Footwear – Getting it right

Most of the time, shoe styles go unnoticed. Usually, we tend to overlook the importance of wearing the correct type of footwear; we don’t realize this can make or break an outfit. Keeping this in mind, we list footwear etiquette that protect you from common fashion bloopers.

Slippers
“The primary reason for wearing slippers is to escape the heat,” says Pooja Munshi, a New York-based fashion designer. “Also, they lend a casual air.”

To carry off the casual look without looking frumpy try out the following tips:

~ Slippers with a slight platform heels work well for short women.
~ Open-toe and strappy slippers are in while bulky looking slippers, with broad or block soles are out.
~ Havaianas or Hawai as they are popularly known (a Brazilian brand available in funky designs and colours) slippers from Bata are a current trend for men.
~ Comfy surf slippers made of corduroy or cloth that covers your feet and heels, protecting them from the sun, dirt and dust.

Keeping it casual
Follow these tips to carry off casual footwear with élan:

~ Make sure your toes are well manicured before wearing open toe shoes.
~ Casual sneakers look great with denims.
~ Boots are very trendy right now and can often hide unshapely legs.
~ Men can choose for leather slip-ons, mojris, sneakers and moccasins.

Work it right
Clothes are not the only things that reflect your personality. Shoes do too; a scruffy pair will mark you as a sloppy dresser.

Follow these tips when choosing the right footwear for work:

~ Women, pick strappy sandals with kitten heels (one inch, slightly thick heels) for a comfortable yet classic look.
~ Men should team up their suits with a pair of sleek black and brown pair of shoes.
~ The current trend in men’s footwear is gently square-toed shoes with thick sole.
~ While black and brown or tan are the main colours for men, pick shoes with a smooth leather or suede finish.
~ Nubuck leather (soft and high quality leather) and suede shoes make a lavish style statement.

Go formal
~ Heels make a woman look elegant and taller.
~ One rule of thumb: In cold weather wear closed shoes or boots with heels.
~ Men can stick to square tip shoes — either in leather or suede. Browns, tans and black are great colours and look great with almost any outfit.

For Rediff.com, May 29, 2007.