Accessorising a fifties-style dress.

[CardiCorgi]

Help, I'm newish here, so please be gentle with me.
I have blown the budget on a fifties-style dress to be worn to a wedding and a couple of parties. What would be appropriate for footwear and bag? I don't want it to look like I am in fancy dress. The dress is cream and green and has a matching green jacket (no link available, sorry). I had thought of ballet flats, but black would be a bit of a harsh contrast and green possibly a bit matchy-matchy. Another option is a pair of lowish cream and beige sandals that I bought last year. Any ideas, I'm useless at this.

I think you definitely want a heel rather than flats. I would say a medium rather than sky scraper. Would nude shoes go, in either patent or satin? its difficult to say without seeing the dress, can you upload a picture to your profile?

I would say nude heels too, but I agree it's hard to say without seeing the dress in question...

nude or beige

I wear a lot of 50s clothing: both vintage and modern versions. Your dress sounds gorgeous. I would be tempted to either go for gold sandals with a heel. I don't do nude shoes as a rule as tbh I think they have been overdone and a big WAG-ish.

Bag: Go for a clutch in either the same green as the dress or gold. If you keep it vintage-inspired (or the real-deal if you can) it won't look like fancy dress. It will look chic :) I have a gorgeous clutch from Accessorize which everyone always assumes is either 30s or 50s vintage so they are a good place to start on the High Street.

sorry - forgot to put in the alternative to gold sandals would be tan leather but a nice fine strappy pair - nothing clompy.

I'm guessing by the phrase "blown your budget" that these may be too pricey for you but as an inspiration for other styles to look for, something like these would be nice www.amazon.co.uk/Miss-Fire-Womens-Lemon-Wedge/dp/B004GGT30M/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1305707466&sr=8-11

Cheaper...www.aldoshoes.com/uk/women/sandals/wedges/79013305-virtue/36&flagid=wespadrilles

Sweet bag... www.aldoshoes.com/uk/handbags/clutches/product/83432668-araucaria/34

There are lots of peep toe espadrille wedges on the high street that look nice and summery with a 50s dress. Alternatively you can look for leather peep toe stillettoes or mules with a wedge or heel.

If you go on ebay and do a search for 50s bag you can find something really cute. Some of the rafia bags are lovely.

Bugger! I forgot to tick the "Convert links" box...

www.amazon.co.uk/Miss-Fire-Womens-Lemon-Wedge/dp/B004GGT30M/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1305707466&sr=8-11

www.aldoshoes.com/uk/women/sandals/wedges/79013305-virtue/36&flagid=wespadrilles

Sweet bag... www.aldoshoes.com/uk/handbags/clutches/product/83432668-araucaria/34

These shoes are rather nice

Great tips, thank you. I like the sound of a soft gold so will have a look around. Skyscraper heels won't work as I can't walk in them.
If I have managed it properly there should be a photo of a similar dress on my profile.

And red lippy. Very important for the fifties look.

Wow that's beautiful and am very

Definitely go for soft gold.

Bag ideas:

printed

almost identical to a vintage original 50s one I own

sparkly but understated

listed as "mink" but looks neutral enough to work

and some ideas for shoes:

wrong colour but a good style for the dress

kitten heel

Thank you! Dress and jacket are hanging up at home and I even found a matching nail varnish (for toes, I'm not going out with poison green fingers).
Any opinions on these shoes ? 10cm seems rather high, but I've found a cheap pair of gold ballet flats that I can stick in DD's nappy bag if my feet hurt too much.

That dress is stunning!!!

Pretty shoes. I'd say more 40s than 50s but they will still look nice with the dress.