How to Wear Bright Shoes

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Angie is co-founder of YLF and its resident fashion stylist.

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How to Wear Bright Shoes

— by Angie

on August 17, 2011

A while back I wrote a post on four ways to wear bright shoes and the guidelines are still valid. Here is a fast recap on how to integrate non-neutral shoes into an outfit, with one new guideline.

Pick up a colour in a top with your shoes
Match up bright shoes with the same colour handbag or belt
Wear bright shoes with a neutral ensemble
Wear several brights of the same intensity
Match bright shoes with a scarf or necklace that picks up the same colour

Number 5 is the new addition, and has gone down particularly well with my clients because it pulls together your outfit without it feeling overly matchy-matchy. The following pairings between accessory and footwear illustrate this point.

I incorporate my bright shoes in all of these ways, favouring methods 3 and 4. How do you like to wear your non-neutral footwear?

Accessories · Footwear

62 comments · Add a comment

sarah

Veteran

This is the first time in my life I’ve every owned bright shoes (thanks to YLF)! I’ve had fun incorporating my red flats and my fuschia wedge sandals into my wardrobe this summer. I hadn’t thought very consciously about how I do it, but I think I mostly stick to 1, 3, and 4. For example, I love bright shoes with white clams and a neutral top, or with white clams and a colored top. Thanks, Angie, for giving me the guts to try them. I don’t know why it was so hard initially, but now it feels completely natural.

Do you wear bright shoes in winter?

August 17, 2011 at 5:04 am

Claudia

Great reminders and tips to get more style mileage from items in your closet. I love colorful shoes and accessories. Thanks!

August 17, 2011 at 5:09 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Pleasure

Sarah, I do not wear coloured shoes in Winter because I don’t have brightly coloured boots. I would if I had them though.

August 17, 2011 at 5:17 am

Mander

(website)

Veteran

Hmm, I guess I’m being way too conservative! I have a pair of red peep-toe wedges and some bright yellow patent leather heels, but so far I have only worn them with either a mostly black outfit or with a mostly red or yellow dress. Probably the latter was a bit too matchy-matchy, but I hadn’t come across this concept yet at the time.

I just bought a pair of red flats that I think will be super with jeans, and one of these days I am going to wear the bright yellow shoes with jeans as well. I think that matching the shoes to a scarf or top is probably the easiest way to coordinate the colors. I’m too chicken to wear multiple bright colors at once!

August 17, 2011 at 5:36 am

Aparna

Active Member

Great tips Angie , especially the ones about mixing brights with the same intensity…I loved the example in your older post about baby pink shoes killing the harmony – lol

And gosh I love Kate Spade..never been able to afford buying anything from the brand – but her colors always seem to be right shade…that pump is a great shade of green

August 17, 2011 at 5:49 am

Vani

Veteran

Those pairings look delicious! Except for a pair of orange Clarks Raasas I picked up 2 months ago, I don’t have any bright colored shoes, which is kind of sad. Unless we can count red Kenneth Cole Cedar City sandals. I style them using rules 3 and 5. I haven’t broken out the Raasas yet so these tips will be invaluable when I do. Thanks Angie!

August 17, 2011 at 6:18 am

Joy

Veteran

The only bright shoes I own are red but I love wearing them mostly as in #3 and sometimes #5 as I have red beads. Thank you for this excellent guideline. It gives me confidence to try other ways of wearing them. I’d also like to have some bright footwear for winter…maybe booties.

August 17, 2011 at 6:20 am

Diana

Veteran

Surprisingly I only have a couple of pairs of bright colored shoes, and one is red, which I treat as a neutral. I really really want some teal shoes though. Also plum, and mustard. Sadly a lot of the shoes that my fussy feet like only come in neutrals…

Anyway, I would wear my hypothetical colored shoes in all the ways you’ve mentioned.

August 17, 2011 at 6:29 am

Sparky

Veteran

I love those Kate Spade shoes above, especially paired with the necklace; how gorgeous! I only have one pair of colored shoes, a pair of deep burgundy red pumps. To me they’re bright.. I’ve only worn them with neutral outfits, but love the idea of #5.

August 17, 2011 at 6:29 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Sounds great, ladies.

Sarah, I was still half asleep when I commented. I have apple green cowboy boots that I wear all the time.

August 17, 2011 at 6:29 am

Sihaya

Veteran

All of the above I love bright shoes and rarely wear neutral shoes unless they’re red. And yes, I consider red a neutral color but that’s a different topic!

August 17, 2011 at 6:31 am

Susan Brennan

Active Member

Thank you for this timely post. I bought a pair of red patent ballet flats at the NAS. They’re sitting in my closet awaiting good ideas. My ideas was to wear them with skinny jeans and white blouse (also from NAS). I have a bright red beaded necklace. My closet has soooo many neutrals that red shoes seemed a little irresponsible, but now I see how they are actually BRILLIANT!

August 17, 2011 at 6:31 am

Kari

Veteran

Angie, you are challenging my resolution not to add more scarves into my wardrobe with your posts in the last few days…

I think I usually wear bright shoes with methods 3, 4, or 5. My main pair of bright shoes are red pumps, which is easier to play with when my hair has been recently colored, as they do sort of book-end my locks.

August 17, 2011 at 6:33 am

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Apple green cowboy boots…..I am drooling!

I used to have a gorgeous pair of teal cowboy boots that I wore into the ground. They would have been great for today’s picture challenge.

I think I really need to get myself some more shoes and boots this year and some “fun” ones as well as the purely practical kind. Since YLF I have realized they give me inordinate pleasure.

August 17, 2011 at 6:33 am

MsMary

Veteran

Angie, you are KILLING me with the green KS pumps! Green is the only color patent pumps I don’t have and… you are KILLING me!! And the necklace? *plonk*

As you know, I am the Queen of Bright Shoes. Love ’em to pieces and wear them all the ways you’ve described. I especially love my red Frye boots in winter!

August 17, 2011 at 6:40 am

Queen Mum

Veteran

I only have 3 pair of non-neutral color shoes I think. Red shortie boots, red sandals, and turquoise sandals. I actually prefer to wear each of these as a spot of color with an otherwise fairly neutral outfit. Sometimes I’ll wear a red belt with my red shoes, but more often they are the only bright in my outfit. I do enjoy wearing my red sandals with my cobalt blue polka dot dress.. so I guess that is your method #4.
Good thing those purple suede booties don’t come in blue…. they’d be on their way to me as I type! Those are gorgeous!

August 17, 2011 at 7:01 am

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Great tips! I was going to chime in with some fab example, but drew a blank. So I went to my closet and counted exactly zero bright-colored shoes, except a pair of special occasion red patent sandals that I haven’t worn in a year. What?!? I hadn’t even noticed until this moment. Guess you can put me down for Team No Bright Shoes.

August 17, 2011 at 7:08 am

patti

(website)

Active Member

Those purple suede pumps are so yummy. I’d wear those with almost any outfit, especially since I dress in neutrals most days. Love the first pair too, the sapphire blues.

August 17, 2011 at 7:10 am

omni550

I have a question regarding animal-print shoes. Do these same rules apply?

August 17, 2011 at 7:10 am

Nakidra

Veteran

Those purple suede boots will soon be mine! The are so HOT … I must have!

August 17, 2011 at 7:15 am

ruthe

Active Member

Perhaps 3 and 5. I don’t have many brightly colored shoes.

August 17, 2011 at 7:19 am

rute

Veteran

Most of the times I go for 3! The neutral look allows the shoe to be the focus of the outfit and I just love that!

August 17, 2011 at 7:21 am

Enginemom

I have a pair of red kitten heel pumps that I have been struggling with how to wear in my non-red, mostly-neutral wardrobe. I did find a red layering tank that I plan to pop under some layers this fall to try and bookend. Thanks for all these additional ideas….now I have some other options I hadn’t considered!

August 17, 2011 at 7:37 am

taylor

Veteran

I love bright shoes and really learned to wear them with my outfits here, they really take a neutral outfit up a notch !! Thank You Angie:)

August 17, 2011 at 7:42 am

Atlantia

Veteran

I have a pair of patent red pumps that I usually match with a black outfit. I might decide to do #5 though.

August 17, 2011 at 7:46 am

Carole

Veteran

Sadly, I only have one pair of non neutral color shoes but my favorite way to wear them is with a scarf or necklace. I realize I need more colorful shoes, just love the examples you show here. If only they were under 2 inches, I would be dragging out my credit card.

August 17, 2011 at 7:47 am

Kyle

Excellent reminder for me, thank you. I have bright shoes (purple, green, yellow, for example) that I just don’t wear very often. Appreciate the inspiration and helpful tips.

August 17, 2011 at 7:59 am

Sarah

Veteran

So interesting to read everyone’s comments. As for me, I adore bright colored shoes. But it turns out that the only brightly colored footwear I own are booties–I have apple green cowboy booties, red booties and purple suede booties. I wear lots of scarves in winter and that’s usually the way I “tie” it all together. Occasionally I wear a neutral outfit with a colored boot.

August 17, 2011 at 8:46 am

(website)

Veteran

Funny that I’ve never had trouble wearing the colored shoes in my wardrobe. Sometimes I pull a color from a top, other times they are just a punch of color all their own. I am drooling over those purple booties but luckily I can’t really do suede with all the snow, so I’m saved from myself. Besides, I have deep plum suede slingbacks already for fair weather wear!

August 17, 2011 at 9:02 am

Antje

Veteran

I heart bright shoes! Right now my favorites are two pairs of turquoise shoes (one flat, one heeled Mary Janes) and a pair of yellow wedge sandals, all of them get a lot of play this summer.
I use all of the ways you describe above, Angie. I think the chicest is #3, the combo with neutral outfits. I don’t have that many neutral outfits, though, so strategies 1, 4 and 5 also happen often. I love #4 though I’m not always totally comfortable with getting the color mix right.

August 17, 2011 at 9:47 am

rachylou

Veteran

I have some two-toned oxfords with a patent-leather red toe, turquoise mary janes, purple flats for the rain, and some bright green ballet flats. How do I wear them? Let me think. I guess the first thing is that I think everything bright goes with tan… tan pants, tan skirt or jeans. I tend not to wear bright shoes with black. For tops, I like monochromatic – so if I wore the purple shoes, which are dark, I might wear a lavender top. Or like with the turquoise shoes, I have a plaid dress that’s tan (haha) with a thin stripe of turquoise in it. The shoes pick that up, but because the stripe is so thin, it avoids the over-coordinated problem.

For the red shoes… well, red patent leather goes with everything! ;>

August 17, 2011 at 9:51 am

Janet

(website)

Veteran

You’ve seen my most recent bright shoe acquisition — the magenta Choos! I wore them in a #3 way.

Years ago I would only wear black shoes, and now I reach for colorful shoes easily half the time. I would almost go so far as to say that for me, teal is almost a neutral, I wear my teal sandals so much!

I generally wear my colorful shoes in the 1, 3, and 5 ways.

Angie, I covet those apple green boots of yours. Don’t be surprised if you see me sporting a pair one day!

August 17, 2011 at 9:58 am

Palmfronds

Great timing–I just christened my yellow fidji pumps today with their first wear I LOVED them, they made me smile all day, and I chose to wear them with a neutral outfit(brown slacks, striped cream/green top). Thanks for the tips on other ways to incorporate them. I am planning to add some more brights to my footwear collection

August 17, 2011 at 10:01 am

rae

(website)

Veteran

Oops, I don’t have any non-neutral footwear!!

Even the shoes I’m currently dying will be bright red (now a neutral in my world). I must not be a shoe person…

August 17, 2011 at 10:02 am

mamark

Active Member

I pretty much only do #3 because I don’t like to be matchy. But I might add another color in accessories. For instance, if I’m wearing a mostly black ensemble with plum colored shoes, I might add a jade bracelet or earrings.

August 17, 2011 at 10:17 am

Lynne

Veteran

Thank-you, Angie, for another brilliant how-to post. I brought my first pair of bright shoes after your initial post. Of these, I think mixing brights of similar intensity is the most difficult, and you do it ‘brilliantly’ ;).

August 17, 2011 at 10:18 am

lynne

Veteran

I’m with Kari. I like to bookend my red hair with red shoes and a neutral in between.

August 17, 2011 at 10:28 am

cindy

(website)

OMG what a timely post! Angie, I just walked out of a shop this morning with an awesome hot pink silk scarf – to match the hot pink sandals I had on. Then I was thinking – uh oh, am I doing the matchy-match thing? But it felt so…pretty….Thanks for the assurance!!!

August 17, 2011 at 10:30 am

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Ah, I will file this post away alongside my other memos ‘must find teal shoes’ and ‘if only I had found the red flats’, all of my shoes are neutral!

August 17, 2011 at 11:26 am

Rhiannon

I own a gorgeous pair of fuschia platform stilettos that I love wearing with a black pencil skirt and a black and white abstract print cardigan. I guess that would be number 3. My other fav pair of bright shoes are an open toed deep purple platform pump with a gorgeous jewel on the toes. I love wearing that with a basic black sheath dress and my matching purple cardigan. I live for my red flats and dark denim in the winter, it just screams classy to me with a black cardigan. I dont know if you guys see the pattern, but yes I love cardigans. I wear one practically every day. Not that that had anything to do with bright shoes, but oh well. Oh and if anyone is wondering, I dont know the makers of the shoes I have listed. I honestly cant remember where I got them, I think Burlingtons.

August 17, 2011 at 11:47 am

Kate

Veteran

Thanks to Angie introducing me to the Miz Mooz brand of shoes, I now own the beautiful bright blue Hayley sandal and the brown and bright yellow Petra sandal with the gorgeous wooden heel. I’ve certainly enjoyed wearing those this summer.

However, my first foray into colored footwear came last winter, when I saw and fell head over heels (!) in love with the tall purple suede PRI boot from Fluevog. They are phenomenally comfortable and I wore them everywhere. I’m looking forward to getting back into them later this year.

August 17, 2011 at 11:52 am

Kate

Veteran

Oops, forgot to answer the question. When I wear bright shoes, I’m using wearing a neutral outfit or mirroring the color with another accessory, usually a scarf.

August 17, 2011 at 11:55 am

Lisa

Veteran

I always notice an outfit with fab bright shoes. But I don’t own any myself. I prefer other pieces in the outfit to “pop” particularly scarves instead.

August 17, 2011 at 12:30 pm

Inge

I’ve tried all five ways and definitely will be sporting (and buying more) bright shoes in the future. Just a few hours ago a friend of mine remarked that my style has changed quite a lot over the last few years, and that, e.g., I would never have worn bright yellow ankle boots in the past. She’s absolutely right, I owe my love for bright footwear (and the know-how regarding how to wear them) 200% to Angie and YLF, and couldn’t be more happy about that!

August 17, 2011 at 12:59 pm

Sona

Veteran

I don’t have very many bright shoes ( maybe not any) but this post sure makes me want to try some. I’m especially loving the AK Winterlyn shoes. yum.

August 17, 2011 at 1:09 pm

morethanbeige

Veteran

I am filing this information for when I have a pair of bright colored shoes. I have the Clarks Indigos in orange, but not sure that counts as bright. In fact, they may be neutral, what do I know. I love these ideas and the pics about illustrating are yummy. Thanks Angie!

August 17, 2011 at 2:53 pm

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Bright shoes will be on my “to buy” list after SYC is over

August 17, 2011 at 3:58 pm

Deborah

Veteran

Thanks for the tips Angie. I love the idea of bright shoes and I am starting to branch out in this direction. I have just ordered a pair of red patent leather pumps with a 3inch block/stack heel. I am justing starting to get the idea of red as a neutral and I am very excited at the prospect of what the red shoe will add to some of my outfits. I am keen to add more colour by way of my shoes. Those green Kate Spades are fabulous. I think I just sat at looked at them lovingly for about 20 minutes before work this morning:) I am inspired and ready to go shoe shopping.

August 17, 2011 at 4:18 pm

san

Veteran

I am a shoe gal and I love brightly colored shoes. I am usually quite neutrally dressed so bright shoes are not too difficult. I do like the idea of picking up the color in a scarf or necklace.

August 17, 2011 at 5:48 pm

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Wow, I just realized I might have a wardrobe hole… bright shoes!

Thanks for the tips, these are useful. I think they also apply when a neutral shoe acts as a bright. For example, when wearing black shoes with white pants. I like having an accessory, even if it’s just the black leather from a pendant, that picks up the black in the shoe.

August 17, 2011 at 5:58 pm

Yardshark

Great reminders! It’s so easy to forget little tips like this.

I got all excited over the purple suede shoes and then realized heyyy…I *have* purple suede boots already! Love ’em.

August 17, 2011 at 6:15 pm

Meredith

Active Member

This post has reminded me that I need to be brave and try some bright shoes!!!

August 17, 2011 at 8:54 pm

Tiffany

Methods 1, 3 and 5 are my favourites for wearing my yellow suede mary janes and my vintage burnt orange heels …

August 17, 2011 at 11:17 pm

Lynne

Veteran

Julie, they’re not brilliantly supportive, but Next have their Fabulous Flats in a patent teal for GBP19 at the moment. Just saying :)…

August 18, 2011 at 3:28 am

boonecat

Wow Angie—thanks for the ideas. These samples are fantastic!

August 18, 2011 at 3:54 pm

Marley

Veteran

I LOVE bright colored shoes – and think of them as neutrals in my wardrobe. They can pretty much go with anything – I wear them all 5 different ways that you mention Angie – I just wish I had more of a variety of bright colored shoes in my wardrobe! I am craving a pair of cobalt blue and a pair of yellow! Damn you SYC!

August 18, 2011 at 9:11 pm

S80

(website)

I love bright shoes and have them in all colors except green.I wear them in every way possible.I try to keep no more than 2 brights in an outfit unless there is a print involved

August 19, 2011 at 5:25 pm

Maya

Veteran

#4 is my favorite way. I don’t usually like to repeat the same color, but I like to have more than one color of the same intensity in my outfits.

The other day, though, I wore a magenta headband and magenta shoes with a turquoise shirt, and I liked the effect of the magenta bookending me. Normally I would have chosen one magenta accessory or the other, though.

August 19, 2011 at 7:10 pm

Fruitful

Veteran

I will try these suggestions Angie! So far I have failed at bright shoes, even though I wear bright colours elsewhere. I’ve bought a couple and ended up with buyer’s remorse and not worn them. I think it might be because they were too flat, and made my legs look short. I’m usually trying to draw the eye up so I might need a decent heel to feel good in this look.

August 20, 2011 at 3:36 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I’m impressed with how many of you are wearing your non-neutral shoes

August 21, 2011 at 7:42 am

SueFNQ

Active Member

I love my animal print sides (brown and caramel)/red suede across the arch/ black patent toe’d ballet flats. I tried to attach the photo here but couldn’t work out how. Bright feet are so spirit lifting!! I wear them with black, throw a scarf with red or animal print around my neck, and Bob’s your Uncle! Gorgeous with jeans too. Great hints Angie, thank you. I’m hooked to this … No such thing as a quick look to catch up!

September 1, 2011 at 1:25 am

Quietgirl

Veteran

Cool!

September 23, 2014 at 12:22 pm

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