D'Orsay Less

Cut the side out of a pump and the whole shoe looks lighter. You see a sliver of arch, the toe gets longer, and a plain pair of black trousers suddenly has a point of view.

It is also kinder than it looks. With less leather wrapping the foot there is less to rub, which is why a d'orsay is often the pump people actually keep wearing past lunch.

Below are three heights: low and easy, tall and sharp, and completely flat.

This is where I would start. A kitten or short block heel with the side scooped out reads polished at a desk and still walks to the train.

The scalloped black kitten heel and the gold woven pair are the two I keep coming back to, and the velvet one with the jewelled toe does dinner without trying.

My fitting room test: walk on a hard floor and watch the heel cup. If it lifts away from your heel on every step, the shoe is too long.

I would skip a half d'orsay that only opens on one side if you have a narrow heel, since there is less to hold you in.

The tall version is the most dramatic shoe in this edit. Burgundy velvet, oxblood patent and a dark chocolate suede all feel right for this time of year, and a black suede pair goes with everything you own.

The cutaway makes a high heel look less severe, so these sit just as well under wide jeans as they do with a slip skirt.

The tell: press the topline where the side dips. A good pair has a firm, slightly stiffened edge; a soft one will gape the second you stand.

Pass on: heels above your usual height in this cut. With the side open your foot slides forward more than in a closed pump.

Flats in this shape are the quiet hero. The open side stops a pointed flat from looking like a slipper, and the line of the foot stays long.

A leopard pair, a black leather pair with a soft almond toe and a navy one with a single strap cover most of what you need.

Try this on first: stand on your toes. If the back slips off, size down or look for one with a strap.

Leave it if the sole is paper thin. You will feel every crack in the pavement by the second day.

Wide trousers that just graze the shoe, ankle length jeans, or a midi skirt with bare legs or sheer black tights. Let the cut out side show; that is the whole point.