# Help with shoe selection! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 12, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317 "2008-09-12T18:22:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/1 "2008-09-12T18:22:26Z")
I recently bought a very pretty brown dress, in the same style as [this black one](http://www.overstock.com/Clothing/Connected-Apparel-Black-Illusion-Halter-Dress/3158819/product.html?cid=128285&fp=F&srccode=cii_9324560&cpncode=12-65785460-2). The color is a dark brown, along the lines of what a hair color box would call “espresso”. Sort of like the dress [in this picture](http://www.watchinguglybetty.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/12774226451press2242007115446pm.jpg). The brown has a bit of warmth to it but it’s definitely a dark shade. Now, I need shoes. And I’m a little lost. It’s impossible to match the brown exactly - should I be looking for a metallic colored shoe? Is black right out? I don’t want sandals, because it’s for an autumn event. I’m partial to the “mary janes” look, and can’t handle a heel higher than 3 inches. I’d also prefer them to be shoes I could wear again with more casual outfits, so I don’t add them to the pile of “wore 'em once” shoes in my closet. Doper ladies, I know you like looking for pics of shoes online. Can you help me find something suitable that won’t break my budget? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/2 "2008-09-12T18:30:25Z")
I think a metallic would be perfect with that dress. How about [http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7501330/color/162830](http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7501330/color/162830) This might work too. With the little platform, the heel won’t be a full 4" [http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7391329/color/137457](http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7391329/color/137457) I also think an animal print would be cute with brown. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/3 "2008-09-12T19:06:20Z")
I agree with Kalhoun and you on metallic, but I’d go bronze. I can’t help but be swayed by this style named Gigi: [http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7407614/color/145473](http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7407614/color/145473) (bronze crinkle patent) It’s neutral enough to wear with jeans later. [http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7356594/color/5736](http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7356594/color/5736) in Bronze Patent ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/4 "2008-09-12T19:12:12Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I agree with Kalhoun and you on metallic, but I’d go bronze. > > I can’t help but be swayed by this style named Gigi: > > [http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7407614/color/145473](http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7407614/color/145473) (bronze crinkle patent) > > It’s neutral enough to wear with jeans later. > > [http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7356594/color/5736](http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7356594/color/5736) in Bronze Patent I would go bronze, but you can’t search on bronze…there are some in Zappo’s gold stuff. Hey! Is it me or did Zappo’s site take a step or two down in quality?? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/5 "2008-09-12T19:20:53Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > you can’t search on bronze Hmm, you’re right. But then it does come up in the color filter list. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/6 "2008-09-12T19:44:02Z")
Black is out, yes. Other sites to search would be www.piperlime.com and www.6pm.com, the latter of which, as near as I can figure, is where Zappos moves its shoes to when they go on sale. OK, I really just replied so that I could be subscribed to a thread about shoes. [hijack] I had to meet with someone this morning who is the executive VP of a shoe company. Talk about anxiety in choosing footwear for an event! Ye gods![/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/7 "2008-09-12T19:51:58Z")
How about an animal print? I have some awesome giraffe-skin looking numbers I bought last spring that I’m dying for cold weather to wear. [Here it is, in pump form](http://www.ninewest.com/Liatris,-ships-9/15-10/21/2799234,default,pd.html). I have slingbacks. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/8 "2008-09-12T19:58:27Z")
If it was me, I’d go with a pair of shoes in a bright contrasting colour instead. Since your dress is in a solid colour and a fairly neutral one to boot, you can totally get away with it… just pick a colour that you wear fairly regularly (or, as Elle Woods would call it, your “signature colour”) and accessorize to match. It’s my opinion that every girl should have a pair or two of fun colourful shoes to jazz up a neutral grey/black/brown outfit. [These](http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7369029/color/162) Steve Maddens might fit the bill, either in the red or the blue. I also love the Gigi ones that **gigi** linked to. The bronze is great, though the plum might be an interesting choice too. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/9 "2008-09-12T20:03:49Z")
Yes, I was thinking a plum or deep deep burgundy could be good too. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/10 "2008-09-12T20:05:15Z")
Ooo there are some great deals at that 6pm site. Click on “Womens Sale Items” at the bottom left and sort by price. ETA: (I have that Steve Madden shoe in blue in Target knockoff form. They are killer. You wouldn’t believe the compliments I’ve gotten.) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/11 "2008-09-12T20:22:51Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > How about an animal print? I have some awesome giraffe-skin looking numbers I bought last spring that I’m dying for cold weather to wear. [Here it is, in pump form](http://www.ninewest.com/Liatris,-ships-9/15-10/21/2799234,default,pd.html). I have slingbacks. Those are to die for. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/12 "2008-09-12T20:25:47Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Hmm, you’re right. But then it does come up in the color filter list. I need to check that again. My site went all weird on me. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/13 "2008-09-12T20:35:57Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > How about an animal print? I have some awesome giraffe-skin looking numbers I bought last spring that I’m dying for cold weather to wear. [Here it is, in pump form](http://www.ninewest.com/Liatris,-ships-9/15-10/21/2799234,default,pd.html). I have slingbacks. WANT. _swooooon_ It’s a good thing the Nine West store is in the opposite direction from home right now… or else I’d be in big trouble. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AngryIrishLass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbce88/32.png) [@AngryIrishLass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngryIrishLass)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/14 "2008-09-12T22:16:25Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Ooo there are some great deals at that 6pm site. Click on “Womens Sale Items” at the bottom left and sort by price. > > ETA: (I have that Steve Madden shoe in blue in Target knockoff form. They are killer. You wouldn’t believe the compliments I’ve gotten.) I want to say I started with good intentions. I really did. I started to look for OP. However, I’m now $130 lighter. Now I have to rearrange my closet again. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/15 "2008-09-12T22:32:24Z")
I do have these [adorable shoes](http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=240472259/PictureID=5794571193/a=134259243_134259243/t_=134259243), but I’m not sure they’re quite right. I also love the “Gigi”, linked to by, oddly enough, **gigi**. Freaking adorable. And the price isn’t bad, so they’re on the “maybe” list. Those blue Steve Maddens are really great, but I don’t know how I feel about putting a color with the neutral… I know I’m _allowed_ to, but I don’t usually do that and then I’d be all confused about how to accessorize. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/16 "2008-09-13T01:49:56Z")
You could wear a turquoise shoe with some turquoise jewelry - I’ve seen that before and it looks really fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/17 "2008-09-13T01:56:04Z")
This is pretty hot, for instance… [![](https://www.zappos.com/images/734/7342081/6900-467666-p.jpg) ](https://www.zappos.com/images/734/7342081/6900-467666-p.jpg) or this [![](https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y279/NrllAless/blog/mine/turquoise-shoes-3.jpg) ](https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y279/NrllAless/blog/mine/turquoise-shoes-3.jpg) or this even: [http://www.hotmamadaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/picture-1.png](http://www.hotmamadaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/picture-1.png) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/18 "2008-09-14T15:26:07Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > This is pretty hot, for instance… > > [http://www.zappos.com/images/734/7342081/6900-467666-p.jpg](http://www.zappos.com/images/734/7342081/6900-467666-p.jpg) I want!!! Those are SO pretty! What’s the link to the actual shoe? Go with a blue/green/whatever you want to call it like this, **Antigen** - you can get lots of jewelery in that colour, and it goes SO WELL with brown. It’s among my favourite colour combinations ever. ---
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/19 "2008-09-14T15:40:18Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > This might work too. With the little platform, the heel won’t be a full 4" [http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7391329/color/137457](http://zeta.zappos.com/product/7391329/color/137457) SQUEEE! I love these. I may have to buy them for myself. But they would be fantastic with that brown halter dress. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317/20 "2008-09-14T16:14:44Z")
I found [these](http://www.office.co.uk/womens/miss_l_fire/shelbee_p_apple_button_ct/37/5565/15082/1) which have an interesting heel. Or [this](http://www.office.co.uk/womens/office/neverland/37/4872/14643/1) animal print peeptoe. I think something like [this](http://www.office.co.uk/womens/office/plentiful_joy/37/5554/15054/1) purple number would be cute too. And, because it’s too good not to, what about [this](http://www.office.co.uk/postemistress/pincher_sling/5466/14836/1) mock-croc slingback. Vicarious shoe shopping is the best kind… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-shoe-selection/463317.md?page=2)