Dresses with Flats - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Dresses with Flats

christie

In Angie's post today, she mentions that she wears 10-hour flats with everything. As I have often complained on the forum, I walk so much, and I have such a hard time finding shoes that fit my walking, yet smart-dressed, life-style. Over the last couple of years, I have been expanding my dress collection to give me an alternative to the smart-casual jeans look I wear to work. I would really love to wear flats with my dresses (and one skirt--I'm not really a skirt person, I realized, but I love dresses), but I always feel frumpy, like all that's missing is a twin-set. I was wondering if any of you who have pulled off the dress/skirt with flats look (for smart to dressy ensembles) would mind sharing photos, so I can get ideas on the kinds of shoes and dresses that work, and also so I can adjust my eye to the look.

Also, please tell me what your favorite shoes are for dressy/smart flats!

Thanks!

Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Inge

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Antje and Ana wear flats with dresses and skirts all the time too. I think it depends on the style of the flats.

hanna

(website)

i wear dresses with flats all the time, but as i only joined ylf in december, i don't really have any photos! when it gets warmer it is definitely a look i will be sporting.

i think it has a lot to do with the style of flat, as angie says, and also proportion. with a true ballet-style flat, i would not wear a skirt that goes past the knees - at or above the knee would be my cut-off point. otherwise, i've also found that a slight wedge heel can be very comfortable, and that little bit of elevation makes all the difference in how the dress falls too.

christie

Do you (Angie/Hanna) have any suggestions as to the style of flat that looks best?

ChristineB

I got lots of compliments from forum members on this outfit when I posted it a couple of weeks ago

http://s408.photobucket.com/al.....010663.jpg

These are Old Navy ballet flats, and I found them very comfy. I don't have finicky feet, though.

Christine

Kari

Veteran

Christie, I don't know if any of these are good examples of the style you're seeking to find - I haven't worn this look a lot since it's still cold here, but I like skirts/dresses and flats a lot in warmer weather or when my feet complain about wearing pumps.
http://inkariswardrobe.blogspo.....n-red.html
http://inkariswardrobe.blogspo.....rsday.html
http://inkariswardrobe.blogspo.....esday.html

My all-time, nearly worn out favorite flats are a style by Dune that I bought on clearance in the UK a couple years ago, and my most supportive flats that are still in the stores are Me Too Nini (available at DSW.) I have Me Too Scout flats (a discontinued style) that are very comfortable, but because they have a big leather flower on each toe, they aren't worn as often because the style and pink color is pretty spring/summery. I know a lot of others around here love Me Too Swanns (now available on DSW online - I'm seriously tempted to break my shopping ban to see if the shoe is worth the hype.)

Maya

Veteran

I think people who are accustomed to wearing heels will always feel a bit dumpy in flats. It might just be a matter of persistence and adjustment. You're also not limited to very flat flats. I find tacking on a 1" wedge heel to a ballet flat gives just the right amount of lift and yet still feels like a flat.

What kind of flats are you wearing anyway? They should have a low vamp, and personally, I like some sort of detailing, however subtle, to step them up from just being a boring pair of flats. It can be a dainty bow, a bright color, a texture, color contrast (as in the Swanns), contrast stitching, or any other number of factors. There are so many possibilities that getting a basic black plain flat just seems sad to me.

hanna

(website)

christie, here are a couple of my ballet flats with a slight wedge heel, as maya also mentioned:

purple -
http://i220.photobucket.com/al.....000464.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/al.....000466.jpg

and yellow -
http://i220.photobucket.com/al.....000781.jpg

i don't have a picture of the heel for the yellow but the height is the same as the purple. i think they fit the bill for slight height with the interesting details maya mentioned. they serve me well with both skirts and pants. hope that helps!

shana

Veteran

Christie, I feel the same - wearing a flat with a dress or skirt makes me feel like a little girl. I also feel that flats make my feet look wide (I know, very silly). Since I am petite (5'), I almost always wear some kind of heel with dresses and skirts. I think the wedged flat like the ones that hanna has shown would be a good compromise, especially if you were able to find them in a "comfort" brand (privo for example).

Laura

(website)

Veteran

It seems that a very tiny wedge might be the way to go if flats aren't your preference with dresses - but you also might get accustomed to flats if you gave them a try once or twice. I'm 5' 4" and it took me a little while to adjust to flats, but eventually I came to love them both in terms of comfort and the look. You won't look juvenile if you're wearing a grown-up looking dress or skirt!

shiny

Veteran

I'm also in agreement that with flats you want a hem that hits at the knee or slightly above it. Anything longer and you need more heel, in my experience (and fyi I'm 5'0").

You want a flat with a low vamp. Metallics and lighter or even nude colors are good, because they help elongate the leg.

I like Me-Too Nini's (I have them in bronze) and Cole Haan with Air Nike technology (I have them in a lovely pinkish pearl metallic). Those are my go-to 10-hour flats. I would love to add a silver pair next.

April

Veteran

I have decided that one key with any type of flats, whether to be worn with dresses or anything else, is that they need *some* type of defined, visible heel. I'm not saying it even has to be one inch -- it could be a quarter-inch -- but no heel at all, where the sole of the shoe is one continuous line, to my eye looks much less polished and more dowdy. For example:

Here is a red patent loafer-style with a very small but visible heel:

http://www.shoes.com/Shopping/.....pg=5096061

And here is another red patent loafer where the sole is all one continuous line:

http://www.shoes.com/Shopping/.....pg=5096918

I know the second shoe is also more casual in other ways, but I'm just using it as an illustration of the difference between visible heel (no matter how flat) and no visible heel. I think the same is true of ballet flats. You don't want them to look like actual ballet shoes.

Anonymous

For some reason I feel like I can get away with low vamp flats with skirts but with dresses I like a bit of heel or wedge. I have good luck with MeToo, Aerosoles, and even Dr. Scholls flats. For casual skirts I like an athletic flat. Many swear by Privos by Clarks, but they don't fit my foot comfortably. I wish they did and you should try them. I like Bare Traps the best.

GoXtina

(website)

I used to wear a simple black flat with a bow. It's one that I only wear to walk around in China and it's really comfty. I used to wear it with dresses and it's versatile.

http://img.photobucket.com/alb.....ina111.jpg

I don't have this flats anymore and I have no picture that shows my shoes closer than this. The flat is made of suede by the way ^_^.

Antje

Veteran

Hi Christie, I have a lot of flats and wear all of them with dresses. I don't have pictures of outfits (but can take some later this spring/summer), but here is a picture of my flats as of last June. Actually, two of the pairs have small kitten heels, but the rest are true flats. I've worn all of them with dresses; my dresses are all about knee length, mostly A-line and jersey wrap dresses. http://s291.photobucket.com/al.....YLF/Flats/ (password: youlookfab)
Hope this helps.

Maya

Veteran

I would steer clear of loafer type shoes. Not to call you out April I just think those kind of shoes are not right for skirts because the vamp is not low enough. With flats, you really need to show as much foot as possible.

christie

Thank you for this information everyone. I really appreciate it.

Antje, thanks for the photo. Those shoes are gorgeous. You have really inspired me to look for some other flats. Most of my flats are ballet-style with no heel at all. They look great with jeans, but not so great with dresses. I understand why now.

And Maya, I will stay clear of the loafer-type. Actually, I don't prefer that look even with work clothes. They feel too old for me. But I appreciate the look on others.

Patience

Veteran

What about these:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/30.....rchresults

christie

Patience, I love those! I wonder whether they would be 10 hour shoes (or at least, walk-for-2-miles-plus-work shoes).

Inge

(website)

I agree with the others that dresses and skirts that hit you on or slightly above the knee look best with flats.
But I also think it depends on the shape of your leg. E.g. I have lean calves but my ankles aren't very dainty and whenever I wear flats with a dress or skirt I feel I look more stumpy and larger than I really am. That's why I prefer at least a small heel or wedges.

The Ska pumps Patience posted look great!