On May 15, 2013, English television personality and former Celebrity Big Brother winner Chantelle Houghton attended the launch of her dating website at the Danubius Hotel in London, wearing a black peplum dress with a particularly bold pair of floral-print platform pumps.
Chantelle Houghton pairs a fitted black peplum dress with vivid floral Carvela platform pumps at her dating website launch in London on May 15, 2013 (Credit: Daniel Deme / WENN)
At 5’7″ (170.2 cm), Houghton already has enough height to carry a substantial heel, and her colorful Carvela pumps added several more inches while making the shoes the focal point of the otherwise dark outfit. Houghton, who wears a US size 8 shoe, once told Now magazine of her figure, “I’m 5ft 7in and a size 12. I feel great.”
Chantelle Houghton’s Carvela Garland pumps combine a floral print with gold-tone spikes and a substantial platform
Against Houghton’s mostly black outfit, the pumps immediately draw the eye. Their multicolored floral print, substantial platform, slim stiletto heel, and gold-tone spikes combine several of the statement-shoe details that were especially prominent in early-2010s footwear.
The dark dress gives the busy print a relatively simple backdrop, although the leather detailing adds another texture to an outfit already dominated by the embellished shoes.
Chantelle Houghton pairs a fitted black peplum dress with vivid floral Carvela platform pumps, adding a glossy red pedicure that echoes her matching red manicure and lipstick
Houghton’s shoes were the Carvela Garland platform pumps from Kurt Geiger’s footwear family. The design combines a multicolored floral-print upper with gold-tone spike embellishments, a concealed platform, and a high stiletto heel.
Why Floral Heels Work So Well With a Black Dress
Pairing floral or flower-detailed heels with a black dress is an easy way to introduce color and texture without making the entire outfit compete for attention. The black creates a neutral backdrop, letting an elaborate shoe become the focal point.
That contrast is especially effective with embellished footwear. A floral print, oversized fabric flower, or jeweled floral detail can soften the severity of an all-black look, while the dark dress keeps an ornate shoe from feeling overly sweet. Chantelle Houghton’s Carvela Garland pumps take the idea to its more maximalist extreme: vivid flowers, gold-tone spikes, a platform, and a stiletto heel all stand out against her fitted black dress.
Other celebrities have used the same principle with very different shoes. Katie Holmes paired a black Brandon Maxwell dress with flower-detailed Magda Butrym heels, while Paris Hilton wore embellished Betsey Johnson floral pumps with a black evening gown.
The details change, but the styling logic remains the same: when the dress is simple and dark, floral heels have room to make the statement.