21 March 2012

Style Dilemma: Blushing Toes

A few weeks ago, Kate tweeted for help finding "The Perfect Nude Pump." I happily said I'd help. A shoe hunt? Absolutely.

The kicker is, the "perfect" shoe is elusive, and not just because we have a Picture in Our Heads. There's fit, material, comfort, heel height, details...the list goes on. Never mind that, like Kate said, blush or nude is intimidating in the decision making realm. Too light? Too dark? Too pink? Too tan? Does skin color matter? And if skin color matters, what about those of us who get darker as we move into the warmer months (this is me not saying a single anti-tanning/browning-please-embrace-your-fair-skin word. not one)?

It's tempting, like I've done in the past, to "zappos" it, and buy 3-4 pair of shoes to try, returning what doesn't fit. Return policies nowadays are incredibly forgiving. It's a viable option, and a retailer like zappos or even amazon has a broad enough range of styles, brands, and price points to give us the options we need.

But it's overwhelming to shop online for shoes sometimes. So. Many. Pretty. Ones.

So, with a little prompting from the Woman With the Style Dilemma Herself (she tweeted me the Corso Como pair over the weekend), I got my rear end online and found a few - some traditional, some not - options. As for color, I personally don't think that there are any rules around pale skin/dark shoe or vice versa. That being said, I do think that your skin tone and shoe need to compliment each other. Unfortunately, there's no replacing going shoe shopping.

In the set below, there are some personal favorites (eagerly awaiting my own lillybee Kates, thankyouverymuch), and some unexpected brands (Jessica Simpson's heels, I've found, are predictably comfortable). Now, if you're looking for a straight pump, stick with the closed toe variety. I happen to adore the ever-sexy D'orsay silouhette, and the past few seasons of granny booties have grown on me. Snakeskin + granny bootie? Ok, so it's not exaaaaactly a nude pump. I just couldn't help myself. It's pretty.

As for what to wear with these pretty petal-like slippers? In my book, a nude pump goes with practically everything, from a dark suit you want to elevate to jeans and a fitted white T. Pale pink (because, let's face it, ladies, that's what it really is) blends in to your foot and ankle and elongates those fabulous gams of yours.

Kate, my dear? Get thee to the shoe store. And gleefully prance around, trying on every. single. pair. But you have to promise to report back in and tell us how you solved your Style Dilemma.


Nude Pumps

3 comments:

H said...

it would be nice if you actually did return your shoes

Kate said...

I ended up keeping the Corso Como! They're not *quite* as pink as I was hoping they would be, but I styled them last week with off-white trousers and a bright kelly green blouse, and they looked fantastic!

Alison Santighian said...

Kate, that outfit sounds devine, delightful, delicious...eep! stop with the ds! But seriously, I love the combo of kelly + off-white + nude.