Ha, this is very interesting! Since my hair is dark blonde that means that I should wear nude shoes. Strangely, my favorite summer shoe color was nude before I found YLF this summer and fell in love with all the brights. But I still love my nude shoes, they have great leg elongating effect.

This becomes a bit more complicated for winter. What are “nude” boots for example, is that the same as camel or tan or not? Would this be right?

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7356542/c/401.html

What a coincidence. This morning I was getting dressed by experimentation– that is I didn’t have a plan. I ended up with jeans, red sweater vest and a red a white striped woven shirt with a collar underneath. I was going to go with black patent shoes but I wasn’t super excited with the outfit. Then my eyes fell on my brown and camel animal print wedges and I suddenly felt better about the outfit. (I have brown hair btw)

I will add that the number of brown shoes in my closet has decreased dramatically since following this blog. But then again brown hasn’t really been in trend lately.

Angie, this makes a lot of sense, especially for those times when we just don’t know what color shoes to wear. Since my hair has turned a taupey grey I’ve been more and more disappointed with the look of black shoes unless wearing black pants or black tights and skirt. Investment shoes will be taupe or grey. Thank you for the clarification!

I heard this rule of thumb awhile ago but sometimes get confused by it when shopping for shoes and boots.

My hair is dark brown so my corresponding shoe color would be chocolate brown but when buying a shoe or boot I usually fall back to black since I wear black very well and wear it a lot.

I guess this is just saying that I might include some chocolate brown in my wardrobe of shoes/boots so that I can match my hair to my shoes from time to time.

Also, wearing brown and black can be very chic, right?

Off to shop for some yummy chocolate brown boots!

I’m happy this suggestion makes sense (and it’s only as suggestion and not a rule). I was worried it would be taken too literally.

Quite right Tanya, you look great in nude coloured shoes and now you know why! The boots you’ve posted are fabulous and you’re spot on. They will match your hair beautifully. But then ALL the shoes you own look wonderful – and you have every colour under the sun.

There you go, Patience. A coincidence indeed.

Joy, a good strategy. I know you won’t be disappointed with your investment purchase.

Absolutely, Debbie. I really like brown and black together. You’ll rock a pair of chocolate brown boots with the best of them.

Interesting! I try and try to wear other colored shoes, but I always come back to warm chestnut brown… which matches my hair.

Yes! My nude slingbacks are one of my favorite things. Now I know why….mystery solved.

This is really weird. . . . my absolute favorite “leather” colors range anywhere from cognac and british tan to various shades of camel. I am drawn to those shades in purses and shoes!!! And guess what??????? I AM A DARK BLONDE/LIGHT BROWN !!!!! Coincidence ???? I think not!!! lol

good rule of thumb- I naturally gravitate toward chocolate or black!

This is almost freaky – I have been LOVING my gold ballet slippers this fall and now I know why – I have golden blond hair. There IS a method to my madness.

Very interesting, indeed! I have very dark brown hair, and most of my shoes are black and dark brown. Thanks to YLF I have branched out to red and metallic. but rarely wear light colored shoes.

I just ordered a pair of short grey boots. I hope I like them!

Angie, you know what’s funny? I had a reader write in and ask how best to accessorize when you have unnaturally colored hair – she LOVES to dye her locks pink and blue and orange. I’m totally sending her your way! She’s pink now, I believe, and would love an excuse to hunt down some pink shoes.

Such an interesting thread. I am a (now colored) brunette and I have my hairdresser highlight my hair every three months. She is putting in bronze and copper (just a tad) because my natural highlights were reddish when I was younger. Maybe that is why I had a pair of flats in bronze that were my go-to shoes all summer. I have been thinking about an updated new Little Black Dress that I have purchased for an early spring wedding in NYC. I am already worried about the shoes/stockings dilemna. I just don’t want to go with the usual black, and now I think that red may be overdone. Perhaps I should look for a coppery heel? Would that work? I am in my mid-fifties and I don’t want to look frumpish. I know that I will have to wear stockings, and I am at odds with nude hose, black hose. any suggestions?

Very interesting, and may explain why I have been drawn to the idea of some nude pumps. But there is a lot less shoe choice in the “blonde” colours than the “brunette” isn’t there?!

Hmmm my hair is naturally dark brown…and I have a tendency to gravitate to black and brown shoes. But my hair is treated now, usually with streaks of red and or blonde at any given time. This is a very interesting concept though–one I have never considered before.

I love black and rich navy for clothes basics, so I’ve always had black shoes in my closet. I always chose to stay away from brown in clothes and shoes… but I really do like chocolate brown. Hmm: my hair is deep brown!

Although nowadays (age 46) it is deep brown with a lot of gray throughout and a gray highlight right at the front on one side. I wonder what salt-and-pepper(brown) shoes could be….

I’m sorry, but this is one of the goofiest things I’ve ever heard.

OOOhhhh!!!! What a wonderful insight!

I was wondering why my butter round-toe pumps and pinkish-gold-metallic Cole Haan ballet flats looked just right this spring/summer. I’ve retired them both until next spring in favor of darker footwear – but my bronze Me-too flats are still “go-to” options on days warm enough to go without socks. And, it’s been awhile since my last color job so my hair is tilting towards darker blonde lately!

Angie,
Love the shoe advice. My question is — what color of socks should I wear? I am slowly expanding my wardrobe (just got my first pair of chuck taylors — woohoo!), so I usually just wear my casual, bulky, brown leather shoes with jeans. I’ve always worn white socks with them, but I’m starting to think this may not be the best choice. Any advice?

Ah ha. Interesting epiphanies. There IS method to this madness. Thanks for sharing ladies.

Sal, colourful shoes are fun. I hope your reader enjoys her pink and green hair matched peds!

Louise, red or bronze shoes with a LBD gets my thumbs up. Match them with VERY fine black fishnet hose. Trust me, you’ll look every bit classy and current.

Anne, I actually believe we have many options. Blondes come in all shades and there are several shoe colours to choose from. Both warm and cool tones too.

Congrats with the Converse Ninjaprincess. It’s nice to match socks to your outfit. If you’re wearing a neutral, wear a sock in the same neutral colour.

I think you just gave me the excuse I needed to go looking for a nice pair of chocolate brown boots!

Can I suggest this ‘rule’ also works with bright coloured shoes (or any non-hair colour for that matter), with a little tweak.

I love my bright shoes (I have far too many red patent shoes for one person) and find that my outfit ties together best when I repeat the colour up my top end, not my hair but with statement earrings, necklace or scarf. Also, if you’re ok with matchy matchy, you can add a handbag in the same colour to get more mileage from the lengthening affect.

I love to pair my LBD with red patent pointed wedge heels, red patent clutch, and a red rose in my hair!

Kathy Griffin did this last night on Carson Daily! She has that fiery red hair and she was wearing gorgeous deep orange shoes. Love her or hate her I think she has a fantastic sense of style and what looks good on her. The shoes really tied her outfit together even though nothing else matched them.

Now that’s an interesting approach! I certainly would never have thought of it – but it does make a certain amount of sense – and it might explain why I have always favored black shoes!

It’s an interesting concept but as a redhead, I don’t find chesnut brown to be the best colour for shoes for me. I like nude to elongonate my legs, gold for play and no black at all…black leather just seems heavy on the foot.

Sometimes I think the complementary colour to your eyes or hair works best for clothing.

How INTERESTING. I have been wondering about this for years, why my black shoes don’t work that well for me yet I keep buying them. I have a gorgeous pair of chocolate brown boots that I often refuse to wear feeling that black is tougher and better. I think it has its place, the black boot thing, but in my case it becomes monotonous as the season goes on. Thank you, I will find a way to wear my brown boots more.