How to Match Shoes With a Skirt

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A good outfit isn't complete without the right pair of shoes. In fact, the wrong pair can leave you donning an entirely different look than you intended. When matching shoes to your skirt, it's important to consider the skirt's style, color, material and length. These characteristics set the tone for the most appropriate shoe that not only complements the skirt, but makes for a unified outfit. When your skirt and shoes are the perfect combination, you end up looking good and feeling confident.

Check out the skirt's colors. If it features a floral pattern of blue, green and brown, pull one color from the skirt and match it to a pair of shoes. It's important to assess the colors correctly: greens, for example, come in hunter, moss, mint, olive and lime. Remember, your shoe success depends largely on choosing the right hue. If the skirt is a solid color, you have more options. Silver, bronze, black, white, metallic and nude are excellent color choices for almost any color skirt. The key to wearing nude shoes is matching your skin tone to the proper nude shade. This gives the illusion that you have longer legs and results in a seamless look.

Consider the skirt's material, which will dictate the shoe's style and fabric. Lighter materials, such as chiffon, jersey knit, linen or satin, require a thinner looking shoe. Sandals featuring cutouts, t-straps or a kitten heel show some skin and work well with flowing fabrics. Skirts made with heavier materials, such as velvet, thick cotton blends, jacquard, twill or wool, require a bulkier option. A platform sandal with criss-cross buckle straps, a wedge sandal, stilettos with a broad toe, and flats or loafers coordinate well with the heavier fabrics. In addition, if the skirt is textured, go simple with the shoe. Too much texture can be too busy and hard on the eyes.

Think about the style of the skirt and the season. Keep in mind that rubber, plastic and sling-back shoes look great with skirts in the summer and a wedge bootie or full-length boot is best in winter. Festive shoe embellishments for spring and summer include sequin ornamentation, shell accents and rhinestone adornments. Winter and fall play host to adornments such as fringe, darker animal prints, suede and velvet with piping details, and large buckles.

Measure the skirt's length. A kitten or shorter heel works best for a holiday skirt that stops above the knee, while a below-the-knee pencil skirt often requires a high, sleek heel. A long wrap skirt looks good with a pair of wedges that are easy to walk in and add inches to your height. If the skirt is short and flirty, try an open-toed, platform bootie that laces up, flip flops or a ballet flat with ribbons that tie at the ankle.