Selecting shoe color

Aida

How do you all determine which shades/colors to buy shoes in? I'd very much like to expand my boot collection but I'm hesitant to make any purchases because I don't know which colors to pick. I'm curious to hear some of the strategies you all use in deciding this.

13 years ago

Shopping

10 replies

Latest reply was from Aida

cloud9

Veteran

pretty much all my shoes are in neutral colors. I typically pick a color I don't have in a particular style. So if I already have an OTK boot in black, then the next one would be brown, cognac, gray, etc. If I have a black flat, than I'd get another color (or patent leather) if I want another flat. So typically I don't have exact same color/texture for the same heel height.

13 years ago

taylor

Veteran

I agree , neutrals are a good place to start and will give you quite a variety!

13 years ago

Aida

Veteran

My current boot situation is:
1 black slouchy flat mid-calf boot
1 black below-the-knee suede heeled boot
1 light brown below-the-knee flat riding boot
1 gray peep toe ankle boot
1 charcoal lace-up heeled bootie
1 light brown lace-up heeled bootie
1 ivory heeled bootie

I'd love another tall suede heeled boot (picking between either light gray or dark brown), and another ankle (picking between gray or brown). And of course a sleek, 70s style 2-3" heeled black/dark brown pair but that will take some hunting.

I suppose my hesitation is that I don't want to get both boots then wish that I'd gotten them in the other color, you know?

EDIT: Added the ivory booties, forgot about those.

13 years ago

taylor

Veteran

You have a nice boot collection:)

13 years ago

Aida

Veteran

Thanks Taylor, I felt like it was really small until I typed it out and saw the list >< It's still not as versatile as I'd like unfortunately. I find myself going to boots a lot this season and wishing I had a few more to choose from; I'm especially lacking in browns.

13 years ago

taylor

Veteran

I know what you mean. I had literally 2 pr. of boots and now I have added 4 more pair and some peep toe booties!! I guess we are hooked") in a good way!

13 years ago

Steph

Veteran

Aida, it sounds like you have a good base. I think it makes the most sense to start thinking about holes, and since you feel like you're really lacking brown, that's probably what I would go for first. Filling holes is how I generally shop for shoes, but I also remain permanently willing to consider and purchase a shoe that is a non-neutral color whenever I see one I like. I feel like they are far less common, so I snap them up when they come along. That's how I have acquired kelly green peep-toes, pastel floral sandals, navy patent pumps with gold balls on the vamp, and cream peep-toes with bright red cherries (with kelly green stems). For me, part of the fun of shoes is having those options as well, but I never really search for them--I happen upon them.

13 years ago

Marley

Veteran

Aida, since most of my clothes are neutral colors, I tend to just get a few shoes/boots in neutral colors, and then expand to more colorful shoewear. I find that I get soooo much wear out of the colorful shoewear because it just adds a nice pop of color to my outfits - I often coordinate my shoes/boots to my jewelry or scarves. Also, I tend to wear almost exculsively "cool" colors - so I have very few brown shoes/boots - but rather, grays, blacks, blues, teals, purples, burgandy, cherry reds, etc. are all colors that I have in shoe/boot-wear that work for my wardrobe. I do not get hung up at all on having to have both brown, gray, and black in each style, heel heighth, etc. - for example, I have a pair of dark lace-up gray flat-heeled boots that work for either black or gray, so I don't feel a need to buy a black lace-up flat-heeled boot. The gray pair fills in just fine!

13 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This should be a blog post topic! I will answer you then, Aida. In the meantime, read this post. We started Maria's Autumn and Winter footwear collection from scratch:

http://youlookfab.com/2010/10/.....-footwear/

13 years ago

Aida

Veteran

Steph - I'm not sure I have the fashion guts to wear colored boots just yet, but if the right navy pair came along I'd have a hard time passing it up.

Marley - Right now I kind of have one boot per style/hight/etc (except booties), but since I wear neutral bases of both black/gray and brown I've been having a hard time getting the looks I'm after with the boots I've got. I suppose I should pick one neutral base, but I really like both

Angie - That would be very excellent! I think the biggest problem I have is that since most of my wardrobe pieces are fairly simple, I'd really love to have boots (and shoes too, for that matter) that are more fun and give me a chance to easily change my look up.

13 years ago

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