White shoes are tough. Not only do they get dirty quickly, but they rarely look expensive (even when they most definitely are) and usually conjure images of tragically colored pantyhose or naughty nurse costumes. Which of those is worse depends on your perspective, but neither is an objectively positive fashion reference, and as a result, most brands and customers avoid white footwear.

Valentino does a generally excellent job taking the pale and old-fashioned and making it seem new and luxurious, though, which is one reason that I can recommend the Valentino Lattice and Mesh Pumps without hesitation. So what’s the key to this design’s success?

The reason these shoes work where most white pumps fail is Valentino’s focus on breaking up the wide swaths of white with textural elements. The white leather lattice is lined with tonal mesh, and the entire thing is dotted with small gunmetal studs. This variation not only gives the eye something to do besides take in all the epic whiteness (and wonder where your naught nurse uniform is), but it also helps alleviate worries about quick staining. These shoes will get dirty, of course, but not in a way that’s as noticeable as it would be on flat white leather. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $795.