Category: shoes
Spring Sandals
Man Mode: Rules of Belts and Shoes
One of my goals for the new year is to incorporate some styling advice for you into this lil ‘ol space of mine. Since I dress you in real life, it seems only fair that I include you in the style advice I offer here.
Great question! I think that there are a few rules of thumb to stick to, but I also think you can break them depending on the situation. Everyone knows black belts should be worn with black shoes, and brown belts should match tones of the brown shoes, right?… but is playing it safe really all that fun? If you want to be one in a million, that’s the easy answer. However, there are a few ways you can show your personality and be a little more stylish than the average joe… I’m breaking things down for you below:
- Blacks
- The more dressy the outfit, the more the need to match belt and shoes.
- When wearing a suit, your belt and shoes should match in color AND leather finish AND shine.
- Dress shoes require a dress belt when paired with suits and tailored trousers. Dress shoes paired with more casual business wear and jeans get a pass on pairing with dress belts. Matching texture and shine are more the concern in this situation.
- Browns: this is a whole different game. And you can get away with breaking the rules a bit. You go daredevil!
- The more dressy the outfit, the more the need to match belt and shoes in the same tones. Keeping to similar shades works great, and the pants will break up your look, so there’s no need to be too matchy-matchy.
- Just as with black, keeping to the same leather finish and choosing a dress belt when dressing in a suit should be your goal. You don’t want to opt for a beautifully shiny leather and then add a suede belt, for instance.
- Most style rules dictate that when wearing a dress shoe, the belt should match, but if you’re in a business casual environment, I definitely think you can bend the rules and play up personality. Try a brown-suede oxford with a belt in a pop of color. And yes, you can wear dress shoes with jeans {so long as it’s done correctly ;)}, and opt for a wider leather belt in a complimenting texture/shine.
Style Note: I always love finding clients a super great pair of socks that really bring out their personality. It’s a good way to add that lil somethin’ somethin’ to your business suit {or any outfit} while keeping it professional, especially if you’re not one to stand out too much. Socks, and ties for that matter, are perfect for playing with your style.
Next week’s topic: Wearing a suit without a tie…
Please drop me a note here, on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, email of any topics you might like to see so I can best serve you!
Shoesday Tuesday
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You’ll find shoes ranging from $30 to nearly $1,000 on this list… you know me, I’ll lust over shoes every day of the week whether they’re in my budget or not! A girl can dream, can’t she? 😉
I personally am always after a great steal, but whether or not you’re pockets run deep, I’ve put together some of my favorite lust-worthy styles for every budget… and because it’s the last day of the Nordstrom sale, I’ve included several styles from one of my favorite department stores. Since I just spent the weekend in Illinois, and am planning a snow trip in December, included are some must-have footwear for cooler weather.
Style note: Be bold. Choose prints, color-blocking, cutouts, and embellishments.
What shoe are you lusting after this fall?