# Help the fasion-challenged: Can I wear black shoes with this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326 "2006-06-03T23:23:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/1 "2006-06-03T23:23:35Z")
I have a wedding to go to this June, and made a great thrift-store buy of a light blue dress with a white, green and lavender flower print, and a lavender cardigan that is a _perfect_ match to the purple in the flowers. When I got it, I thought it would look great with some white sandals I have. Well, when I went to dig them out, they’d disappeared into the ether. I don’t dress up much, and the last time I wore them was a couple years ago, and I guess I must have pitched them at some point. What I do have is a pair of black sandals with a little heel. They look really good on me and fit well and are comfortable. But will the look okay with my outfit, which has no black at all? Or do I need to drag my ass to Payless and get some white shoes? ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/2 "2006-06-03T23:56:27Z")
I’m no fashion maven, but if I were in your position I would wear the black sandals, confident that few wedding guests will look at your shoes unless you are the bride. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/3 "2006-06-04T00:23:12Z")
I’d drag my butt out and get some white sandals. But only if I enjoyed doing so and could make it a break from working on the thesis. Which, I assume, you’re working at like crazy, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/4 "2006-06-04T00:25:48Z")
White would be best, or nude. Something you’ll wear again, certainly. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/5 "2006-06-04T00:27:54Z")
If you don’t want to buy a pair of white sandals, do you know someone you could borrow some from? I make a point of always having a friend with big feet so we can be shoe buddies. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/6 "2006-06-04T01:17:13Z")
Without seeing the dress, the only way you could even attempt to get away with wearing black sandals with the pattern you described is if they were very strappy and patent leather. If they’re not, I recommend another shoe. White’s also pretty tough to pull off. Most inexpensive white shoes have black soles which look bad, in my opinion. If you must go with white, look for one with a natural colored sole, like [this one](http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2895849/0~2376778~2372808~2376689~2377052?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=2377052&P=1). Also, notice that shoe’s not quite white. Metallics are the new neutrals, too. You might consider wearing a pair of pale gold/silver (are the colors in the dress warm or cool?) or other lighter-colored, but not white, strappy sandal. You mentioned Payless. I went to their site and they seem to have a few selections that should work with what you’ve described. Good luck, have fun, and be sure to tell us what you bought. Your outfit sounds darling. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/7 "2006-06-04T13:23:53Z")
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I’ll have to see what I can find. Thanks for mentioning the Payless website, **UrbanChic**. I like [these](http://www.payless.com/Catalog/ProductDetail.aspx?&TLC=Womens&SLC=WomensSandals&BLC=WomensSandalsLeather&Width=Regular&ItemCode=54396&LotNumber=047532&Type=Adult&Popularity=1132&DescriptiveColor=White) and [these](http://www.payless.com/Catalog/ProductDetail.aspx?&TLC=Womens&SLC=WomensSandals&BLC=WomensSandalsTrendy&Width=Regular&ItemCode=53922&LotNumber=046109&Type=Adult&Popularity=80&DescriptiveColor=White). I’ll probably swing by Payless today, and see if I can hit the other mall shoe store, too. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/8 "2006-06-04T16:18:01Z")
Either one of the sandals you listed would work well with the dress you describe – definately better than black, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/9 "2006-06-04T16:21:42Z")
Silver goes well with a lot of colors, and would be a good investment for wearing again with a variety of outfits. Is your jewelry mostly silver or white gold? Since I wear almost entirely dark colors, black goes with everything. One time I went with bright red outfit that had silver sequins, so I bought silver shoes and a silver handbag (never used again). The only thing about buying shoes is the old traditional rule that the purse is supposed to match the shoes. Fortunately, if you’re that traditional, silver purses aren’t hard to find. “_The Man in the Moon had silver shoon…_” (J.R.R. Tolkien) ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/10 "2006-06-04T17:01:17Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > The only thing about buying shoes is the old traditional rule that the purse is supposed to match the shoes. That is REALLY old-school and I think it’s actually considered quite a dated approach to accessorizing. I think bone-coloured sandals are the most versatile and they hide little smudges better than stark white. But the ones on the Payless site are definitely cute. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/11 "2006-06-04T17:25:02Z")
Lacking in imagination as always, I went with [these](http://www.payless.com/Catalog/ProductDetail.aspx?&TLC=Womens&SLC=WomensSandals&BLC=WomensSandalsLeather&Width=Regular&ItemCode=54396&LotNumber=047532&Type=Adult&Popularity=1132&DescriptiveColor=White). They seemed pretty classic and flexible, and the wedge seemed more practical than a heel in case the wedding was outdoors. It’s at a vineyard, so it seems likely that there might be some kind of outside component. (They were also having a buy one, get one half off, so I also picked up a pair of black Oxfords for $12.) And I’m going to solve the purse problem by not carrying one. Badabing! ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/12 "2006-06-05T01:54:10Z")
[This](http://www.epinions.com/Paint-Sherwin_Williams_Krylon_White_Spray_Primer_12_Oz) is how I fixed my wife’s problem when she had shoes that didn’t match. Worked great and nobody had a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/13 "2006-06-05T05:28:29Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > Lacking in imagination as always, I went with [these](http://www.payless.com/Catalog/ProductDetail.aspx?&TLC=Womens&SLC=WomensSandals&BLC=WomensSandalsLeather&Width=Regular&ItemCode=54396&LotNumber=047532&Type=Adult&Popularity=1132&DescriptiveColor=White). Cute ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/14 "2006-06-05T13:54:00Z")
Well, now that the crisis is thoroughly past, I’ll chip in my two cents: Any outfit that has black in it, I can wear with black hose and shoes. Anything else gets neutral hose and shoes. This works for everything except possibly navy blue, so I simply keep navy blue out of my closet. 🙂 **racer** , I did try spray-painting some shoes once. They looked terrific until I actually wore them, when the constant flexing of the shoe as I walked caused the paint to crack and flake off. Wrong type of paint plus wrong type of shoe-material, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/15 "2006-06-06T05:53:11Z")
> [@Stainz](#): > > That is REALLY old-school and I think it’s actually considered quite a dated approach to accessorizing. Yeah, I’m etro that way. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/16 "2006-06-06T05:54:26Z")
Retro… ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-fasion-challenged-can-i-wear-black-shoes-with-this/359326/17 "2006-06-06T18:02:07Z")
I’m way late here, but Target actually has a decent selection of light-colored sandals at the moment. Yesterday I picked up [these](http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_21/602-0731073-2216650?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000BP0IU6) shoes, which are both adorable and unbelievably comfy, and [these](http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_3/602-0731073-2216650?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000BOYYZC) shoes, which are considerably less comfy, but are perfect for wearing around the office and kicking off under my desk, and were on sale for $8.