November 21, 2024
Nude shoes are just about the most versatile women's shoes you can buy ‐ no fashion icon would be without them. Nude, blush, skin-tone, beige ‐ call them what you will, these shoes never go out of style.
If you're still not convinced that a pair of nude heels could be the best footwear investment ever, we've got all the best tricks and tips here for you to ensure that you'll never again be stuck choosing the right shoes to complement your outfit.
Nude shoes are any type of beige-coloured footwear - usually ballerina shoes, heels and flats. The term covers a wide palette of skin colours, from pale porcelain to rich espresso - depending on your own skin tone, of course.
Nude shoes are well known and well-loved for being:
Wearing nude shoes offers several benefits, making them a versatile wardrobe staple. Firstly, nude tones effortlessly elongate the legs, creating an illusion of height. Better yet, their neutral hue complements a variety of outfits, seamlessly blending with different colours and patterns. Nude shoes are also extremely versatile, transitioning seamlessly from casual to formal occasions.
Additionally, they give the appearance of slender feet and are an excellent choice for achieving a polished, refined look.
So, whether paired with dresses, skirts or trousers, nude shoes contribute to a timeless and elegant aesthetic, making them a must-have in any fashion-conscious individual's collection.
From a night out dancing to a formal wedding, nude shoes can provide the perfect finishing touch to an outfit - giving you the latest on-trend look with little effort on your part. Nude shoes are among the most versatile shades, blending well with numerous outfits and colour combinations. Here are some of our best recommendations:
In this case, you don't want your shoes to compete with the rest of the outfit, but they will add an elegant, sensual tone to complete the overall silhouette. Style icons like Amal Clooney and Gigi Hadid know how to make the most of a unique design by teaming it with an understated nude shoe.
This is the perfect combo for a professional work look, creating a leg-lengthening effect with all-day comfort and ease of walking. Beige footwear partnered with dresses in strong shades of red, purple, navy, blue or black can provide the basis of a comfortable but business-like wardrobe - without the worry of having to buy different shoes to match each item.
Cropped, tapered trousers or capri pants look fabulous with nude kitten heels or flat shoes such as ballerina shoes - as world-famous style mavens from Audrey Hepburn to Michelle Obama will attest. Avoid wide-legged trousers with kitten-heeled nudes, as the heel will be lost. In this case, choose nude wedge heels to offset the wide leg.
This combo is superb when going for a more casual, sporty look. Nude wedge heels suit holiday shorts and miniskirts. This kind of beige shoe comes in all kinds of materials and heights, so you can go wild with your choices. Cork or hessian heels and wedges look particularly good with floaty summer dresses and long swishy skirts, complementing whatever shade of nude you've chosen for your shoes.
Dark or patterned leggings and nude flats are a match made in heaven, looking elegant and feeling snug and wearable all at the same time. Bows, gems and other embellishments can lift the humble flat above the status of plain. Often a simple, chic ballet flat in beige, blush or nude is all that's needed to make that special little difference to a casual outfit.
If you really want to make the most of the nude shoe's leg-lengthening power, opt for a stiletto heel. This is a favourite of the likes of Kylie Minogue, Kate Moss and Eva Longoria. The combination of a tall, narrow heel with a neutral shade provides the illusion of longer, slender limbs adding poise and sophistication to a wide range of outfits for any occasion.
The latest ankle-length jeans are designed just with this shoe in mind. The heel is on view but the jeans remain the focal point of the outfit, just as with ever-popular skinny jeans.
A wedding gives everyone an excuse to wear nude shoes, whether high or low-heeled. Blush shoes, with their subtle pinkish beige tone, have become especially popular for wedding attire among guests, bridesmaids and brides themselves.
Shades of blush and beige can complete a spectacular overall neutral theme along with rose gold accents. Traditional brides opting for white or ivory dresses can choose from an almost unending array of nude shoes, which will not only look the part on their special day but will do double duty by allowing the wearer to make full use of them after the ceremony.
When selecting the right pair of nude shoes for you, take top shoe designer Christian Louboutin's advice on board - pick shoes one or two shades lighter or darker than your own skin for the most magical effect.
A perfect match with your skin tone is not what you need here - unless, of course, you want to look like you aren't wearing any shoes at all. Choosing a patent look will also help avoid the shoes blending in with your skin. However, if you go for too much of a colour difference, you won't get that miraculous leg-lengthening look that's every celebrity's secret weapon.
So, if you haven't decided on which pair of nude shoes to buy yet, why not? If you're on a budget, they really are your best friend - you'll be hard pushed to find an outfit that you can't wear them with.
Stick to a classic style for good value, long-term wearability, but don't dismiss the impact of a high fashion nude shoe to give that special outfit some extra pizzazz.
Check out the shoezone blog for more style tips and footwear suggestions for every occasion.