Shoes; perhaps the most important fashion items one can ever own. It is said you can judge a person by one look based on what shoes they are wearing. Of course, judging someone is not what I am advocating for, but the key point here is to say how important shoes are to your personal style and fashion sense. But something that nearly all of us struggle upon is figuring out how we can find those perfect pairs of shoes?

 

 

You see, the right pair of shoes can make all the difference in your outfit. It finishes the whole look perfectly. Candace Bergen, a fashion model, once said that no matter what one’s wardrobe costs - if it is paired with quality shoes, everything automatically starts to look high quality. Yes, the clothes matter, the make-up should be flattering (more on that in another article), and the styling is top-notch. That’s all awesome. But shoes in particular matter the most. They elevate the whole look and take it to the next level!

 

 

The importance of Shoe Shopping

 

So now we can safely say that shoes are the most essential pieces of 'clothing' which help in creating more zest into your fashion style. It is also really functional and practical wear, so why not make it super interesting and beautiful so you can use the shoes and glam up every outfit to the best? Be it sneakers or heels, shoes give you the confidence nothing else can. They make you feel like you’re walking on the clouds or making a super fab entrance into any room you walk into.

 

 

But hold up - the thing with shoe shopping is: you either hate them on first sight, or you fall in love with them. There’s no middle ground. This usually happens, often at times when you have trouble finding the right shoe. You don’t know what you are looking for, and even if you do, you don’t know what factors you need to consider most or place as a priority in decisions about shoes. I am here to help you with just that. It’s no secret that finding a good shoe, with a proper perfect fit, with the width, heel height, matching with outfit, style or even what type of shoe (because there are so many types!) - shoe shopping is, in short, no easy feat! 

 

 

For a proper footwear hunt, you need some tips and tricks. You need hacks and advice from people who are just really good at finding out what they want. You may have to shop till you drop around a couple of places before you find the best shoe. But one important thing to remember is: Never buy a shoe that you don’t completely love!

 

 

Tips to find that perfect shoe

 

I have established already that finding the perfect shoe is already a talent, but another talent in this category would also be figuring out what shoe is top-quality, what shoe is actually stylish and will add more on your outfit is a true artistic talent. Imagine you walk into a shoe shop with a clear idea of what you are looking for. Suddenly, there are way too many options. You look for the shoes only with their outward appearance and ignore other important elements. That’s the first mistake. The second is not finding out how you can look for a perfect shoe.

 

 

So, what features are important and what type of shoes do you look for? I have bolded the most important parts so it’s easier for you to make this a checklist!

 

  • Look for shoes that have a stiff back. Grab the heel of the shoe in one hand, and the shoe above the heal in the other. Does the shoe move side to side around the heel? If it moves, it is not a good shoe. If it does not move, that’s a good sign!
  • Get a shoe that bends a little where your toes bend. It means your shoe is comfortable for your toes.

 

 

  • Go for a shoe that provides arch support. Arch supports are inserts placed into a shoe and help the arch of your foot support. This helps diminish any sort of pain and also has many benefits to your overall body health. If a shoe doesn’t have arch support, you can add one yourself. Check if arch supports can fit in a shoe without your toes getting squeezed. If they squeeze up, it’s not worth it. Arch support is always important to consider. Some flats, sandals or ballerina flats have no arch support. This leads to issues as well. You can get flat foot, plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the heel) and more issues besides this can occur. It’s like you are barefoot. In the long term, the flat foot you get can cause misalignment of the bones, with strain on knees, hips and back. Not worth it? I guessed so.

 

 

  • Shoes that are wide and long enough at the toes side are better. They should not be pushing your toes or making them curl. That gets very painful and hurts your feet considerably in the long run.

 

 

  • Often times, when you first wear a shoe, always wear them and walk around for a while in them. Do they feel comfortable as soon as you wear them? Do they feel comfortable after 5 minutes? If yes, get them!
  • If you are looking for shoes that should help you exercise, run or need to be involved in a bit of walking, check out this tip. Getting shoes which have a small amount of torque is a smart decision. Check this by first holding the shoe at both ends. If you are able to twist it slightly, it is a good sign.

 

 

  • Move around in the store after wearing the shoe. You are also strongly advised to mimic running in the store on hardwood, of course. Put the kicks to the test. Do a few stretches, jumping jacks etc. It can let you know more than simply walking with the shoes on. Check if the heel rubs. Pay close attention to how the certain areas of the shoes ‘feel’ like. And remember, try it on a hard surface, it will give you a better idea, especially for any leather soles.
  • Often times, shoes do not maintain their shape. You need to make sure that the toe part and the heel part keep their shape. Squeeze them and let go, do the deformations remain? There mustn’t be any. The heel should stay rigid because a soft heel can be very inconvenient both for walking and good health in the long run.

 

 

  • This might be a funny one, but I have heard that sometimes, people always have one foot larger than the other. If that’s the case with you, try on the shoes that feel comfortable on both feet the same way, and choose the size of your new shoes based on the size of the larger foot. This decision will leave your feet thanking you in the long run because it will be a lot more comfortable!
  • If there’s one word you need to remember while going shoe shopping, it’s this; Stability. This should be one of your most important requirements. For high heel-ed shoes especially, try and apply some pressure on the midfoot. If the heel slides back, this shoe is just not worth it because it means you can easily slip, have a wobbly gait (instability in walking) and have a constant loss of balance which is both very annoying and very inconvenient especially when you are at an important event.

 

 

  • The sole has a very crucial part to play in the making and breaking of a shoe. What’s more important is to check how flexible the sole is. It's an important feature to consider. Take the shoe in one hand, try to bend its toe apart with the other. A bad sole in a shoe will mean that it prevents the foot joints from moving normally. This has a lot of bad health alerts, such as gait disorders or rapid fatigue. Your body could even have an increase in energy consumption.

 

Wardrobe Essential Shoes every woman should own

 

Now that we have seen how we can get the best shoe that not only aids style but helps our body and health. We can get talking about what shoes are the best to buy. More importantly, what are some of the most essential shoes that every woman should have in their closet for her to be always stylishly pulled together, no matter what the occasion is.

 

 

1. Ballet flats or Loafers or Slippers or Sandals 

 

Colours: Nude, Black, A bright colour 

 

Flats and slippers are the everyday shoes that you just have to wear no matter what. These are shoes you can wear inside your home and, if they are stylish and pretty enough, even outside of the home. Loafers have tassels as well, and sandals are an absolute must-have for a variety of purposes.

 

These shoes are feminine, thin, slim and, these are available in thousands of styles. You can go for any colours you want, but an essential shoe of this kind in the colours I suggested above can go with numerous different outfits and still look pretty chic. You can walk in them; you can easily take them off and put them on - and they have a crazy number of matching possibilities with your outfits. They’re amazing for the summer and spring weather!

 

 

2. Classic pumps

 

Colours: Black, Nude or Brown

 

A classic pump can seriously save your days. It is actually super crazy how well these shoes can go with literally any outfit. A casual day out with tees and pants? Black pumps to the rescue. Featuring formal office wear? Black pumps are perfect. A day out for brunch with your girls? A nude pump with a cute outfit will look chic as hell! I especially love the pointed or round toe pumps, but pumps can come in the flat shape or high heel as well. Basically, pumps are the solution for an outfit for work or casual with any outfit. They go amazing with trousers or pocket cigarette pants. The pointed toes work super great with cropped pants. Every woman has at least 2 or 3 pairs of pumps hanging around in their closet, so you must too!

 

 

3. Heels

 

Colours: Black and Nude

 

If you don’t have a super chic heel in your closet, what are you doing? Heels are a treasure to have! Heels are a woman’s best friend, and the right type of heel can not only give a super boost to your confidence, but it will make everyone turn their heads as soon as you walk into a room. Heels have power! It goes with every type of outfit too, from jeans to dresses and for any colour. I recommend having black or nude heels because these are the classics and will put you in awe of how exquisite they look on anything at all!

 

 

4. Knee High boots

 

Colours: Black, Brown

 

Knee-High boots are fall and winter’s best buys. They are one of the most stylish shoes ever made. They don’t only keep you warm, they make you look extremely stylish and well put together (even though you might not be pulled together). You can get these boots for different occasions too. There are special boots for winter’s inches and inches worth of snow, there are boots for travelling and there are cowboy boots that simply rule! There are stiletto boots as well, which look super cute with a dress or skirt. You can tuck a pair of skinny jeans inside and make your look come together. Also, these over-the-knee boots are making their way back into the market’s hot trends. Not a bad time to invest in one kickass boot that would last you a while!

 

 

5. Ankle Boots

 

Colours: Black, Brown, Nude

 

Ankle shoes are a must-have! Because when you don’t feel like wearing big knee-high boots, you can opt for these instead and look equally as stylish. They are also called ‘booties’ and their coverage for your foot is awesome as well. They also have that feel of a fabulous heel. It’s really kind of like a two-in-one if you think about it! All in all, ankle boots are that piece of stylish winter wardrobe stable that you are bound to return to time and time again. It can easily be said that these are the perfect winter shoe. What’s even better is that there is a range of so many incredible options from pointed-toe boots or rounded toe ones, tall shaft or short shaft ankle boots, leather boots or suede boots, block heel or stiletto heel ankle boots. Plus, the fabrics they are made out of, from leather to velvet - this is one essential you definitely need in your closet. 

 

 

And that’s a wrap. From discussing how important shoes are in the fashion world, to figuring out how you can buy the best ones - heels or sneakers - to making sure you are all aware of the best shoes that you need in your wardrobe. Do you have all these shoe essentials? Do you have more? 

 

 

Feel free to share what your essentials are as well on our social channels. I would love to add more to this list. Lastly, do let me know if this Shoe Guide helped you with your shoe shopping frenzy!

 

 

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