Four ways to wear bright shoes
May 1st, 2008We’ve been saturated with colourful footwear choices this season and it’s a breath of fresh air. Pink, blue, green, yellow, red, purple, orange, turquoise and lime. Name the colour and you’ll find the shoe. So how do you integrate bright shoes into an ensemble?
- Pick up a colour in a top with your shoes. This is the obvious way of wearing bright shoes and my least favourite because it’s predictable. I personally prefer to mix it up. But matching in this way continues to make a stylish statement, so don’t feel obliged to mis-match if it’s not your style.
- Match bright shoes with the same colour handbag. This rule is flop proof because a matched shoe and handbag pulls an outfit together. Some stylists feel that this type of matching is passé but I believe it works, as long as you don’t try to match anything else of the same colour in the outfit. “Matchy-matchy” ensembles are not stylish.
- Wear bright shoes with a neutral ensemble. You don’t need to match shoes with your handbag or pick up another colour in your ensemble. Bright shoes make a statement on their own. They pack extra punch if you’re wearing neutrals like black, brown, white, cream, grey, tan or navy.
- Wear several brights of the same intensity. I’d limit an outfit to 3 brights at a time. A pair of jeans worn with an emerald tunic and cobalt blue handbag works with a pair of yellow shoes, if the brights are of the same intensity. Throw in a pair of baby pink shoes and you’ve lost the harmony.
Multi-coloured bright shoes complicate matters so stick to a single toned bright shoe. Red shoes are a particularly good choice because they’re bright, but operate like a neutral. And I’m beginning to have the same opinion about yellow.
The first example is matching the shoes with the bag, which pulls together an outfit with multiple brights. The other examples show a purposeful mismatch, where the brights make a statement of their own. This topic originated as a question on the forum. Go there for more discussion on integrating brights.
May 1st, 2008 at 7:39 am
I recently bought a pair of bright yellow sneakers that I have been working into my wardrobe of neutrals. It’s been fun and surprisingly interesting! I also bought a yellow cardigan that I thought would work but I do feel very matchy-matchy when I put the two together. So I am sticking with the yellow-shoes-neutral-outfit formula as the current favorite. I have also tried the yellow-shoes-OTHER-bright idea and that seems to be doable. For example yellow-shoes-turquoise-tunic-rest-neutral.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:04 am
I just purchased a fabulous pair of bright yellow, patent ballet flats and I’m having a great time incorporating them into my neutral spring wardrobe. Bright shoes are a fun way to instantly update an outfit and bridge the seasonal gap. So fun!
May 1st, 2008 at 8:11 am
I love love love that first pair of shoes, not that I could ever walk in them but the color is the greatest thing ever. I would love some fuschia shoes to wear with my yellow bag but finding shoes that fit is a tall enough order without adding color into the equation!
May 1st, 2008 at 9:02 am
I am following this formula right now! I am wearing a denim pencil skirt, cobalt blue cardigan over a white tank and my new AK yellow flats. The shoes really make the outfit a lot of fun. I may post it later in the forums.
Thanks for the other suggestions on how to work this into outfits, I am definitely planning on doing this more often.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I am planning on getting a couple of new pairs of shoes, including bright yellow and hot pink, and have been wondering about this. Great advice! I’ll probably apply options #3 and #4 the most. I won’t do #2 at all since I won’t have the matching bags. As for #1, this is the one I’ve been wondering about the most. I might just do a “light” version of it, instead of wearing the whole top in the same color ad the shoes, I might go for some printed item-t op, scarf etc. on which only one of the colors of the print will match the shoes. I feel it would be less obvious that way.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:44 pm
I’m so glad that you brought this topic up! This past season, I bought a pair of the MOST gorgeous BRIGHT YELLOW patent pumps (exactly like the ones in the first picture above, but without the T-strap). Because I’m in marketing and work in a more conservative office environment, I’ve been wearing these perfect pumps with ALL BLACK outfits. I find that they’re most dramatic that way, and I really like the way they pop! I get a lot of compliments on them. I also wear my red patent pumps in the same way (with all black outfits) so that they pop as well!
May 1st, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Yellow shoes are an absolute no brainer. I bought my first pair of yellow heels three years ago and they are still a favourite. Yellow goes with everything. I’m thrilled to hear that you’ve seen the sunshine.
It sounds like you’ve got your bright shoe strategy down Ana, Tanya , Marlene, PC and Theresa. Well done and lets see the pictures!
May 1st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I bought fuchsia ballerina flats this summer…fun…
I also love popping headbands–I have a red and a yellow headband–I love pairing them with my blacks, whites, and grays.
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:42 am
I have to admit, the idea of wearing a shoe that doesn’t match anything else in the outfit scares me for some reason
But since you’ve started talking about this, I have been looking at yellow shoes and bags when I’m out an about in stores. I’ll probably break down sooner or later and try the “matching shoe and bag” formula. That’s probably a good way to “ease” me into it!
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:25 am
Great topic! I’ve been wondering about this too. Most of my shoes are neutrals, because I love to wear a variety of colors in my clothes. It’s good to know I can do both, because I’ve been longing for red patent shoes for months. Now I have an idea for an outfit; I just have to go shopping first. Thanks Angie.
May 4th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I love love LOVE bright-colored shoes! Great article, I will have to try out that formula. Thanks!
May 5th, 2008 at 8:08 am
“Matching” a variety of colours that are all the same intensity is my favourite style trick. I haven’t done it so much with shoes, because most of my shoes are neutrals, but I’m hoping to bring that in.
May 6th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
The yellow accessories this season are just so cool. I got a yellow beaded bracelet Monday. Target has a nice pair of yellow sandals that I am going to pick up also.