How To Put A Spring In Your Step

 

For once in my overly verbal existence, I’m going to get straight to the point with a little game…

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE!

Dress and Shoes at Very.co.uk

Dress and Shoes at Very.co.uk

Anyone? OK, I know the dresses are different styles but apart from that?

What about this one?

Kate Middleton in all red

Kate Middleton in white dress and RED SHOES

Can you see it now?

Shoes. They make all the difference. There’s nothing wrong with the nude shoes on the model on the left in the floral dress but how much more interesting is the very similar look with bright blue sandals added? Kate Middleton rarely puts a foot wrong with her outfits except that she tends to play it extraordinarily safe when accessorising. And yet this is the simplest way to personalise a sensible look or make something run of the mill look that little bit more memorable.

Mid heels reduced to £19.99 at Zara

Espadrilles reduced to£19.99 at Zara

This summer shoes are more fabulous and more varied than ever before in the history of feet. Whether you like a flip flop or a sky scraper heel, canvas or embellishment, there is something out there for you. What’s more it’s probably now reduced in the end of season sales too. Stick to your favoured style if you must (it’s sticky out there, you’ve got to be comfortable, I get it) but inject a splash of colour to the mix. You may get lucky like Kate and find the perfect pair of red shoes to go with your red dress but it’d be far less predictable to go for bright blue or purple instead. The unexpected pop of colour in her white ensemble was probably a way of avoiding the dreaded white stiletto headlines, but in choosing red accessories Kate’s look is fresh and contemporary and so much better than the slippery shoe slope she very nearly disappeared down at the start of her marriage:

Kate Middleton and Camilla Parker Bowles (or whatever their names are now)

When something has become the royal staple, it’s time to move on. Besides no-one wants to be wearing the same shoes as their mother-in-law do they? There’s nothing offensive about this look, it’s just so ‘meh’ and if I was marking KM I’d feel obliged to write must try harder alongside this photograph. Unless the aim is to appear as if you don’t actually have feet and that your legs just taper off into a toe-less stump (much like Barbie’s nipple-free boobs) in which case fine; excellent work.

Actress Alison Brie – red shoes rather then black – full marks!

Heels £25 at very.co.uk

Flats reduced to £15.99 at Zara

Shoes are far enough away from your face (usually) for you to get away with experimenting with a colour you’d never normally feel comfortable with. For me that would be an orange or bright yellow. Very convenient indeed as there are loads of orange and yellow shoes on the high street just begging to be paired with a boring pair of blue jeans or a sensible grey shift dress.

The colour pop works for all ages and all outfits, from workwear to beachwear (shout out to my very stylish friend Dina who even wore bright red shoes with her ivory wedding gown – and she’s a head teacher so there). Once you’ve popped your first acid bright, black boots and navy shoes will seem sooo dull, you’ll never look back.

Emma Stone in yellow pumps

Heels reduced to £79.90 at Uterque.com

Trainers reduced to £19.99 at Zara

Also – and this isn’t really the sort of thing I should say as a personal stylist – but if you’re having a bad hair/face/mum tum day then drawing attention to your eye-catchingly shod feet is an excellent idea all round, in addition to making you smile every time you look down. Just look how chuffed Alison and Reese look!

Reese Witherspooon – orange heels – hooraay!

Heels reduced to £85 at Reiss

Converse reduced to £30 at Office

And if that doesn’t make you smile, then  just take a look at the shoes I’ve ordered myself from the ASOS sale…. I’m not joking I really have…

Embellished shoes reduced to £31.50 at asos.com

Have a fabulous weekend lovely readers!