Because fashion is aleatory, we’re constantly updating ourselves about trends and what’s in season. With so many shoe styles out there, we’re bound to feel perplexed and lost when it comes to outfit pairings. Here, we’ll talk about the best shoes to wear with leggings, to quell one such worry.
“.. it’s not so much about the shoes, but the person wearing them.”
― Adriana Trigiani, Viola in Reel Life
While you may think that picking the right pair of shoes is rocket science, we’re here to offer you solace with good news―it’s not that hard, really. All you need is an understanding of color and style, which many women (and young girls) hungrily consume from fashion magazines. I remember slipping into my mother’s wedge high heels and strutting around the room like a model. It was the first time I’d ever slipped into a pair of high heels; it felt sublime.
Leggings are an upgrade of stockings, if you ask me. They’re the perfect piece of clothing that complement practically anything―slouchy T-shirts, oversized sweatshirts, hot pants, a mini dress, and the like. The ultimate pleasure of putting together an outfit, is when you gracefully slip into a pair of shoes to help complete your look. While any kind of shoes you think of will go nicely with a pair of leggings, we have a few favorites that we’d like to share with you. Not only will the shoes conflate beautifully with leggings, but once bought, they can be worn with absolutely anything.
Best Shoes to Pair with Leggings
Über Feminine
Sandals aren’t exactly my most favorite pair of shoes, but there are certain styles that definitely make my heart palpitate. Sequins, embellishments, intricate stitch-work, or dual tones, are some of the best styles that sandals come in. If you’re going for a day look, choose a flat pair of sandals or one that comes with a kitten heel. For women who aren’t used to walking in a sky-high pair of heels, sandals are a blessing in disguise―no more cringing in pain! Now you can say goodbye to slipping into a pair of flip flops when no one’s looking. Heading out for a drink with the ladies? Slip into a pair of T-strap, wedge, or ankle-strap high-heel sandals.
When worn with vibrant leggings, the safest color to work with is white. Couple it with a white pair of T-strap wedge sandals to downplay the intensity of the leggings’ color, by drawing attention to your feet. Avoid pairing it with black leggings if you go with an all-black outfit, since the sandals will stand out in an unflattering manner. On the other hand, pops of color that coalesce with the white of the sandals, will allow it to create something interesting when paired with an all-black look.
You Could Also Try: Gladiators, ballerina flats, d’Orsay high heels, slingbacks, and chunky high heels.
Good Girl, Bad Girl
Just thinking of the color red sends me off into rapture. The color is so powerful that it is deemed the most attractive color that a woman can wear, whether it’s in her lipstick, dress, or high heels. It reels you in unexpectedly, before devouring you heart, mind, and soul. There’s a reason why red is associated with love―it has an ineffable element. To bring a man to his knees, all you need is a powerful pair of red high heels.
While red platform heels will make you feel like a goddess wielding her sword, it’s how you pair it with your outfit that will decide whether you make it, or break it. Super-tight leggings that are either stark black or with just the right amount of transparency, are your go-to choices. The best colors that go with red high heels? Gray, white, and dark chocolate. Leggings in floral, animal print, and Aztec-inspired patterns, get a double thumbs-up as the best accompaniments. If there’s one thing we know about red high heels, it’s that they’re anything but inconspicuous.
Let’s not forget about the color black―not only is it the safest color choice, but it can instantly uplift an outfit if styled right. Louboutins get our vote for being the best of the lot, simply because the foxy dual-tone combination of the red soles against the black frabjous high heel, has us dreamy-eyed. A woman can go from stuck-up CEO to swank vixen within seconds, with a pair of black high heels. Pair them with striking, all-black, or heavily-patterned leggings, for a sultry yet fun finish. For attention seekers, snag a pair of high-heel pumps with metal accents like silver/gold toe tips or studs, for instance.
You Could Also Try: Peep-toe high heels, stilettos, kitten heels, cone high heels, and scarpin high heels.
Eternal Fashionista
When it comes to wearing boots, only some women can pull it off with élan. Whether the fabric is leather, velveteen, or denim, boots are a must-have style staple for the adventurous and daring. The women of the ’60s and ’70s wore boots like they were welded to them, sadly losing out on its popularity towards the 20th century. A resurgence of the shoe style emerged in later years (yay!), turning it into something worthy of the utmost praise after much experimentation.
Boots speak of confidence and allure, so go ahead and pair it with skin-tight, see-through leggings. They’re best worn in colors like tan, gray, denim blue, and black. Choose leggings that come in a solid color to draw emphasis on the boots, especially if they’re thigh-high or knee-high. If you opt for floral, striped, or bondage-style booties, you can go a little crazy with the sort of leggings you wear to channel an urbane vibe.
You Could Also Try: Lita platform booties, bondage boots, Ugg boots, Chelsea boots, and wedge booties.
For some, pairing shoes with an outfit is not something that requires premeditated thought. But for others, it’s a moment of sheer excitement―the sort displayed by two-year-olds let loose in a candy shop. Shoes―as protean an accessory than there ever was―are an indispensable part of our wardrobes. While we’ve managed to narrow down the best shoes to wear with leggings, we’re sure you’ll come up with intriguing ways to pair the two.