What to Wear With Every Shoe Colour

How do you wear coloured heels? Let’s be honest: No matter how many pairs of bright, statement-making heels you own, it’s the black ones that we most often reach for. Naturally, it requires a bit more thought and effort to pair coloured heels to your look than simply throwing on some easy go-to shoes. So today we’re bringing you our ultimate guide on what to wear with every shoe colour—in hopes of helping you (and ourselves) give those purple, blue and red heels some airtime. Before you start, a few rules of thumb to remember:

1. If your outfit has a colour in it, your shoes can be any shade of that colour.

2. Black, beige and grey shoes go with everything.

3. You can never go wrong with head-to-toe monochrome.

To help you out further, we’ve found some incredible street style looks to help you work out your next bright-heel ensemble. We’ve even picked out some of our favourite shoes for you to shop right now. Keep scrolling to read our tips on how to wear coloured heels and where to get them right now.

GOLD SHOES

Don’t reserve metallics—particularly gold—just for special occasions (i.e., parties and weddings). Low-heeled styles look wonderful with sugary tones and add an unexpected shimmer to daytime outfits. Annabel Rosenthal’s photo-worthy look is your next brunch outfit sorted.

Related: From Zara to COS, These Are the Most Expensive-Looking High-Street Swimsuits

WHITE SHOES

White shoes get a bad rep. Because of that, we all need a little help styling them. Wearing them with a black seems a little too theatrical, so why not start with bare legs and a neutral, such as tan? Then you can throw on whatever splashes of colours you like. Take it from Natasha Goldenberg, who favours blue and a printed coat thrown on top. Easy!

PURPLE SHOES

We have Balenciaga to thank for the purple footwear movement. Tempted to get in but wondering how on earth you’d style them? It’s not as tricky as you think. Soft floral dresses or skirts and leather jackets make for an inspired pairing. So go on—treat yourself.

RED SHOES

Whoever said red and green should never be seen clearly hadn’t experimented with pillbox red and army green. Lisa Aiken has boldly gone for scarlet from head to toe here but masterfully tempered it with a utilitarian shade of green. So rather than always turning to denim, erase that tired old adage from your head and have some fun experimenting. 

Related: 9 Impressive Airport Outfits I'd Actually Wear Next Time I Travel

BLUE SHOES

Blue on blue: who’d have thought it would be such a winning combination? To be fair, you can pair pretty much anything with denim and still have it look good, but bright blue heels and jeans work in the most effortless of ways to create a look that’s democratic and fresh. Make like Pernille Teisbaek here.

PINK SHOES

Christian Dior lived by pink and grey, and for good reason. Even half a century later, there’s no chicer fusion of opposites. So while hot pink heels may seem like a frivolous buy on paper, they are actually the shot of sartorial adrenaline your wardrobe needs. Wear with lose grey trousers and listen to the compliments roll in.