MissusSmartyPants Personal Profile Style ArticleVolume 7 Week 44 November 1, 2012

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How to Match Shoes to Your Outfit

WHAT you wear on your feet can totally transform the rest of your look. The right shoe can elongate and slim your legs, dress your up or down your style, make you flirty, business-like, and basically make or break your look. Yes, shoes do matter because they are an important ‘completer’ piece to everything you wear.

Nordstrom Cole Haan 'Cassidy' Bootie

Let’s examine the various shoe styles and what you should wear them with...

Stilettos.

Stilettos are the ultimate in sexy shoes -- they make your legs look amazing. Wear these shoes with pencil skirts or slim-cut pants. Avoid wearing stilettos with mini skirts...the two together is just too ‘hoochy-mama’. There is a fine line between sexy and trashy, and mini skirts are too much (or should I say too little) to be paired with a stiletto shoe!

Stilettos are a ‘no’ for many women for any length of time or completely out of the question due to the fact that they aren’t very comfortable...but should you want and be able to wear them, here’s how...

Wear a stiletto with either a slim-cut pant or pencil skirt...

Here is a stiletto pump that is fairly practical and quite stylish too!

Nordstrom Michael Kors 'Pressley' Cap Toe Pump

Boots.

No wardrobe is complete without a great pair of knee-high boots! Equestrian-styled (flat to lower heeled) boots look great over skinny jeans. Heeled boots make any average knee-length skirt into a fashion statement, plus you can wear them under your bootleg jeans for a completely different look. Even cowboy boots give off a on-trend vibe when paired with a cute sundress worn into fall w/ a denim jacket.

It’s okay (in fact, it looks better) to have some space between your hemline and boot...

An easy way to get a stylish look with your boots (or booties) is to MATCH

the boot color with your pant (or skirt/dress hemline)... Works every time!

Here is a versatile equestrian boot style...it can be worn with skinny, straight-cut pants, casual dresses and skirts...

Nordstrom Sam Edelman 'Penny' Boot

Me Too 'Marley' Stretch-calf Dress Boots

Got wide calves? No problem! Try this boot listed above because the back of the calf has a stretch panel hidden in it!

If you are willing to invest in a good pair of boots, try the Bennett Boots website. It offers top quality boots for ladies with larger calves. No longer do you have to settle for a boot of inferior quality or something that just happens to zip-up! These boots below are from Bennett Boots Company and are investment boots you will have for years to come!

(For other wide calf boot alternatives ‘google’ wide calf boots) Also check quality department stores because some stores do carry a limited selection of wide-calf boots; like Nordstrom for example.

Jude Black Wide Calf Boots (also avail. in brown)

Booties.

Booties have stayed on the style scene longer than most of us in the fashion world predicted. They have morphed into something that can be worn (like it or not) with everything! There are boot-booties and peep-toe booties styles for wearing with opaque tights (or without...brrr!) for fall and winter.

From short dresses and skirts (bare legs and all) to maxi skirts and skinny jeans and denims. You could (if you so desired) wear your SHORTS with your booties and be considered totally on-trend! As you can see from the images below, you can wear booties with anything you would like. (Word of caution...booties will make you look shorter because of the visual line created right at the ankle)

Booties are most often worn with a skinny or slim pant

and then balanced out with a full-cut top or sweater...

This bootie below can be worn with any pant or with a skirt or dress when worn with brown opaque tights...

Biala 'Cadence' Ruched Bootie 2 1/2 " heel

Flats.

This is a shoe classic that never goes out of style! Flats lend a trendy yet ladylike touch to an outfit. Flat shoes are generally more casual than they are dressy.

Wear with casual skirts and dresses at or above the knee, wear also with capris or Bermuda shorts for a feminine look. Avoid wearing flats with long skirts (too dowdy) and tread carefully when deciding to wear flats with a skinny jeans (the combination will emphasize your lower body). Flats are best with a straight-cut pant vs. a skinny one!

Don’t be boring in black! Add some fun to anything you wear with RED FLATS!

Nordstrom Me Too 'Kailani' Flat (special purchase avail. sizes 4-13)

A casual denim (slightly above the knee) skirt matches up well with a flat shoe...

Nordstrom Same Edelman 'Alvin' Flat

Flat oxfords are a stylish choice this fall...

Kitten heels.

The kitten heel is a ‘go-to’ shoe style for just about every occasion. This practical alternative to the pump works with both office attire and evening-wear, as well as semi-casual outfits. These lower heels are much more comfortable and practical to wear.

You can wear a kitten heel (1-3” heel) for any occasion with either dresses and skirts or any style of pant and jeans...

These cute kitten heels will look equally fabulous with dark denims or

black opaque tights and a skirt!

Nordstrom BP. 'Penni' Pump (5-11)

Shoes by season.

The season (weather) should dictate what type of shoe is appropriate for your outfit. Sounds like common sense, but I’m sure you’ve seen photos of celebrities running around in short-shorts and Ugg boots!

Winter calls for boots, wider heels (to avoid slipping), loafers, oxfords and flats. Summer is the season to break out your sandals and espadrilles. Spring (and Fall) seasons allow you to pair some of your winter shoes and summer items together as you transition into each season.

This summery dress morphs into fall with the addition of a jacket, tights and boots...

Stylish comfort, is it possible? Yes it is possible and really hard to find...but it CAN happen! Prepare yourself for a lot of looking, trying on, lots of disappointment and an occasion rare find of a fabulously comfortable (and cute) shoe!

Check these “cute and comfy” shoes!

Sofft Festival Pump

Born Marlana Mid-heel Pump

Simply Soles Billie in Spice

Wear this COLOR of shoe with:

• Black shoes: nearly anything except soft pastels and some earth tones work well with black -- however, IF black is repeated elsewhere in the outfit, black shoes can be an awesome choice.

• Brown shoes: shades of tan, brown, beige, orange, greens, and darker earth tones.

• Tan/Light Brown shoes: lighter earth tones, blue, beige, lighter tan or white.

• Cream/Taupe shoes: whites, light neutrals, and pastels.

• White shoes: light neutrals, brights, and pastels.

• Silver shoes: pastels, as well as with white, black, blues and purples.

• Gray shoes: blacks, blues, grays, reds, as well as some purples and yellows.

• Gold shoes: greens, reds, browns, and they usually look good with black and white as well.

Boots are versatile fall footwear you will want to wear often...

Naturalizer 'Etton' Tall Boot (regular and wide calf sizes)

In the end, what you slip on your feet is all up to YOU! There are no longer “style rules” that require a woman to match her shoes with her handbag anymore. Your choice of shoe (and shoe color) depends upon what you think looks the best and what works for your daily needs.

Keep these tips in mind when choosing a shoe to wear...

__Nude pumps with bare legs elongate and slim your gams.

__If you are wearing tights, wear a shoe of the same color for a similar effect.

__Skinny heels are slimming, but can look disproportional on thicker legs; choose a more substantial heel if you have a thicker stature.

__A leather pump is not appropriate to wear with an evening gown -- choose satin, silk or velvet instead.

__Leather and canvas shoes are good for both office attire and jeans alike.

__Pair busy shoes with simple outfits and busy outfits should be paired with a simple shoe.

__Colorful shoes are a great way to bring color to your wardrobe. You can wear shoes in colors that you wouldn't dream of wearing near your face.

__Think about the weather and the occasion you are dressing for that day (is it a day of walking around town or a dressy/business occasion)

__Feeling bold? Wear all black and add a BRIGHT COLORED SHOE!

Love, Leslie MSP

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