Even if you were born with the “style gene”, it’s tricky to figure out what shoes to match with what. This summer put your best foot forward, as we bring young 7 of the hottest shoe styles, plus ideas for how to pull an outfit together around them.
1. Ballet flats
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Simple and chic, the ballet flat can be a great look great with skinny jeans, a nice flowing knee-length skirt or walking shorts. Ballet flats are perfect for travel especially if you are going to be doing a lot of walking. Look for the soft leather ones or the elasticized fold up type that slip easily into the corner of any suitcase.
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2. Sandals
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The less dressed you are, the less shoe you need. That’s why airy flat sandals,work best with full-blown summer looks that says casual and relaxed. Pair sandals with breezy sundresses, maxi dresses, shorts, or loose linen pants. Steer away from boring brown or beige run of the mill sandals. Instead choose sandals that say “now”. Metallic colors, like this pair add a little glitz or shine. They are considered a neutral and work with almost anything. The rope detail gives these a summer nautical feel.
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3. Gladiator Sandal
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Don’t let summer pass you by without a sexy pair of gladiator sandals. They’re hip modern and look great with pretty much anything. A neutral shade like this looks fabulous with all white, which is very much in style this summer, or with any other color.
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4. Wedges
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The wedge is the perfect shoe to update your wardrobe with. It looks youthful and fresh and works with almost everything from shorts to skirts, capris and pants. An added bonus- wedges are soooo comfortable to walk in! |
5. Platform
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Platforms are great, especially for shorter gals. They add height, yet are still relatively easy to walk in. Platforms can go from casual to dressy depending on the shoe. Stay away from platforms that are too heavy and clunky or you’ll end up looking like your teenage daughter. The thinner the platform the classier the look. This pair comes with the platforms built right into the shoes so you don’t see them on the outside. If you want to attract attention, just wear a platform with an A-line shirt, cotton shirt and fitted jacket, and enjoy the compliments. |
6. Dress shoes
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Never underestimate the power of a shoe-especially a dress shoe. Take a simple summer dress, match it with flip-flops and you have one look. Then pair it with some killer summer heels and you totally change the feel of your outfit. This season you can bring out a touch of your wild side by stepping out in shimmering snake-embossed wrapped heels from Michael Kors. They are a great way to jazz up an outfit or dress. Don’t forget to get a good pedicure!
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7. Sporty casual (running shoe)
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To look youthful, you’ve got to look current. So dump those boring heavy, white workout sneakers and experiment with trendier, sporty shoes. The Privo Ardea flat is a good choice. Cutouts detail the vamp of this sporty flat. You you can wear them with walking shorts, khakis, a nice sweat suit or perhaps a lightweight colorful straight leg jean. They be great for traveling when you go walking around Europe.
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For more help picking out the perfect shoes try Shoes-o-matic. Shoes-o-matic is a really fun tool. Just enter in your specifications, and up will pop an applicable suggestion. Click here to check it out! All shoes above from Nordstrom.
Most gladiator sandals are not as extreme as this
Over at Cafe Mom they posted the question Should women over 40 wear gladiator sandals?
We’ve got to to tell you.. we were very surprised they even asked this question. (And surprised at some of the answers!)
Gladiator sandals were new a couple of years back, but now they are mainstream. Why wouldn’t a woman over 40 wear them? They’re nothing racy about most gladiator sandals. Of course, there’s always extreme versions out there, like the high heeled, knee high dominatrix types worn by 19 year old models who pair them with mini skirts, or skimpy shorts. But really, how many do you see of those off the runway?
The Gladiator question caught our eye because it was kind of like asking, should women over 40 wear high heels? Of course you should, if you want to. You don’t stop being stylish because of a number. Why not look fashionable and sexy no matter what your age?
Whether it’s high heels or gladiators, the trick is to looking chic is to simply find a pair that is a little more more refined and tasteful. You can get away with a wilder, crazy version of a shoe when you are young and experimental, but after 40 you need a tamer pair, or you’ll look tough and desperate.
Here are some of our favorite picks for gladiators:
| Basic and Beautiful:
JoJami has a pair of shoes almost exactly like this. She finds snakeskin is best paired with a solid color rather than a print. This shoe is best complements gals with thin ankles because of the ankle strap.(Nordstrom) |
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| Relaxed and realistic:
Doesn’t this shoe look comfy? Pewter is a fantastic choice for a metallic because it has a bit of shine like silver, but is much more understated, and therefore more elegant. This classy sandal dress up any outfit.(Nordstrom) |
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| Refined Strappy:
We love this Tory Burch nude colored sandal because it’s won’t draw attention to your lily white legs in the spring, and it will also look fantastic when you get a tan.
One piece of advice before you buy sandals with lots of straps. Wear them around the stores for a good 10 minutes as we all have different feet and some straps can cut into toes and fleshy areas of the feet. Comfort needs to be key! (Saks) |
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| Jeweled Glaidator:We like jewelry on shoes if it is done right. This is a beautiful example of a shoe that is subtle but powerful.(Nordstrom) |
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| Soft and Stylish:
Pewter again( see how popular it is) These soft Vera Wang sandals have a very luxurious look and feel like they would wrap comfortably around you feet like a blanket.(Nordstrom) |
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| Buckle Up:
(Deb)When my son was about 2 years old, I wore a pair of sandals with lots of buckles like this, and my son said, “Oh look mom, your shoes have seatbelts!” (Nordstrom) |
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| Gold Standard:
Simple, gorgeous. You’ll look like an Egyptian queen in these.(Nordstrom) |
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| Grecian Goddess:
The perfect mix of fashion forward and elegance.(Nordstrom) |
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