Ask Angie: Bookending - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: Bookending

Katerina

Veteran

Dear Angie and Fabbers,

slowly learning all the different terms and tools and options. The bookedning concept is new to me since YLF. I have previously learnt that matching ones footwear with the colour of trousers prolongs legs. Then there is this matchy-matchy concept (bag and shoes) which adds polish. Or a pop of colour in the shoes. And now bookending (matching hair colour and the colour of footwear). I understand that it is possible to use these different tools to achieve various results.

My question is how should we choose the method? Are there any general rules? Is there a difference if you have light colour of hair (blond, grey) or dark (brown, black) - it seems to me that the bookending is more effective for the light coloured hair than for example dark brown....

General

26 replies

Latest reply was from Dianna

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Katerina, using these styling tools is SUCH a personal thing. There are no rules or guidelines - other than that you listen to your feelings and use the styling tool that best tickles your fancy at the time, with the outfit, or on a specific leg of your style journey. It's a preference thing, and preferences can change.

Personally, I am a HUGE book-ender. Most of my shoes are white and cream because they pick up the colours in my hair. White shoes look crisp, graphic, modern and retro to my eye - so SLAM DUNK for my style. I love light shoes like blush and gold too. Pretty, dainty and soft.

I'm also big on polish, and create very deliberate complements with my shoes, scarves, belts and bags.

I will also absolutely create a high contrast with bottoms and shoes - that is- dark bottoms and light shoes, or white bottoms and dark shoes. OR throw in bright red shoes for a jarring effect. It depends on my mood.....

Unlike you, I have ONE pair of black shoes. My classic riding boots, which look best in black. I prefer to wear navy or bordeaux shoes if I wear dark shoes. But black shoes are SO perfect with your style and hair, Katerina. You've nailed it.

LaPed

Veteran

I have dark hair and a strong visual preference for dark shoes on myself. I don't know if bookending is the reason I prefer darker shoes, but since I learned of the concept (I think it might be an Angie original!), I've been using it as a justification for adding more shoes in black, navy, and burgundy. I do also like the pop-of-colour approach, though my shoe wardrobe is much more neutral-heavy than it was a few years ago. What I hardly ever do is match my shoes to my pants, or wear nude shoes (I have a quiet little poison eye for nude footwear) -- I think because, in my mind, it makes it look too obvious that I'm "following the rules" and striving for figure flattery.

Katerina

Veteran

Angie, thank you for the thorough explanation and for sharing how you use these methods - very helpful!

La Ped, thank you for sharing your style preferences. Interesting about the matching pants with shoes or nude shoes indeed! Now when I think about it, it is really a long time ago I read all those style books with these “rules”... Maybe they have become dated by now - kind of like matching lipstick with nail polish - first it was a rule, then it was absolutely no way and now it’s ok to do it again...

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

La Ped, I’m kind of opposite to you— I grew up wearing only dark shoes and it never occurred to me that there were other options. I guess my family bought black shoes because they were affordable and versatile? But since discovering nude shoes, I’m in love. They bookend my hair, they match my skin, they warm up and “casualize” any outfit——so easy, a slam dunk as Angie would say.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I love what Angie says about using these ideas as tools, not rules! I was an inadvertent early adopter of bookending, since I have preferred dark shoes pretty much forever, unless they are just so fabulous that I can’t resist (I have a pair of holographic silver shoes that I have to style thoughtfully with something else light in the outfit). I’ve tried white shoes and don’t like them at all for me, even though I’ve seen them look great on other dark-haired ladies.

I’m also a fan of keeping footwear and pants/bottoms tonal to create a long leg line — even though I have long legs, emphasizing the length helps make them look slimmer, which is a huge bonus for me! So I have a great selection of footwear in black and darker shades like navy, burgundy, dark green, etc. I lighten things up in the summer more.

Anonymous

The bookending concept was new to me when I first joined YLF, and it makes so much sense! I have changed my hair colour from very blonde to dark brown and back to blonde again, and each time I do it, my bookending gets messed up

Sal

Veteran

I really mix it up - I have footwear in black, navy, brown,cognac, tan, camel, cream, green, blue, pewter, silver, gold and white! Plus bright trainers!

I think they all work - depending on what I am wearing. I try and get an overall balance though - so I don't like dark shoes and pants with a light top unless I wear dark colours on the top somewhere.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I definitely began wearing and purchasing more light colored shoes to bookend my hair (I used to do it intuitively way back when I was younger but I had forgotten the concept). I now own mostly light shoes, tan, blush, white, taupe, gold, etc. Sometimes I like a mix of light and dark. My black sandals don't get much wear at all and they are my only black shoes now.

Clarks Petrina Gail

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UGG Cas Exotic Genuine Calf Hair Slip-On Sneaker

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Munro 'Pisces' Sandal

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Karterina, you are bang on the money. Most of the "style books" are dated, and the so called rules quite laughable. That said, they can be helpful if you're stuck or lost. The most important thing is to take it ALL within your stride, and make the styling tools work FOR YOU, and don't let them boss you around. Style guidelines are a delicious buffet. I vote snack on the yummiest stuff and leave the rest. Janet demonstrates her "yummy snacking" in her comment.

La Ped, I hear you on your quiet poison eye for nude shoes. I like them best on very dark blondes who bookend the colour - like Tanya and Texstyle. Then - a different concept.

Lisa p, I have a client who changes her hair colour frequently - and now has a plethora of black, cognac, cream, white and nude shoes.

Anonymous

I have medium-dark brown hair and do not bookend as I find it too limiting! I like coloured and white footwear.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Tools not rules! Best quote of the day.

I used to wear dark (mostly black) shoes almost exclusively, simply because they were available and practical.

But I always had a sugar eye for red shoes. Now I hardly ever wear black. I do have three pairs of black winter/ rainproof boots but only because black is what is more easily available. When weather allows I much prefer my footwear in other colours.

I love to bookend my grey hair with grey, silver, or white footwear. I also love navy footwear (harder to find) and bright colours (red?) I really love a black and white patterned shoe -- I guess it works with salt and pepper hair.

I do sometimes try to extend the leg line with tone-in footwear but since I often wear blue denim, grey or silver achieves that, more or less. Other times, I'm happy to contrast with the colour of the trousers or skirt. It just depends.

As a blonde, I adored leopard print footwear. Now I could see snow leopard...

Anonymous

Rules are for tools!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

HAHAHAHAHAH

NICE.

Gigi

Veteran

I have very dark hair, and almost all of my footwear is dark or at least medium. I have only a few pairs of shoes that are lighter in color, which I mainly wear with a light-colored outfit, where dark shoes would look too heavy.

I do feel that my outfits look more "grounded" when I wear dark footwear. Sometimes wearing lighter-colored footwear with a particular outfit makes me look very "top heavy" and like I'm floating off the ground or something!

I did just buy a pair of light pink flats that are close to a nude for me. I think they will be very helpful in outfits that have unflattering proportions (like a midi skirt or crops). Generally with these types of outfits, I have to wear heels to get the proportions right, but I don't always feel like wearing heels. So a nude flat is a good compromise.

Mainelady

Veteran

Tools, not rules.
Snack on the yummiest stuff.
I can get on both of those teams!

Before YLF I thought that shoes should match pants or tights, to create a longer visual line. That worked well for me and most of my shoes were dark colors. I was bookending, but didn’t know what it was. Any success was pure accident.
Bookending with my lighter hair is one of my new favorite things! My tan suede boots have taken the lead in favorite winter footwear. On my shopping list are light colored spring/ summer footwear for the specific purpose of bookending. I will be happy to find mules and flats.

Katerina thank you for asking great questions. I really learn a lot from the answers.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Bookending is probably the best thing I have learned on YLF. Leopard shoes get all the compliments.

Katerina

Veteran

Very interesting! Thank you all!

I wear often black or navy trousers with black or navy shoes. I have dark brown hair. That means bookending and leg extending - win-win!

I normally prefer dark footwear - not a bookending decision since I did not know this tool, but was probably intuitively bookending anyway... l also looked at my WIW pics again and noticed that black footwear looked good with my red trousers, blue jeans, olive dress etc. Bookending certainly makes sense!

Thank you Angie and Fabbers!

Style Fan

Veteran

Bookending was a new concept for me too when I joined YLF. I do have some copper and yellow toned summer footwear that works for me. I find winter footwear a bit more difficult. I usually go with brown.
I also like the idea of bookending eye colour. I have been on the hunt for teal colour shoes since joining YLF.

RobinF

Veteran

Great thread! I have always been one to match my shoes to my pants, as a short person I need all the help I can get! Since being here I have flirted with other shoe colors including nude and blush and I like them but they are harder for me to make work, maybe because of the bookending thing with my dark hair. For some reason I have always worn other color shoes in the summer.

Bijou

Veteran

Ooh - Style Fan has introduced a new concept for me, bookending eye colour, love it!

I like book ending, but it was a new concept for me. I always liked light gold footwear, it just seemed to work, but I did not understand why. YLF taught me the reason!

Helena

Veteran

Smittie, lol!

Snacking on the yummiest stuff works for me; I've just found a forgotten jar of Nutella in the cupboard!

I generally bookend with dark shoes (and belts) for my dark hair ... it does feel more put together to me. That said, I have taupe booties that I love, and white Birkenstocks which I wear almost daily in the hot months. So definitely a tool, not a rule, for me!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

YES, Style Fan. When your eyes are a VERY vivid/big/bright - you can bookend eye colour extremely successfully. Have a client with icy glass blue eyes, who wears light blue shoes with the best of them.

Helena, I don't need bread with the nutella. Straight out the jar is best. My "peanut butter".

Katerina, I suspect your preference for dark shoes is very intuitive. You have really long legs though, so I see little need for elongation!

I like to wear BOTH high and low contrast footwear with my bottoms. I like the pop of contrast AND the tonal effect.

jussie

Veteran

Katerina this concept is intriguing. I had never even thought of it before I read ylf. I think if I were to bookend taupe might be the way to go.
Saw a lady today with dark blonde hair carrying a taupe bag and it did look rather harmonious. Of course it gives a completely different vibe to your bookending. Yours is more “glamourous sophisticate” and taupe is more “I just went hiking and now I’ll have some quinoa”. Angie’s version of bookending is “Crisp Modern Euro”.

Katerina I agree you’ve been intuitively bookending :). The dark shoes definitely balance out the dark on top nicely.

lyn67

Veteran

I am 95% on the team elongating legline with footwear& 5% is for a careful pop of color on my shoes:-). I am blonde but have difficulties to bookend my hair with shoes for myself other than with the rare nude hose (see wiw yesterday) or bare legs(in summer). I don't know, but I would say, using big contrast on my legs does not do me any favor:-((.

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JAileen

Veteran

My hair is silver, verging on white, and that’s why I wear so much grey and silver footwear. That’s not to say I don’t wear dark footwear, but the other always seems to work.

Dianna

Veteran

Bookending was a new concept por me too, I had not heard of it before ylf. I have always liked dark footwear (black, navy, burgundy and to a lesser extent, dark brown), and also bright (red, fucshia, turquoise) ones. But I live in a place with a warm climate most of the time, and when I am wearing summery clothes and light colors, dark footwear seems too heavy, even with my dark hair. Nude shoes don't do it for me either, I have a couple of pairs, but I almost never reach for them. Bright shoes work sometimes, but not always. What do I wear instead? Metallic shoes and sandals have become my favorite footwear, as well as light colored footwear with metallic details. I try to great complements of shoes, scarves, and necklaces. One of my friends says that most of my shoes have one or more "matching" necklaces.