While your grandmother might not have left the house without matching her shoes to her handbag, the style mantra in recent years has been quite the opposite: Avoid matchy-matchy looks like the plague. Well, it seems that fashion rule is about to go out the window, as we couldn’t help but notice that street style stars have been matching their shoes to their outfit.
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We don’t mean wearing all black either, but rather pairing a bright red dress with matching red shoes, for instance. So—because the women who gave this a go made it look so chic and polished—we’re now making it a point to try to match our shoes to our clothes this summer. Check out the three tips on how to make it work without looking like you’re from 1910.
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Photo: Imaxtree
1. Go for shoes in a slightly darker color than your outfit to avoid clashing.
Street style star Caroline Issa wowed in a red dress and matching red shoes recently. As far as imitating the look, Issa was smart to pair her knit dress with satin shoes which helped her avoid wearing clashing reds, and broke up the outfit with a statement snakeskin vest. The trick to making this work is to opt for shoes in a slightly darker color than your outfit, even if the difference in color is incredibly subtle.
Photo: Imaxtree
2. Take the look for a test drive with a print dress and matching colored shoes.
Let’s call this matching for beginners: We are seriously digging this chambray stripe dress paired with matching blue shoes. Yes, the dress and shoes are the same color, but because of the stripe print some of the pressure is taken off of trying not to clash.
Photo: Getty
3. Want to make a major statement? Just go for it matching a print or embellished outfit with your shoes.
This Dolce & Gabbana look worn by street style queen Anna Dello Russo feels like the ultimate fashion indulgence thanks to the matching embellished dress and shoes. Don’t have a budget for Dolce? Retailers like J.Crew will often make shoes in the same print fabrics as their clothing offerings, a much less expensive way to get this look.