Q I'm a very tall girl and wear mostly flats, or low-heeled shoes. But are they acceptable for formal dos?

A Of course they are. French First Lady Carla Bruni has got so much flak for keeping her feet close to the ground, but if the shoe fits and goes with whatever you wear, there's no reason to totter around in heels.

Flatties can still be sophisticated, as seen at this season's Chanel haute couture show at the Grand Palais in Paris. There, the more ornate ballet flats - they were two-toned, lacquered or embroidered - were paired with sculpted and pleated dresses and skirts.

Think poised, not casual. The key is not to go bare-legged and stick to translucent stockings (nude, cream or black are always safe bets) for a polished finish.

And don't just look at ballet flats but also at low-heeled styles such as the flat pump, which is essentially a court shoe with a one-inch heel.

One place to check out gorgeous flats is multi-label shoe boutique On Pedder (02-12P/Q Ngee Ann City), which stocks brands like Marc Jacobs and Repetto. Expect to shell out $400 or more for them.

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times on May 8, 2008.