Shoe fanatics rejoice! These days there’s been an influx of fun new footwear options in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and heights. There has been, however, an interesting polarization of styles. The middle ground is no longer most prevalent; shoe extremes have taken precedence, whether they be massive, chunky, borderline stripper-esque creations or sweet, low-key, little vintage-style pumps. Both are fun and fabulous, and both are readily available. But how does one choose between them?
There’s something undeniably fabulous about the 8-pound, lace-up, zippered-all-over bear traps that have become ubiquitous among the hip set. These are the monster trucks of the shoe world, and they stomp all over the pavement with loud, satisfying clacks. One exceedingly popular example of this is the Lita boot by Jeffrey Campbell, which has achieved cult status (there are entire blogs dedicated to them) and comes in every color and finish under the sun. They pair well, surprisingly, with almost everything–especially cigarette-leg jeans and short dresses showing lots of leg. They provide a stunningly solid anchor to even the most ethereal getups (like an awesome Clydesdale pony) and are comfortable to boot. Though not for the faint of heart, boots like these really do mix seamlessly into almost any wardrobe. Such shoes may inspire a few snide comments (“How do you even walk in those?” “Please don’t kill me!” “Workin’ real hard to pay off those student loans, eh?”). Just toss your hair, smile, and remember that you are fabulous and you can kick aside anything in your way while wearing those shoes.
On the other side of the spectrum are a bevy of lovely little low-heeled pumps that harken back to the days of matching sweater-sets, pegged trousers, and full skirts. Cap toes, bows, quilting, kitten heels–these are all features of the latest crop of sweet treats. They pair well with anything sweet (try polishing off a cinched-waist dress with a full skirt with a pair of these babies) but also suit almost any outfit you could put together. Try them with jeans and a blazer, or with a cable-knit sweater and miniskirt. Just because they’re sweet doesn’t mean they have to be saccharine! Look for a pair in rich jewel tones to avoid an Easter-egg vibe, or go full-on sweet in pastel tones.
Remember, your choice of footwear is not a life sentence to commit to whatever style you wear on your toes. Feel free to embrace the vibe and dress according to your shoes, but also think about mixing it up! Don your adorable court pumps with a leather jacket and eyeliner, or pair some six-inch-high biker boots with a lacy midi skirt. You can embrace the full vibe or dive into a world of sartorial contrasts! Just have fun, experiment, and revel in your stylishness!
Love love love the Clydesdale pony analogy! I call them my baby giraffe shoes from time-to-time too…can be a little wobbly on brick pavement.
Just to clarify – Clydesdales aren’t ponies. If you want to refer to a baby horse of any breed, it’s called a foal. A pony isn’t a baby horse – it’s a horse that, when fully grown, is under a certain height. Clydesdales are (huge) draft horses, so they aren’t nearly small enough to be ponies! 🙂