Fancy Footwork

Modest Dressing

Fancy Footwork

I am spending some of my summer hours working in a little downtown bookstore. One afternoon, a lady walked into the store. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place where I had seen her face before. Then, I saw her shoes. Aha! I never forget a face or a pair of shoes. I remembered where I had seen her before. We had previously had a lively conversation about shoes several weeks ago. She smiled at me then glanced at my feet (a classic behavioral move for any shoe-lover), “Those are cute too,” she nodded at my heels, “Last time we spoke, you had on a green pair. You must be a shoe girl.” “Yes, Ma’am!” I replied with a wink. I am most definitely a shoe girl.

Even if you are not a shoe-fanatic, you can appreciate a good pair of shoes. Each shoe personality is different. You might be a stiletto girl, a sandal girl, a boot girl, a tennis shoe girl, or a ballet flat girl. Whatever your shoe personality, your shoes can play a fashionable role in your wardrobe. A common mistake that most women make is the mentality that their shoes must match their outfit. Not necessarily true! While having a shoe design that matches the general flow and attitude of an outfit is important, the color, texture, and pattern of the shoe does not have to match. In fact, matching a totally different color shoe with a simplistically fashioned outfit can turn a “cute” outfit into a “chic” outfit.

In this outfit I’ve taken a delicate skirt and a simply tee and matched them with a flamboyant pair of wedges. The yellow in the shoes pull out the skirt and bring the whole outfit together.

Here I’ve taken a simplistic summer dress and added a pair of orange, forest green, and beige peep-toes. Note how the beige belt pulls out the beige in the shoes. Matching an accessory again will pull an outfit together.

This outfit is really fun. Because the sweater dress is a bit short, I added a pair of leggings. To give the basic black a bit of pizzazz, I matched it with stilettos that have a decorative, bright pattern.

This is a more work-oriented outfit. Wearing a basic black blouse and a professional skirt, this outfit was given a bit of life in the form of hunter green mary-janes.

Here is a nice, casual outfit. A tee, blue jeans and flats. The flats being worn are in a neutral color (brown), but have a playful, plaid pattern and are topped with a bow.

Another casual summer number! A lace tank-top has been layered with a light buttoned top. The gladiator sandals bring attention to the outfit while still keeping a casual summer look.

So go ahead, ladies! Buy those red heels or those yellow flats! You’ll be stepping out in style!

It’s not what you wear; it’s how you wear it.
~Twiggy