Style Dilemma: Brown Suit Solution

Barefoot writes:

I'm having a bit of a footwear crisis.

I found a great dark, dark brown suit on a super sale but I don't know what to wear on my feet! I don't think they make shoes dark enough for me to wear a matching brown and I'm now I'm stuck. (I've looked for brown and other colors, too) Here's the other issue...as I said, it was super on sale and the pants are a tiny, tiny bit too short to wear with my usual height heels (but the pants fall perfectly with kittens or flats) so I've got that limitation too.

I'm stuck, stuck I say. Please consider taking pity on me. Just think of the good you'll do for fashion kind in DC.

Thanks!

Dear Barefoot:

First off, no pity needed. You're clearly a smart, stylish woman who is willing to make teeny sacrifices in the name of a bargain. We've all been there.

Second. Exhale. Take a deep breath back in.

Third. Repeat after me: I will not try to match my shoe color to my suit. I'm getting flashes of government workers who've been in their Life Strides way too long.

Now. To the issue at hand. You've made a smart purchase, a suit that works with flats and kitten heels. It's a great thing to have on a day when your feet just can't take the heels anymore. So we have to find you something good, different, and not brown. Here we go.

My first search stumbled across these DRU New York slingbacks (thanks, Girlshop.com!). They have lots of potential - to go either way. Very autumnal in their colors, the pattern makes them interesting. But beware, you could easily end up back in government-worker-land. Add in a couple of really chunky modern gold accessories (go just a leeeetle over the top) to make it "now," and for heaven's sake, don't wear your standby pearls. It's tempting - I know I'd reach for them, but I know in my heart that it would just dump me right into the land of frumpy. If you have to wear pearls, pick the biggest ones you've got. Or layer, layer, layer.

Next up, bitty Dodie wedges from Target. They are admittedly much more adventurous in their print than the DRU pair, but the plus here is that you can keep accessories demure and let your feet do the talkin'. Personally, I'm a sucker for an animal print. (Argh! Blooger be @#$%@#! Just follow the link - they're sweet!)

Lastly, I'm going back to the brown/black debate. Dark brown would look lucious with a pair of black patent leather flats or kittens. A little sweet, a little sophistication. And shiny, shiny, shiny. Somehow the patent acts like a pattern and makes it infinitely wearable with just about everything. Nine West's Moonglow (love the name!) comes in black, or if you're feeling adventurous, a deep red that could do wonders with brown, depending on the exact hue.

Hope this gets you going in the right direction, Barefoot. Let us know what you decide!

And one last note: In a follow-up question, 31204ever asked (on behalf of her sister) what color to wear with navy. This, too, is much debated. My answer: it depends. It depends on the shade of navy, on slacks/skirt, on the type of shoe. So please, please, please, don't limit yourselves with old-fashioned rules of "black & navy don't go." Take the clothes with you, or better yet, wear them, and try it all. Try something you don't even think will work. It just might. Check out a couple of shots on The Sartorialist for a little inspiration. The comment debates are always interesting. Try this mix of navy, grey, and chocolate or this discssion on blue & black.