Choosing the Perfect Statement Shoe Color (Part 1)

9 Shoe Colors vs. 10 Outfits: The Best Match?

Statement shoes add a vibrant touch to a wardrobe and can truly make an outfit special. However, they can be a bit challenging to style compared to neutral-colored shoes, and therefore are not as versatile.

Shopping for these bright, attention-grabbing shoes on a budget can be tricky. Their standout nature means they should be of excellent quality, which often translates to a heftier price tag, especially if you are considering buying more than one color.

To explore this, I brushed up my (very bad) Photoshop skills and imported images of 10 monochrome outfits: 6 in neutrals and 4 in muted no-color colors. I then experimented in Photoshop with various shoe colors to see which paired best with each ensemble. The goal was to understand which type of color would go best with most of the outfits, and which ones are more tricky to style.

It's worth mentioning that the outfits I used for this exercise are pretty basic. My aim was to highlight how different shoe colors interact with various outfit hues. While I didn't go into bright colors or combinations, it's clear that these shoes can be styled in numerous innovative ways by mixing colors and textures. As always, this just one angle of looking at it, so it's essential to use your judgment and take it with a grain of salt.

Since this is a rather lengthy newsletter, I've divided it into two parts - part 2 is coming next Friday!

The Purples

Within the purple color family, lavender stands out as my top choice. It complements numerous outfits because of its muted shade. Though it might give off a cooler undertone, it beautifully pairs with all neutrals (except black and white). Furthermore, it works well with pink, blue, and green outfits and is a good addition to a navy or cool-toned wardrobe.

This purple hue is definitely a statement. Due to its brightness you have to thread carefully, but still a very nice color with many outfits and most of the neutrals.

The violet, blueish color is more challenging to style in my opinion. While the color itself is stunning, it seems a bit too close to blue and a bit too statement for neutrals.

The Pinks

Cool pink shades have some charm, but they seem to clash with many of the outfits, and not every neutral complements them well. The tone feels overly cool, and even taupe and brown don't quite match. This type of shoe might be challenging to pair based on my outfits, but of course, there are always other ways to style them.

Pale pink is a matter of taste. I appreciate its muted tones, but it does give a somewhat cold limb feeling on my skin tone, doesn't it? Nevertheless, certain shades of this pale pink can be quite promising and pair with a variety of colors, much like lavender.

Warm, neon pink is my favorite within the pink color family. While it's bright, it also melds well with neutrals and some of the no-color shades. It complements browns, greys, taupes, and pairs nicely with tonal looks; the rust set is decent with it too.

Her Majesty, Red

Red is truly a classic and actually works with so many colors and outfits: all the neutrals (except perhaps black), and most of the no-color outfits. No wonder it is the queen of classic colors.

The Oranges

Orange shoes, in my opinion, offer great versatility. They pair well with all neutrals, perhaps with the exception of navy and black. However, they don't complement blue or green monochrome outfits. While they can work with rust and pink no-color outfits, it often depends on the specific color scheme of the ensemble.

This mango shade is somewhat unique. It seems to pair well with browns, taupes, and greys, but not with black, navy, or white. I'm not fond of it with most of the no-color hues, except maybe pink. However, I believe this color can shine when matched with outfits that have vibrant elements; perhaps this selection of outfits just doesn't showcase its potential.

Next week, we'll explore the remaining colors: yellows, greens, and blues. Stay tuned!