Q. Like most women, I love shoes - particularly those beautiful designer ones with sky-high heels and prices to match. The only problem I have is knowing what pair of shoes I should wear with each outfit. Can you suggest the best shoes to compliment each look?
A. One of my favourite topics. What girls don’t love a pair of gorgeous, glamorous shoes - but so many of us just do not know how to wear them. Great shoes should add the finishing tough to any look, pulling your whole look together but so many of us get it wrong. First things first. It’s summer, so ditch any clumpy dark brown or black shoes or boots, as they look just awful with this seasons ice cream pastels and fresh whites. Instead, look for shoes in neutrals or white, as these will work best with your look.
If you have short legs, copy Victoria Beckhams favourite trick and invest in a pair of high heeled nude or beige court shoes. Not only will they go with just about anything, they’ll also make your legs appear much, much longer. Petite girls should always avoid any kind of a shoe or sandal with an ankle strap, as this will only shorten your leg and make it look wider. What you really want is to create a long fluid line that makes legs appear longer and slimmer, so high heels are a great choice to lengthen and flatter your pins.
From Cherly Cole tottering around in sky-high Louboutins, to Gwyneth Paltrow attempting to negotiate stairs in 6in platform ankle-boots, no celebrity has been without a pair of skyscraping heels- and there’s a good reason for this, stilettos are the most flattering shoe of them all.
For evening, remember to wear a stiletto that either contrasts or compliments your look. Don’t go to that old favourite - the black shoe - unless you are wearing, for example, a black cocktail dress. I’ve seen so many women ruin a beautiful subtle evening dress by paring it with a clumpy pair of black shoes - gold, nude and silver work so much better and can look just incredible when you co - ordinate it with a matching clutch.
This summer, of course, gladiator flats and flip flops are all the rage but these can only be worn with mini skirts and city shorts if you have the legs of, say, Naomi Campbell. The rest of us mere mortals need to wear these styles with care , teaming them with flowing maxi dresses or Grecian style gowns for the most flattering and stylish option.
If you want to wear a mini skirt or short shorts, ankle boots should be avoided at all costs as they make your legs seem bulkier and shorter than they actually are. Women with very thin legs might also struggle pulling off this look, as skinny calves could appear to be swimming inside of ankle boots.
Remember, the larger your shoe is the slimmer your leg will appear that’s why many celebrities, such as Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston and Gwen Stefani are often pictured wearing wedge heels when they are pictures in glossy magazines. They are made to create the illusion that you are taller, your legs are longer and your bottom is perter than it really is. And that's why I love wedges. Unlike the common old pump (a poor excuse for a shoe); wedges do all of the above and more.
Problem solved.
