Buying shoes online can be a daunting task for more reasons than one. First of all, chances are you will have a hard time getting the right size for you because sizes vary by manufacturer and brand. Besides, you can’t feel them on you so you don’t know how comfy they are until you have bought them and tried them on, which is, usually, too late. Finally, we, women, tend to buy way more dress shoes than we really need, which is a waste to money and time. Not to mention the tremendous clutter in the closet from shoes we barely ever wear.
To help you get the most out of fashion shoes, here are some styling and, of course, shopping advice to always look fab while wearing the most awe-inspiring, absolutely fitting pair of shoes!
Best women’s shoes to invest in
Timeless and simple styles should prevail if you want to build a solid closet. They should cover all our daily endeavors and be versatile enough so you can wear each pair with a number of outfits. For example, ballerina flats and high heel pumps never go out of style and are easily worn for both day and evening occasions. Now, if you also have them in neutral colors, you’ll be making your life easier as you will be able to mix and match quite effortlessly. When that is taken care of, you can freely dab into other trendy shoes of your likes!
Image: shelonereid.com
Shoe Essentials:
• Walking sneakers, Converse or tennis shoes.
• Flats for use during the day (i.e. ballerinas)
• Casual boots (i.e. slouch boots)
• Black heeled pumps.
• Heeled boots (or riding boots) for your fall and winter outfits.
• Dark neutral ankle booties.
• Basic leather sandals
• Dress shoes for your special occasions
• Heeled sandals in nude colors
• Pumps in nudes
Once you have created a trend-proof shoe essentials wardrobe, you can then build on the shoes based on your lifestyle and daily activities (i.e. casual evenings, work, parties, traveling, etc.). Go for versatile colors, such as white/cream, brown, and, of course, black and prefer simple styles so they are more easily wearable with the rest of your wardrobe. That way, you can always be sure that you have a pair of shoes per occasion.
What shoes to buy based on your body frame
Depending on your body shape and legs, you need to pick the right type of shoes to look at your best all year round. Don’t think that the one-size-fits-all concept applies to shoes, too. The style, color, and details will determine how flattering a pair of shoes is on you. What you really need to do, though, is balance out your body shape. For instance, if your shoulders are prominent, shoes that add curves around your legs will look amazing on you!
Image: Pinterest
1. Prominent upper body (Apple or Inverted Triangle body frames)
This means you have a fuller (or wider) torso (meaning shoulders, bust and tummy). In this case, turn the eye away from the upper body and bring it downwards with bright colors and details (i.e. a pair of bright color flats).
2. Wide and Heavy Lower Body (Hourglass or Pear-shaped body frames)
This also includes the body shapes with fuller thighs, hips and legs. The trick here is to avoid highlighting these areas and keep the color at a minimum. The same goes for details; you need a pair of shoes as simple as possible, such as a basic high heel pump in black and nude.
3. Narrow Hips (Rectangle body frame with a straight figure)
You are not too curvaceous and with will little-to-no waist definition, which is exactly what gives you the freedom to play with various shoe styles, although the ones that add dimensions and curves (i.e. beaded detailed sandals) to your frame will look stunning on you!
4. Vertical body shape (short torso and long legs)
You can play with lots of different styles as long as you choose details that flatter the scale and shape of your mile-long legs! Also, rounded toe shoes and flats make perfect shoes for too skinny legs.
5. Long torso and short legs body shape
What you do not need is shoes that make your legs look shorter (see white shoes with dark blue jeans, unless they have heels). So, better choose shoes that blend with the bottom, skin or hosiery.
Ankle straps and horizontal details are a no-no but we won’t say no to a pair of tan pointed toe flats!
Remember that long tops and dresses shorten your legs but shoes and heels that blend with your bottom will bring the balance you need.
As for the petit ones, here’s what they can wear and look amazing!
Image: pinterest
Golden Rule of Thumb
When buying shoes, choose pairs that are scaled to the size of our ankles, feet, and calves. For example, full, muscular legs look great with equally-scaled shoes, such as wedge heels and shoes with thicker straps. Know that delicate details on your feet will give your calves a fuller shape, making them look bigger.
Delicately small ankles and feet need smaller-scaled shoes, such as thinner heels (i.e. stiletto heeded boots) and fine straps. So, avoid platform heels and large straps and details as they will make your legs look unflattering thinner.
Things to Note:
It is important to ensure the shoes actually fit. This is because some shoe brands are either smaller or bigger than the size they state. If you know the brand, then go for the size you usually wear. In any other case, here is what you can do to find the perfect size for you.
Take a piece of paper, pen, and rules. Place the paper on a flat surface (i.e. the ground) and stand on it (your foot should be flat). Draw a line in front of your big toe and behind the heel (use the longer foot to measure – yes, we all have one foot longer than the other!).
Measure the toe-heel distance in inches (2.54cm) and look for the store’s measurement chart to find out what size fits you best. If your size falls in between two sizes, round it up.
Also take note of the shoes’ width, given that you may need slightly narrower or wider shoes than the average shoe size. Some brands include a stated width size but some don’t so check this one out, too.
Now that you know all the tricks and secrets, nothing is stopping you from shopping the perfect and most fab pair of shoes to amaze the crowds!
Happy shopping!
