How to Decorate a Table With a Theme of Shoes and Purses

Shoe Boot Cutlery Holders

• Similar to but shorter than ankle boots, shoe boots are just the right size to use as spoon, fork and butter-knife holders. Fill a clean, attractive sock with cutlery, handle-end down. Tuck the sock into the shoe. Unzip a shoe boot, and use the zipper's V-design to hold napkins upright. Other go-to shoes for these uses include flats and pointy-toe pumps.

Bags of Buns, Chips and Veggies

• As long as it's big and opens wide, any bag, from a satchel to a tote to a hobo bag, makes a creative serving dish. Place a clean bowl inside the bag, and then fill the bowl with your favorite bread product -- croissants, ciabatta rolls or English muffins, for example. Use another bowl-in-bag server for salad, one for chopped veggies and one for chips. Even a punch bowl might fit in a large bag. Small or medium-sized, bowl-lined purses -- clutches, swagger bags, canteen bags -- make ideal dip servers or gravy boats.

Center of Attention

• The centerpiece is the belle of the table, so save the best purse for the flower arrangement, as long as a vase fits inside. Color-coordinate the setting by choosing party-palette posies. If red purses and pumps dominate the theme, flower options include red roses, red gerbera or red dahlia and white lilies for contrast. Use a white tablecloth to make dark or brightly colored accents jump or a bright or dark tablecloth to accent mainly light-colored shoes and bags.

The Extras

• Shoe-shaped place cards, sparkly cupcakes and bow- or buckle-wrapped napkins all have a place at a shoe-and-purse-themed party table. Hang handbags overhead like pinatas or balloons, and drape them with twinkle lights and garland. Dress glasses with shoe stickers, and serve beggar's-purse appetizers to play on the theme.