Hermes Oasis Sandal Women High Heel Sandal in Suede Goatskin Rose Antique H221257Z RA350

Suede in pale pink sounds like a risk until you feel how dense this goatskin is: a short, close nap rather than the fluffy kind, which means it holds its colour and does not mark at the first touch. Against a tan it looks warmer; against pale skin it stays cool, which is unusual for pink.

The rose antique tone is muted, closer to an old ballet shoe than to candy, and the straight-cut edges let the suede finish cleanly instead of fraying visually. Antique pink runs through edge, heel and lining, all above a natural leather sole. Two-inch heel with a 1.8-inch front difference, EU 36 to 41, reference H221257Z RA350. The two-inch heel and muted pink suit a lunch that runs into dinner. The nap is dense enough that a fingernail leaves no trace.

I wear these with white, with grey and with the darker end of denim, and they are the pair I take to daytime weddings where a flat feels underdressed. With a grey suit they add colour without childishness. In early autumn they work with bare legs and a knitted skirt. They photograph beautifully in black and white, too.

Caveat, and it is a real one: suede and rain do not negotiate. One shower can leave watermarks that only a specialist brush will lift. On a doubtful forecast, this is not the pair to reach for. A suede brush and a protector spray are the two things to buy alongside them.