip. Then check the lining at the heel, because satin can slip, and a pair that grips at the back will stay put through a long dinner. Bazaar also reminds us that the real question is whether you can "walk in these shoes for eight-hour days," so look at heel height before color.

Pair satin with a pencil skirt and a button-down, as the magazine suggests, or with a t-shirt and an A-line skirt for brunch. What I would skip: bright satin with a printed dress. Let the shoe be the one loud thing.

Harper's Bazaar advises you to "highlight the ankle with elegant bejewelled straps," and names Jimmy Choo as the label that does the strongest options. This group is for anyone who loves that line across the ankle. The shared detail is simple: a slender strap with stones on it.

The Jaycin is a silver stiletto sandal with a swooping crystal strap and a clear sole. AQUA's Naya is a black stiletto with crystal-dotted mesh straps, and the Agnus is a silver block-heel sandal with a crystal mesh toe strap, my choice if stilettos are out of the question. The Blake has a crystal-embellished ankle strap on dark satin, the Bowie sets a crystal strap across a cream slingback sandal, and the black slingback from Mango has crystal straps over an angular square toe. The Langley is covered in faceted crystals on a block heel.

The test is the strap. Fasten it and walk the length of a room. It should not slide down the heel or dig in at the ankle bone, and the buckle should sit flat. Stones on a strap take more abuse than stones on a toe, so I would look for a snug setting, with each one held in a small cup of metal.

With a slip skirt and a sweater, a crystal strap is the only sparkle you need in October. What I would skip: a crystal sandal with crystal earrings and a beaded bag. Choose one place for the shine.

Glitter is the loudest shortcut to a party shoe, and it works when the shape underneath is a classic. The Royale in pink ombre glitter keeps a plain pointy-toe stiletto and lets the color shift do the talking. The Nobble in silver adds an oversized bow, and the Hendora is a gold glitter square-toe sandal on a platform with an ankle strap.

If you want it softer, the Go-To Jocelyn is black glitter mesh on a low kitten heel, a good match for black trousers. The Baylor is a silver strappy sandal with a buckle strap, and Michael Kors's Serena is a shimmery gold woven sandal with crossed ankle straps on a block heel. Philipp Plein's silver stiletto uses a glitter leather upper, and Sandro's New Faye is a black strappy sandal with glitter only on the block heel, which is the most wearable idea of the group.

What to check: run your hand over the surface. Fine glitter that is sealed under a coat feels smooth, and loose flakes mean the shoe will shed onto your hem by the second dance. Look at the edges of the upper too, where glitter tends to rub away first. Bazaar's advice that embellished shoes are the easiest way to "dress up an outfit" is true, as long as you do not wear glitter in the daytime.

Wear them with a black dress, a velvet blazer or a long satin skirt. What I would skip: glitter with metallic tights. They fight each other.

Begin with the occasion. For a wedding or a dinner, I would go with the pearl pumps or the satin point. For a night of dancing, a low block heel or kitten heel with a crystal strap wins, and glitter belongs at the end of the list.

Then do the handling checks: set stones, flat straps, smooth satin, no glue at the edges. A good pair should look finished from every angle, including the back of the heel.

It all started in 1996 with one shoemaker and one editor, and the best pair in this edit would not look out of place on a Motcomb Street shelf. A good Jimmy Choo heels dupe stays modest about itself. It simply has the pearl, the point and the shine.