With the holiday parties I've realized I don't know how to put myself together and look 100%. So, a few questions:
This one has past, but it would still be good to know for future reference: I wore a blue outfit to a party Saturday. Navy blue slacks, medium blue button-up camp shirt. But I have no blue shoes. My choices were shiny black flats or brown slingbacks. I wound up with the brown slingbacks and graysilver dress socks, and honestly, it just didn't work. The dress socks were slightly large and looked bunchy with the dress shoes. I just kicked the shoes off as soon as I got to the party to cover it up. What would you suggest next time I wear the outfit?
Bought a blue shiny polyester skirt for dress-up. What to wear with this? Specifically hose/shoes combos?
And, my biggie: I have so many strappy shoes. Is it possible to wear strappy shoes in the winter? Can I wear hose with strappy shoes?
I'm not too sure about hose (never worn a pair in my life), but with the case of what to wear with blue? Why not go for a statement effect with a shoe? Do something like a gold, or silver fancy sandal. Red would also look nice I think. I definitely wear sandals all thru the winter, from flip flops to something more fancy, as long as the toes are looking good!
OK. Well, to start with the positive, you were right that brown shoes go better with blue than the black shoes. However, IMHO, one should NEVER wear socks with sling backs; you could get away with tights, but I personally avoid them.
My advice: if you're going to do blue, you really should invest in either blue or silver shoes (I have a navy blue dress for which it took a lot of hunting to find appropriate silver sparkly shoes). If you have a 'Bakers' shoe store nearby, they have lots of options and the shoes aren't terribly expensive. You could also do white or whatever color matches what you're wearing on top. Strappy shoes aren't so much weather dependnent as they are outfit dependent. If you're wearing a shorter, more formal dress/skirt, then go with a strappy shoe. If it's dressy casual, then a closed shoe would work better. If you're going to wear tights, I'd suggest a nude tone. Personally, I don't care for the look of tights and have not worn them for years.
I would also suggest just browsing through magazines and getting a sense of what aesthetic you prefer. Magazines make a lot of bad suggestions, so judge for yourself what seems to work and what best compliments you. Have fun at the party!
Hmmm...This uncool to wear hose thing is new to me. I don't like hose, but I thought you had to wear hose if you're wearing a skirt suit, or a skirted outfit to a working environment. What's the rule?
I have a similar issue as you that I have brown and black shoes but no blue shoes. I don't often wear blue slacks though so it isn't that big of a deal. I would agree with never wearing trouser socks with sling backs. With coloring, grey does go with both black and blue but it doesn't go with brown. Brown goes with blue more than black goes with blue but either probably would've been ok.
I avoid strappy shoes in winter but I do have high calf boots for skirts as well closed toe dress shoes for pants. I use the strappies in late spring, summer and early fall.
Aren't your shoes uncomfy? I've found that some of my shoes are just very uncomfy unless I wear some sort of hose with them. I wear pants most of the time so I can get away with socks or knee highs. But when I wear a skirt or dress, I usually have to wear something between me and my shoe.
Also, I have blinding white legs. So white that some people told me that my "hose" should be a darker color because it didn't look natural. You should have seen their faces when I informed them that I wasn't wearing hose.
I've enjoyed this thread because I'm at a loss many times as to what footwear to pair with some of my clothes. I don't think I have any brown shoes. I don't like brown. I do have black, dark dark blue, light grey as well as dark gray and charcoal. Hmmm. May have to rethink things.
I wear black shoes with blue, even navy blue, all the time. You're never going to find a pair of blue shoes that exactly match the shade of blue of your skirt/pants, and if they are off, it looks wrong. Black on the other hand, just sort of blends into the ground and looks fine. I've also read in several fashion magazines (Glamour, In Style, etc.) that black shoes with blue is fine.
I do always wear nylons, even though I know it is uncool, for the same reason that cbmare does. I have to have something between my shoe and my foot. I sweat a lot and my feet are no exception. Wearing shoes without socks or nylons is a recipe for a stink-o-rama for me. The only exception is sandals or strappy shoes. If there's very little shoe there, then I don't need socks or nylons. My rule is if I can see my toes or my heel, no nylons (I think toes visible in nylons look bad and, back to the fashion magazines, I've read that it is a no-no). If I'm wearing a closed toe sling-back, I wear a little half sock on my toes. If I can't see toes or heel, then nylons or it's going to be a smelly feet fest.
Aren't your shoes uncomfy? I've found that some of my shoes are just very uncomfy unless I wear some sort of hose with them. I wear pants most of the time so I can get away with socks or knee highs. But when I wear a skirt or dress, I usually have to wear something between me and my shoe.
Actually no.
I either wear sandals or boots with skirts. I actually don't have any closed toe shoes I wear with skirts.
With sandals, I think it is best to have nothing because your feet will grip the sandals. If you have hose, then it may be too slippery and your shoes could slip. If I wear boots, then I wear some type of thin sock under the boot but it isn't viewable above the boot.
I either wear sandals or boots with skirts. I actually don't have any closed toe shoes I wear with skirts.
With sandals, I think it is best to have nothing because your feet will grip the sandals. If you have hose, then it may be too slippery and your shoes could slip. If I wear boots, then I wear some type of thin sock under the boot but it isn't viewable above the boot.
OH!!!! I was picturing heels! I just can't wear high heels any more because of plantar faciitis. I wear low heels and can't wear those without something between me and my foot.
Dressing is my favourite dilemma. I've come from the What Not To Wear thread. My advice is to ask a friend with good taste. Someone who is always well dressed will surely have put a lot of thought into it and will have some good tips for you.
I totally agree with Goodbye Chubby (sorry I don't know your name!), wearing silver or white is great with navy and yes, wear shoes to match your top. I often match to other things I am wearing too; a dramatic necklace or my belt or scarf. I think you did great to wear brown shoes instead of black. Black is like the most boring/safe option. Once you get the hang of putting colours together, you'll never be happy with wearing black as a default. I think black makes some colours look cheap; eg black and red or cobalt. Black and navy is okay but I would co-ordinate it with something else black, like a plain black top and black beads, so that my shoes wouldn't be the only black thing I'm wearing.
Have a look at things in nature to give you ideas about putting different colours together. Autumn leaves, sunrises and sunsets, the colours of the sea, pale pink flowers with just the right shade of green leaves.
I dressed in all black for most of the last ten years and then at the beginning of last year, I got re-acquainted with an old school friend. My friend did a colour and design course after finishing school, now she is an interiors designer and she is the best dressed person I know. She helped me think about colours and dressing for my body shape. For work I still often wear one of my three black shirt dresses but now with brown strappy heels (no, no hose! those days have gone!), I might accessorise with a few chunky wooden bangles, or my antique gold chain with a big dark citrine stone. I wear a gold watch and gold jewellery. I carry a brown leather satchel and with this outfit I often take my brown crocodile handbag with gold clasp. So you see, I still wear a lot of boring black but if all the trims are golden/brown and I think I look more interesting.
Ennay, I wouldn't call you weird. I'm still not sure about the choice I made, heheh.
Here is my thing with hose. It's more a matter of being uncomfortable with my legs. They are pretty pale and have slight purple bumps where my hair follicles are. I think in my mind this is a significantly bigger deal than to anyone else on the planet, but it still bothers me. wearing hose seems to give a more polished look.
So, what do you think? With a skirt just below the knee, strappy shoes are ok, but with no hose? Is that what people seem to be saying? I probably need to be investing in some more winter-appropriate shoes, so that I can wear my skirts with hose or cute tights, looked polished, and feel warm. Oooooh, I really want some knee-high boots. Rambling, rambling!
If I have a week to pick out a really nice outfit, I can usually find something really nice. But I have been a student for so long that I don't dress up often. If I have to throw together an outfit at the last minute, I don't always pull it off. Then I have a rambling freak-out like right now.
You know what, wear hose if it makes you feel comfortable. I think most of us have one part (just one?) of our bodies that we feel self conscious about and if wearing hose helps then do it. I just don't like the feeling, I don't even like socks, I'll only wear them if I am exercising and occassionally I'll wear those little sockette things depending on the shoe.
Someone on some Oprah fashion show said you can wear nude hose with sandals/open toe shoes if you snip the toe ends off. I don't know about this...has anyone done this? Does it look weird?
I think boots look great with skirts. My friend has really thick ankles and white white legs so she always wears trousers or skirts/dresses with boots. And she always looks great.
I think I need to buy a pair of high boots one of these days. I've never had a pair. In the past, when I tried them on, I could never find some that fit comfortably around my lower legs, they were always so tight. They're also soooo expensive!
Help the fashion-impaired!
