The Best Shoes on The 2024 Emmy's Red Carpet, From Stilettos to Sandals

The stars stepped out in style.

The A-list attendees on the 2024 Emmy's red carpet were exceptionally well-heeled this year. While we love every inch of red carpet looks during awards season, shoes — whether they're sky-high stiletto heels or the strappiest of sandals — have a grossly underestimated ability to make or break an outfit. Alongside aesthetics, red carpet footwear choices serve a powerful logistical purpose. They can add just the right number of inches to show off the train of a gown like Taraji P. Henson's metallic Alexandre Birman sandals, make a full-skirted hemline hang just so, or blend beautifully into a pattern or print like Jenna Ortega's pearly pumps. Seriously, designer shoes are the fashion MVPs of awards season as the ultra-glam pairs ahead prove.

Jessica Williams in Betsey Johnson

We love a shoe that serves up synchronicity which is exactly what Jessica William's playful Betsey Johnson pumps brought to her 2024 Emmys look. The rhinestone bows on each toe echoed and expanded on the black and white romance of her Rodarte gown.

Ru Paul

An over-the-top look doesn't always call for over-the-top shoes. In fact, Ru Paul's dazzling sequin suit was infinitely elevated by a pair of ultra high-shine ankle boots.

Taraji P. Henson in Alexandre Birman

On the other side of the fashionable footwear spectrum, you've got shoes that enhance a look with opposition. Taraji P. Henson's lushly plum Versace gown contrasted beautifully with her luminous bronze Alexandre Birman strappy sandals.

Keri Russel

It's easy to forget that sleek stiletto heels got their name from a blade — that is until you're reminded by a pair of ultra-sharp stilettos like the velvety slingbacks Keri Russel paired with a voluminous Alexandre Vauthier gown.

Jenna Ortega in Dior Couture

It takes a special shoe to match a gown without being overwhelmingly matchy-matchy, but Jenna Ortega's Dior pumps were a garden of earthly delights — minus overtly evident florals. They blended beautifully with her idyllic midi dress and served up just the right amount of sparkle.

Simona Tabasco

It takes a stellar stylist to figure out what shade to pull from a multi-colored gown and apply to accompanying shoes, but Simona Tabasco's stylist knows what's what. Her prettily pink Mary Jane pumps were the perfect shade to highlight and heighten the colors at play in her elaborate Marni gown.

Quinta Brunson in Jimmy Choo

We love a nude pump. Period. While Quinta Brunson's Balmain gown delivered lots of vibrant color, her nude Jimmy Choo pumps delivered polish courtesy of a delightfully well-matched skin tone true nude.

Maria Bello

Black and white dressing is definitely a red carpet trend to watch in 2024 and Maria Bello nailed it by injecting just a bit of black into her Georges Hobeika Emmys look courtesy of a sleek clutch and platform peep-toe heels.

Selena Gomez in Rene Caovilla

Elevating textures is another task that often falls to footwear as Selena Gomez's stunning Rene Caovilla heels beautifully illustrate. While her Oscar de la Renta dress was all sheerness and sparkle, her Cleo Velvet Intense Red Sandals added a sumptuous softness to her look.

Jasmin Savoy Brown in Jimmy Choo

Rhinestones can be tricky on red carpet footwear, but they can also add a glinting edge to a look especially when they play as nicely with the other accessories involved. Case in point: Jasmin Savoy Brown's platform Jimmy Choo strappy sandals.

Aubrey Plaza

Aubrey Plaza's Loewe gown was a soft, buttery shade of creamy yellow, but her platform peep-toe sandals were pure gold. In fact, they were the perfect match for the razor-sharp accessory on the front of her gown.

For more InStyle news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on InStyle.