How not to look frumpy in a clunkier shoe

Hi, Deborah and JoJami,

I would love your advice on how not to look frumpy when I have to wear clunker shoes because of foot problems. Because of an old skiing injury, I have been unable to wear heels since I was in my 20’s, which makes it hard to look and feel sexy, or even professional, when I want to dress up. I’m limited to certain brands of shoes recommended by my foot doctor and orthopedic surgeon so it’s not just a matter of being able to wear flats.

For example, I’d love to wear leggings this Fall as shown in the photo on your website, but I can’t wear heels.

I’d appreciate any advice you can give me. Many thanks!

- Nancy

Dear Nancy,

We sure wish we could wave a magic wand with your problem, but it is not that simple. However, your problem is one that many women face. We get letters all the time from women that can not wear heels.

That being said, you can still look fabulous but just have to try styles that might not be the latest trends.

The good news for you is that with styles changing so often, almost anything goes when it comes to pant styles.

When you are stuck having to wear clunky shoes, there are several things to make sure you do not do. First off, is leggings will be out of the question for you. Since the style is really a “pencil” shape, no matter what you do, legging will just not look good with a clunky shoe. Instead, you will need to opt for any pant that has a wide leg and (or) has some flair at the bottom.

This will still be stylish, and you can wear almost any shoe. Also, there are some great brands of shoes out there that do sell some comfortable shoes that don’t look orthopedic.

Here are some styles from Zappos.com that we suggest:

These Taryn Rose flats are comfy and stylish	Actually if you can wear this type of flat shoe you could still wear it with a skinny jean and look great!
This is good with pants only!	Once you have to start wearing more orthopedic looking shoes like these, you can easily see that style starts going out the window.
Another simple but elegant choice	However once again, if you wear these with the right style of well-fitted pants, you will still look great!

Ballet Flats to the Rescue…

Leave it to my (JoJami’s) niece Abigail to share with me the latest in fashion vending machines!

Have you ever been out late at night in your heels and just find that final walk back to the car can be a real pain!

Here is a vending machine that doles out little ballet flats you can slip on when needed!

Just thought it was amusing and actually really enjoyed the rest of the site too.

It is called The Frisky.com...and I must admit, I think we can all use a little more “frisky” in our life!!!

Can Colorful Shoes Make You Look Young and Modern? Part 2

BALLET FLATS

Ballet flats can be worn with most anything, but we think they look best with walking shorts or capris. These coral beauties from Tory Burch have a classic feel, but the color makes them new and interesting.	Coral looks classiest paired with neutrals like brown, tan, gold and white. This is a great weekend or vacation look. If you love color, you could go one step further and wear a multicolored top with coral in it (i.e., a turquoise-coral-yellow top with neutral walking shorts and coral flats).
Here’s a pretty ballet flat in lavender suede that’s a little more formal with snake embossed leather covered buttons.	Sometimes you just get lucky and find the perfect top to match your shoes. There are so many of these feminine colorful chiffon tops around that it shouldn’t be hard to find one that works. BUT DON’T wear a top like this with these teensy shorts (as if we really had to tell you)! Instead, try putting the top and flats with some great dark denim jeans.

9 Tips for Looking Fabulous After 40 in Tall Boots

Wondering how to dress after 40 to look sexy and hip, but still age appropriate?  Buy yourself a pair of tall boots! Be they high heeled or flat, boots that cover your calves and sit just below the knee are alluring, chic, and ageless.

Here are 9 Top Tips for How to Wear Tall Boots:
1. When wearing pants tucked into flat boots make sure the boot is tight enough around the calf, so there’s no gap. Any gaping will make your legs look twice as bulky.

2. Boots are most flattering to the leg when they go all the way up to the knee like these chic Croc boots. Be picky, don’t buy a boot that is 2/3 length, unless you will be only wearing them under pants.

3. A suede boot will always be the best choice for comfort.

4. If you have large calves, choose a pair of these Viva Spiga rouge boots with hidden elastic goring that adds stretch at the 15 inch circumference collar.

5. Avoid boots with too many straps or too much bling on them. A simple classic boot looks more elegant and age appropriate and won’t date as fast.

6. For comfort, a wedge heeled boot is a great option. You’ll be able to walk for miles in comfort and still look tall!

7. The newest style of boot has an asymetrical cuff at the top of the boot. It’s a very youthful look and is meant to be worn with a more casual outfit. If you want to give it a try, wear your flat cuffed boots with jeans. Don’t spend too much on these boots as they are super trendy and might not be the “in look” next year.

8. Don’t forget to pair your boots with tights for a modern look. Nylons are too lightweight and will make you look dated. Black tights (or leggings) would be great these gorgeous black suede boots. Your tights should match the color of your boots in order to elongate your legs and make them look lean and sexy!

9. The slimmer the outfit the slimmer, the finer the boot. For example, a slim skirt and chunky, heavy boot like these DON’T mix. Best to save these for pants.

Is Marc Jacobs really worth the splurge?

Have you taken a look at price tags lately in the designer section?

According  to the New York Times, women are laying out big bucks for designer goods.

Just take for example the items above: This white shirt with the black trim is from Marc Jacobs and will set you back $530.00.

How about these Lanvin leather ballet flats for $530.00, or better yet, this very simple black dress from Proenza Schouler for $1,525.

These are just a few examples of what you will expect to see at the stores this coming fall.

We think you ladies are smarter than this. If your going to shell out the big bucks on fashion make sure it for the right thing. This white blouse may have a designer label in it but, the reality is, it can easily stain. It would be much better to find a similar blouse that is not so pricey, in case you slurp spaghetti sauce on it by accident.

Next, there are tons of ballet flats out there, that are very comfortable and stylish for under $200, even under $100!  Don’t you just end up scuffing them up after a couple of weeks anyhow?

Finally, this plain black dress does not get our vote and is NOT worth the splurge.I t’s price tag is much too high for too little style. Boring!

It’s fine to add a few pricey pieces to your wardrobe. Just make sure that they are classics so you’ll be able to wear them year after year, and be certain you absolutely love and adore them. Then you can make a purchase that is truly justifiable!