Fashion sneakers look less athletic than a running shoe. They’re extremely fashionable and trendy, and can be incorporated into just about any outfit these days. Irregular outfit juxtapositions continue to dominate our fashion era, so much so that running shoes are fashionable. It’s all about whether you like the look of sneakers with your outfit. 

I usually prefer wearing a comfortable pair of casual flats or boots over sneakers, but do have a soft spot for Converse. There’s something about the white toe box, white soles and white laces that I find quite magical. I used to regularly wear classic Chuck Taylors until they no longer worked for my feet. For years I went on a sneaker hiatus although I tried a basic white sneaker for a while. But nothing made me as happy as a fab pair of Converse because I simply LOVE the modern retro and non-athletic vibe of the style. 

As luck would have it, Converse changed the fit of their fancier styles, and the brand once again works well for my feet. They’re a little wide for my low volume feet, but a good fit with insoles and socks. Score!

I’ve also recently discovered that I prefer the look of Converse hi-tops on my body type. The extra coverage of the refined hi-top gives my low volume feet, narrow ankles and calves some substance. The silhouette “fills out my feet and ankles” without looking overwhelming. Luckily, Converse hi-tops also fit snugly around a narrow ankle so there’s no “stem in a flower pot” effect. Converse hi-tops function like casual booties, and therefore work exceptionally well with cropped flared and straight jeans. 

Last year, I bought the Chuck Taylor All Star Faux Fur Chelsea Sneaker in black and cream for Winter, and they’ve been exceptional. They are excellent for travel and dog walking, and became instant wardrobe workhorses. This led me to want a Spring version of the sneaker in a lighter colour. I found exactly what I wanted in Chuck Taylor’s All Star Brush Off Leather hi-top. The gold (my choice of metal), makes them maximal and glitzy, and I’m in the mood for that. The shade of white is a good match with my pearl necklaces, which makes them easy to incorporate into outfits.

Here’s a selection of sneakers that have been winners on clients and friends. Most of the options have one or more colour options. All styles are comfortable or exceptionally comfortable. 

• Converse Converse Women's Chuck Taylor All Star Brush-Off Leather Hi: FABULOUS ultra casual booties for Spring and Summer. I have these and couldn't be happier with them. They work on a variety of foot shapes, and run quite wide. That said, with insoles they work well on low volume feet. They are bolder in person, so consider yourself warned. Perfect with cropped straight and flared jeans or pants. Well made.
• Ted Baker London Barrica Sneaker (Women): A little disco floral for Team Cool Colours. Works best on a less fussy foot.
• Ecco 'Soft 7' Cap Toe Sneaker (Women): VERY comfy and supportive sneakers that work for regular and high volume feet. Fits an orthotic. Read the rave reviews.
• Paul Green Luca Sneaker (Women): Super cute fish scale textured sneaks that work for low and high volume feet. Size down half a size for low volume feet. Streamlined on the foot.
• ED Ellen DeGeneres Chapanima Sneaker (Women): Extremely comfortable sneakers. Works well on high volume feet. There is a dog and a cat version. FUN.
• Vince 'Caden' Slip-On Sneaker (Women): Fab slip-on sneaker for regular and high volume feet. Works well with Super Feet insoles.
• ED Ellen DeGeneres 'Chapala' Sneaker (Women): If you have wide, fussy feet with bunions, TRY THIS sneaker. It goes up to a US12. It's been a blessing for clients who need trendy walking shoes but have bunion and foot pain. Personally, I think the white is prettiest, but all the colours are fab. Well worth the glowing reviews. Well done, Ellen.
• Naturalizer Manor Slide Sneaker (Women): You need broad feet and high insteps to keep these on the foot. Very trendy. Read the rave reviews.
• Ecco 'Soft 7' High Top Sneaker (Women): Fabulous fit on higher volume feet. Excellent cut-out at the back of the ankle for extra comfort. Well made.
• Ecco Soft 7 Quilted High Top: Gorgeous colours. Available in blush pink too. The metallic green is quite unique. Brilliant for high volume feet, and fits an orthotic. Excellent cut-out at the back of the ankle for extra comfort. A little alluring too. Fab quality.
• Ecco 'Intrinsic' Leather Sneaker (Women): This style looks a little more athletic than the rest because of the sole, but it's streamlined and pretty on the foot. Beautifully made.
• ED Ellen DeGeneres Chaperf Sneaker (Women): Very comfy, and fab for high volume feet. Lovely in either colour.
• Vans Sk-8 Hi Slim Sneaker (Women): A little Modern Retro and best on a wider foot. Not as padded as the other sneakers, so best on a hardier foot.
• Adidas 'Stan Smith' Sneaker (Women): The trendiest white sneaker in the blogosphere for the last year or so. I like the Modern Retro vibe of the tennis shoe and understand the appeal. Exceptional reviews, and works best on regular and high volume feet. The Ellen Degeneres Chapala sneaker is more comfortable though.
• Converse Chuck Taylor All Star embroidered leather sneakers: Polka Dot leather Converse make me smile. Very bold and playful on the foot. Not as comfy as the hi-tops.
• Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Faux Fur Chelsea Sneaker (Women): Super cute, comfy, classic, and graphic. Grippy soles for rain and ice. High shafts for ankle coverage. Fleece lining for warmth. Laces to fit narrow ankles. Gold elastic and grommets for magpies. They're a little wide for low volume feet, but not a problem with thick socks and insoles (can accommodate an orthotic too). They will work well for high volume feet. They followed me home and are my new very casual Winter bootie. AMAZING price.
• Paul Green Pearl Metallic Sneaker (Women): A good sneaker for a wider foot. Looks tidy and interesting on the foot. The brushed metal and pearl detailing is fabulous and quite subtle. Works for both warm and cool skin tones. Beautifully made.

You can see my descriptions alongside the items on the collection page.

Your style goals can serve as a helpful frame of reference as you review your closet, shop for new items, create outfits, and evolve your style. Having a FLEXIBLE set of goals will make your style journey more effective and enjoyable. 

If you have a good handle on your style direction and are simply fine-tuning, setting style goals can be a quick, intuitive and incremental process. If you have experienced dramatic changes in your life, or if you’re in a style rut, it might require some soul searching and a more time-consuming, in-depth analysis of the internal and external factors that affect your style.

Anything that relates to your style can go on the list. Style goals can be long or short, general or specific, seasonal or annual. Make a list in your head, or write it down. And remember that style goals can be changed at any time. 

I usually have my style goals all figured out in the first week of January, but this year I’ve had a lot going on and left it for a couple of months while things settled down. Now at the end of February I have a good vision of what I want to achieve with my style in 2017.

My style evolved quite a bit in 2016, although it essentially came back home. I’m keeping the same aspirational style moniker, “Urban Pretty”, because it’s important to me that my outfits are structured, refined, polished and pretty. I feel more content about my style direction than ever.  

Here are my goals:

1. To wear outfits that are Modern, Crisp, Soft, Retro and Dressy. These are the five adjectives that I’ve chosen to describe my ideal style so they’ll be at the front of my mind throughout this leg of my style journey.
   • Modern because I enjoy injecting a few very current trends into my seasonal look.
   • Crisp because I love wearing shades of white, and have a strong need to create a polished appearance. 
   • Soft because I do not enjoy wearing hard-edged outfits. 
   • Retro because of my fondness for looks from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, but wearing them with a good dose of Modern. 
   • Dressy because that’s what I prefer.  
2. To explore Maximal style my way. No more ultra simple outfits. To wear pearl necklaces, a pearl bracelet, watch and pearl ring most days. To frequently sport scarves, belts, patterns, pattern mixed looks, more complex garments, layered looks, matchy-matchy looks, and clashing yet harmonious colour combinations. But not all at once.
3. To add what I perceive as more elegant, polished touches to my style. This might mean adding classics into the mix like metal chain handle bags, pointy toe ballet flats, and sheath dresses. 
4. To continue wearing my signature colours (sour brights, shades of white, and ink blue), but to add turquoise into the mix. I love a soft bright turquoise — think Tiffany’s blue. 
5. To wear red shoes with matching bags in Spring and Summer because I’m in the mood for red shoes. 
6. To only wear black in small doses. 
7. To fine-tune my list of wardrobe essentials and add more fashion. This has happened organically to my wardrobe over the last two years, but it’s good to formalize it in my goals so that I stay focussed. 
8. To wear skirts and dresses more frequently year round. I also enjoy wearing cropped straight or flared jeans under my dresses, which counts as wearing a dress. 
9. To wear dressy trousers more frequently, despite the dry-cleaning bill, because I feel great in trousers. 
10. To continue mixing high-end and low-end items in one outfit. 
11. To NOT purchase more silver shoes or items with silver hardware as I commit fully to gold.
12. To have even MORE fun with fashion. 

Over to you. Have you thought about your style goals for 2017? If so, please share them in the comments section. Begin with just three goals if the process is overwhelming, and take it from there. Or, jot down some rough thoughts about your current and aspirational style direction if that’s easier. Veteran Fabber Style Fan did just that in the forum last month, and it was a joy to read. She also inspired others to do the same. 

IMPORTANT: Remember to be patient with your style and not to take it all too seriously. Learn from your mistakes and enjoy the winners. Laugh a lot, and have fun along the way.

Stitch Fix launches plus sizes, a sustainable collection at Mango, the most popular beauty products on Amazon, and more fashion news that caught our eye in February.

• Madewell is introducing its own in-house lingerie line with 42 pieces in mix-and-match colours.
• For the Beauty and the Beast tour, Emma Watson has started an Instagram account dedicated to her largely sustainable wardrobe.
• Stitch Fix is launching a plus-size assortment with merchandise from over 90 brands.
• The late Bill Cunningham’s famous jacket and bicycle have been donated to the New-York Historical Society together with his library and equipment.
• Uniqlo is set to open its first Spanish store in Barcelona this Fall.
• Here’s a list of the top 26 most popular beauty products on Amazon in 2016, according to Amazon Beauty.
• Topshop is debuting its first bridal collection in April.
• Princess Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz becomes the first-ever Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Arabia.
• Mango is bringing out a 45-piece sustainable collection.

Fun Fashion Fact

I’m enjoying browsing through this list of fashion vocabulary on the Business of Fashion. Did you know, for example, that rickrack is “a popular zigzag braid that can be woven in various widths, colours or fabric types to edge clothes and curtains. Think Little House on the Prairie for this style of waved braid.”

You will probably be able to shop your closet for this look, maybe multiple times over. It pulls together black and grey pieces with a little something extra, a little “kick” to prevent the boredom that creeps in during long Winters when you’re wearing lots of black and grey. 

Here are two outfits ideas to get you started.

Casual Deluxe

Combine cropped straight blue jeans, or jeans that can be rolled at the hem with a chunky grey pullover (you can insulate the cropped jeans in cold weather.) The point of the cropped length is to showcase most or all of the high-top sneaker, duck boot, or similar casual Winter ped. Add a black puffer to top things off. 

The Kick: statement socks, a bright bag, bright footwear. 

Wear one, two or all three of the items that give the outfit a kick. I’ve chosen a sunny and happy yellow, but feel free to incorporate any colour. 

Frock Fabness

Combine a grey sweater dress (or regular grey dress) with black knee-high or over-the-knee boots. If that’s not your thing, add tights and booties. OR layer the frock over black leggings or cropped flared jeans. Top the look off with a black, grey or checked coat. Black Mary Janes, oxfords or pumps are another way to go. 

The Kick: navy bag, navy gloves, navy hat, navy sneaker hybrid, colourful scarf. 

Wear up to four of the items to kick things up a notch. I’ve used navy here so that there’s something for the neutral lovers, but feel free to use red, burgundy or cognac. Add jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired.

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