Pumps for footwear capsule--hit or miss?

Feeling unsettled now that it's pretty clear I don't have a good bead on my style direction and especially footwear, but here goes:

I like the look of a "pump" or pump-like shoe with dresses and skirts for some occasions, but can't wear high or thin heels. It is very hard to go out one day or even over weeks and find a wearable shoe like that for a given dress or pencil skirt. That is also true for my fussy feet for most footwear. So I am almost in the situation of securing footwear that is fun and comfortable and building outfits around them than vice versa.

I learned the chunkier heels and the almond or slightly rounded toe with roomier toe box are more likely to be wearable, so I was keeping my eye out for that style to try on when I see them. My idea was that I should add them when I came across some that would "go" with items and colors I have or am likely to want to wear. I have already a black and a nude patent pump by AK, but the fit on them has a notable gap at the heel that I tried to overlook since I was desperate for some dressier footwear, but now it is bothering me IRL as looking ill-fitting.

Here are 2 pairs that fit better and are quite wearable, and I confess, with trepidation, that I like how they look on my feet. The nude pair helps me with spring and summer outfits. The teal was unexpected, as perhaps not as versatile as a neutral, but as you can see it's a dark color, black heel, has the buckle detail and goes with black, brown, taupe, gray, even some actual "colors" and I thought it might add a bit of interest.

The other point is the closed toe--I can get a decent fit in some types of open-toed shoes but I want to wear sheer hose for these occasions, so that's been a problem, so have been trying to be realistic and focus on closed-toe shoes.

It would be best if these appeared to be somewhat classic and would be wearable for several years, but I'm not doing too well at identifying "classic" from frumpy.

I would also like to keep in mind, especially in light of Suz and moira's reminders, how the combination of items in the outfit all work together in style-updating. Meaning, if this is a kind of shoe I like and can wear, would it behoove me to up the ante in other aspects of the outfits and would that be a style option for me?

What do you think? Nice options if styled in the right way, or hopelessly behind?

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13 years ago

missvee

Veteran

I think both pairs are classic and wearable. I particularly like the teal ones with the black detail. They will add great interest to a neutral outfit. I'm also chuckling at 'behoove' - pun intended?

Glory

I like both pairs and find them to be classic and you can jazz them up or down.

Suz

(website)

They look good. The teal will be fun to wear. It all comes down to the rest of the outfit. They are classic. If you want modern you will want to look for trendy elsewhere in the outfit.

Have you tried a heeled oxford? Unless you are fine with the standard classics, like this. For me, classic can easily borderline on frumpy, so maybe I'm not the best to ask . . .

unfrumped

missvee and glory--thank you for chiming in! Hooving away, missvee. My mind it is put more on hooves now that footwear is less streamlined, at the end of the leg.

Suz, I am trying to pay attention! If classic and not duds-ville, then it may be that I can use outfit formulas (not robotic, but intentional-ness) to create a fresh look with a shoe that works otherwise for my feet.

Mo, thanks for the suggestion. I am starting to think oxfords and heeled oxfords are something I should look into more, because I like footwear to fit closer around the top of the foot or ankle. I think. If I can understand what I like about what I like, and see what comes closest in "modern footwear", I might be able to climb out of the past decade (or millenium!).

It's funny, because some of the footwear reminds me of the heeled Bass weejuns that were popular back in the day.

Caro in Oz

Because these are suede or part suede they could read a little "heavy" imo. I agree with Mo sometimes classic shoes can take an outfit into frumpy rather than modern.

L'Abeille

Here's my $0.02 as someone with problems finding shoes: (And disclaimer: I have voted for styles others consider frumpy, like wearing socks with loafers in winter)

If the nude ones are comfy and a good price, they are worth getting. You say you need to have versatile dressy footwear to go with outfits and occasions you don't even know about yet. These would fill that bill nicely. The shape and colour are classic so they won't date easily. The different cap toe is a touch of modern. The nude colour will work any time of year, with any colour outfit (although the suede might be too warm/heavy for daytime wear in hot weather).

If fit and comfort are hard for you to find, you don't want to go so trendy that you will date yourself by wearing them a few years from now. You can use a studded clutch, or a denim jacket, or whatever the next trendy item is, to bring in the "now" to your outfit. But if I read you right, you are looking for a timeless style to put in a dressy-occasion capsule. Your preferred style may mutate as you fine tune, but these will still fit in--they just won't stand out.

The teal shoes, being more memorable, are less timeless.

caro, that did give me pause--it's just the ones they had at the time. My other nude pumps are all patent and I thought more versatile but have that gap. Glove leather would have been even more season-less.

L'Abeille, you make a good point. Both shoes were on sale and the teal ones are from TJMaxx but would still have to think whether to keep and wear for some fun, maybe only a year, or return and put that $$ toward something better.

Beth Ann

I think these are lovely --- elegant, interesting, but classic. Feet need to be happy, and there are many ways to add "edge to an outfit. Have you noted Kari's posts? She often wears shoes like this, never met a cardi or pencil skirt she couldn't like, and completely knocks it out of the park --- particularly with her color sense.

Beth Ann, I do admire Kari's outfits and sassy style so perhaps I can review "how she does it"!

Here's what I'm thinking--these 2 pairs of shoes, which were not expensive, plus some black ones I already have, give me a kind of "pump capsule" that gives me some sense of security that I can have something to wear with several of the dresses and skirts I already have. I mean I don't think rotten tomatoes will start flying when I walk out the door, but I have really appreciated the comments on how I could do a lot more to modernize the classic look, so I am up for some SYC/try-on sessions and trying out ways to add something unexpected to balance the classic parts of an outfit.

Then, I think this year, after LEAPING into my gateway Madden booties this past fall, is my year to try to find a couple of shoe trends or updates that still work for me but move in a more forward direction. So, not over-buying more of same pumps which would just give more of same look and silhouette.

Raisin

I like almond or round toe shapes for comfort as well. Have you tried a stacked or wedge heel? You can go a bit higher and they are still fairly comfy.

Mander

I do like the teal ones but somehow suede seems winter-y to me.

Aida

Both look like nice classic shoes, so I fully agree with Suz: Footwear is usually a good place to add trend, so when you want modern in an outfit, that element will have to come from somewhere else. I'm the reverse of you; I tend to dress less classically in my clothing but often tone that down with more classic footwear These will work nicely for what you've described, but if you want to up the ante then you may have to, say, wear a semi-slouchy sweater with that pencil skirt.

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