Fashion Foundation: {Shoes}

This post on what you should have in your foundation closet for shoes has been soooo difficult for me to articulate and write. I cannot in any honesty sit here and tell you to only buy a set few basic pairs of shoes and make every outfit work with them. Why? Well--confession time--I don't really believe you can have too many shoes. There. I said it. I stopped counting my own pairs at 80. Yes. 80. If you could win a medal in clearance shoe shopping, I would have several gold ones. And I know that 80 is a big number for some of you but a tiny number for a crowd of you too. Own it and accept it wherever you are in the shoe realm. No judgement or snarky comments here. Now that that's off my chest I do want to actually talk about shoes for a bit. Shoes are a very personal thing to a lot of people. There are the people who are totally shoe-comfort people. There are those that suffer in their shoes for fashion. There are those that wear the shoe if it fits regardless of comfort or style. I am one of those that enjoys comfort but will totally suffer if an uncomfortable shoe makes an outfit outstanding. Shoes have the ability to take an outfit from blah to BAM in about 2 seconds.

There are four main types of shoes to keep in mind when you are out shopping. Having a nice variety in each category (3-4 of each maybe?....who am I kidding?!) will give your shoe foundation a solid start.

1. Boots: All types. All heels, heights, and colors. Let your boot socks peek out and you just mastered the art of adorable.

2. Flats: Comfort and fashion make nice and play in these babies. Invest in a great insole though. It will give your foot the proper arch that flats can sometimes, well, fall flat on. (EVERYONE needs a pair of cheetah/jaguar print flats. We firmly believe they go with just about anything and everything!!)

3. Pumps: Ditto on the boots. Love my black and nude pumps. I wear them all the time.

3. Sandals: Wedges, strappy, T-style, gladiator...on and on and on. Yum.

The biggest deal about shoes however comes in the next four items--regardless if we are talking boots, pumps, or sandals. You must consider these four things when buying any shoes and when choosing what to wear each day.

1. Heel: 
What is your day going to be like? Will you be sitting most of the day? Standing? Walking long distances? What is the hemline of your pants? You should have several shoes that have different heel heights to accommodate your outfit and your lifestyle. Again, we strongly suggest investing in a stellar insole to maximize your comfort level while in heels.

2. Color
The color of your shoe can be the ONE thing that makes your outfit stand out. Wearing all black? Pop with a green flat or heel. Rocking a particularly loud colored outfit? Tone it down with a lovely nude pump. Accent with a cognac accessories including a great cognac boot and your whole outfit will look effortlessly pulled together. Try and find 3-4 pairs of shoes in universally flattering colors and they will make your outfits look amazing. My four favorites? Mustard, green, red and an animal print. Add in a few neutral leather tones and you will be SET.

3. Purpose
Let's be honest. A shoe can ruin an outfit too. If the shoe does not match the purpose of the outfit...ouch. You could have a perfectly pulled together outfit and then throw on the wrong shoes and the whole thing goes down the drain. For example: Adorable lace tee, jean jacket, boyfriend style green capris and.....running shoes. Really? Running shoes are for RUNNING. They have a purpose. Use them for that purpose. Want comfy tennis-like shoes to finish off this outfit? Try a pair of Vans or Sperrys instead. Similarly, don't wear an adorable dress and then finish it off with a pair of Keens. Gracious. Some of you are thinking...but my Keens (or tennis shoes) are comfy. I get it. I don't disagree with you. However, I do think you can have comfort AND style at the same time.

4. Weather
There is nothing worse (fashion wise) than choosing to wear flats on a rainy day only to step in a puddle and ruin your shoes AND the hem of your pants. Trust me, I've been there and it bites. I now have no problem mucking around in my Bogs and then changing into my cute flats once I am INSIDE. Keep your shoes from being ruined by watching and paying attention to the weather. Be willing to keep your feet warm when warranted and break out the cute shoes when they are in no danger of getting snow and salt damage (this is a huge reality where I am from). I learned the hard way to protect my shoe investment.

If you were starting from scratch, the pics of shoes above would all be a great start to building a shoe foundation. Is there a shoe you can't live with out that goes with everything? Let us hear about it!