Black Tie Event - Shoe Advice Needed

[CMcG]

I think the point is that in the case of formal footwear, form follows function. We don't just wear a particular type of dress shoe because we always have, but because for ballroom dances (and I don't just mean 'ballroom dancing' - I'm including such things as Scottish set dances, since we are talking about kilts as well here) a light, thin-soled shoe gives optimum performance.

Ergo, for a formal event where there will not be dancing or for people who don't dance, then light, thin-soled shoes are not the only option?