Jul 7, 2014

Shoesentials



This post is written by my fashion contributor Cami!  You can read more about her by clicking on the contributor tab at the top the blog.  

The three essential shoes every woman needs…I was asked to address this topic, and I decided to accept the challenge…as a self-proclaimed shoeaholic, I don’t understand how/why someone would ever have only three pairs of shoes, but I have tried my very best to narrow my shoesentials to three.
Keep in mind, the shoes listed can (and should) be modified to fit your lifestyle – if you don’t dress up, or you are on your feet all day, heels might not be your go-to.  Whatever you do, be sure your outfit reflects your personality.  Also, know that if you are only going to have 3-5 pairs of shoes, be ready to make some investments – you are going for quality over quantity.  Once you acquire the essentials, you can get less-expensive, trendier options to supplement each season.

If I HAVE to choose…here are my shoesentials:

A great nude…

Our artistic forefathers were on to something when they glorified the nude.  A nude shoe – whether you choose a flat, kitten heel, wedge or stiletto, is always a great idea.  Now, you may think one nude is the same as the next, but you would be mistaken; you should look at a variety of brands/materials to decide which color looks best on you.  I personally love the J. Crew patent leather nude, I have it in a flat, kitten heel and wedge.  If I had to choose 1 style, I would stick with a small heel – it is versatile and easy to dress up or down.  Flats often come off as too casual, while many people find wedges/pumps too impractical to wear for long periods of time.  I have the gold kitten heel/nude combo shoe from J. Crew pictured below.  




The great thing about this shoe/heel height is you can wear it with a mini, midi or maxi skirt or a tailored trouser, wide-leg trouser or jeans. 

A quirky casual…

I think the flaw most women encounter when choosing a casual shoe, is choosing something too boring.  A casual shoe needs to be versatile as it will be worn frequently and in a variety of situations and ensembles, but it should have some visual interest.  I would recommend choosing a shoe made from a textured material, or a shoe with perforation or other visual interest; if you are like me, you could choose a shoe with a fun pattern (leopard is one of my favorites) and wear it as a neutral (this is risky, but well worth it when done correctly).  I have the shoe pictured below, it is DV by Dolce Vita, in a warm grey; I have worn these shoes in every season and with nearly every kind of casual outfit.  I especially love this shoe with a cuffed jean, button-up shirt and fedora (straw in the spring/summer, felt in the fall/winter).   


I also own the leopard-print Sperry’s shown here.  


Since I live in the South, Sperry’s are practically a religion – I have worn them with everything from a swimsuit to a skirt.  For an “everyday-friendly” look, I would recommend them with a great skinny jean, oversize v-neck tee and some aviators. 

Get moving…

I was recently told, “a tennis shoe is a mandate for life”…so, the last shoesential I have is a good “active” shoe.  You do not need to go out and become an Olympic or marathon runner, but it is good to be active – whether that is chasing your kids, running to and from appointments, or consciously taking time in your day to go for a walk, run, hike, etc.  I am a self-proclaimed nature-hater, but I have recently discovered a love of hiking, and just purchased my first pair of hiking shoes (Keen Venice H2 Sandals, if you were curious).  If you have a shoe-specific activity you are interested in, research brands and choose an activity-specific shoe; however, if you just want a good general run-around shoe, I would recommend a cross-trainer , I like Nike shoes, but there are a lot of great brands out there.  I have found if I buy my “active” shoes in a fun color/pattern, that encourages me to use them more often.  My current kicks are neon pink Nike Training Free XT Motion Fit, and I love them. 


1 comment:

Ryan said...

I love your post Cami! Yeah, I'm a dude that just read about woman's shoes, big deal. I like it because the same principles can apply to men also, and it's probably more achievable for us men to stick to 3 pairs of shoes. Ha!

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