Size 11 feet. Left: Sasquatch. Right: Cinderella.
Where to look: Face or Feet?
Your custom color palette helps you choose clothes that will draw positive attention to your face, making you seem as attractive, authentic and credible as possible. Shoes are as far from your face as you can get.
Why so much focus on the face? Because we unconsciously seek clues about who we’re dealing with by looking at a person’s eyes and facial expression. After all, your boss, clients and co-workers are most interested in what’s going on in your head (your smarts and your trustworthiness).
Of course the rules are different if you’re a fashion model, celebrity or stripper.
I realize there’s a whole lot of body between the head and the feet. What you wear there is a different subject. For now we’re going to head right down what you wear on your feet.
Shoes that scream “look at me!”
Selecting the right shoes that flatter but don’t distract
Make sure your shoes are in good condition and fit well. Nothing attracts the eye like scuffs, run-down heels, feet that look squished or toes that hang over the end of sandals (If you’re paying $$$ for Tom Ford’s they better fit!)- Choose shoe colors that do not contrast markedly with what’s on your lower leg. This means dark shoes with dark pants, light shoes with light pants, skirts or bare ankles.
Blush shoes blend with leg. Round toes look stumpy and frumpy.
- Skin tone shoes are your best friend – blush, nude, tan, beige, brown. Fortunately they’re currently easy to find in stores. Metallics, which can be a shinier version of skin tones, are add festivity and fabulousness.
- To make your legs appear longer, or if you’re short, choose shoes with a somewhat pointed toe. Avoid ankle straps unless they’re a similar color to your ankle and/or you have great legs. Otherwise the contrast visually shortens the leg.
- If you’re tall or have large feet, rounded toes and horizontal lines or detail across the front will make them look smaller.
- Heels are almost always more flattering than flats, but you don’t have to wear stilettos to add that length. Even “kitten heels” help.
- If you have shoes you love but they’re the wrong color, paint or dye them. I show you how here (paint and dye) and here (metallics).
- Bringing out a bright color in your outfit in shoe color (see yellow shoes above) can attract too much attention. The beige shoes (above right) have an angled ankle strap which is much more flattering than one straight across.
Selecting the right shoes for FUN
- Wear whatever the heck you want on your feet any time you don’t care whether other people are impressed with your intellect.
- Hiking, working in the garden, running errands
- With friends who already know and love you
- On a hot date. The sexier the better.
- If you’re attending Paris Fashion Week. Then go for it: wear something fabulous from tiptop to toe tip! That’s where I caught the pair below last fall. Wow!
What color or style shoes should YOU wear? If you want to know more, you can reach me here.