Shoes and Clothing - How to Select the Right Shoes for your Clothing

By Desiree Stimpert, About.com Guide

The first step in selecting the best shoes is choosing shoes that complement your clothing, rather than ones that compete with your outfit.

For that reason, I always recommend pairing busier shoes with simple outfits, and wearing simple shoes with clothing that features a lot of prints, embellishments or dynamic accessories. It can be tricky to find shoes that complement your clothing, without dominating or being overpowered by it, but the reality is, it's a simple balancing act.

• When you look in the mirror, does one element of your outfit stand out more than the others?


• Is your outfit too chaotic? i.e. Are the sequins on your shoes competing with the crystals on your dress?


• Do your shoes and clothing blend together too much? i.e. Do your black pants, black turtleneck, and black booties all look like one long body suit?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, then the quickest way to pull together a cohesive look is to simply try on another pair of shoes, and ask yourself the questions again.

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• Choosing Shoes that will Complement Your Clothing
• Shoes and Clothing - Selecting the Right Shoes and Clothing for the Occasion
• Shoes and Clothing - Matching Shoes to the Clothing of the Season
• Shoes and Clothing - Choosing the Right Color Shoes for Your Clothing

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