Struggling to coordinate your colours? It’s time to get clever with styling and lay the unshakable foundations for your wardrobe by embracing classic colour combinations and interchangeable staples, for a fresh and simple approach to dressing.
Pairing colours can either make or break an outfit, so if you’re contemplating what colour shoes will work best with the navy dress that’s never made it out of your wardrobe, or the coloured shoes that will spruce up your favourite black dress, we’ve got all the bases covered.
If getting dressed currently feels more chaotic than you’d like it to be, it might be time for a wardrobe re-set. A successful capsule wardrobe is the difference between rising with your alarm or hitting snooze for an extra five minutes of slumber, knowing you have that ready-made outfit waiting.
The key to mastering a colourful capsule wardrobe is much easier than you think, it’s about focusing on the quality of the pieces you’re investing in, not the quantity, and integrating classic colour palettes that can be worn on rotation.
We’ve laid out 5 coloured dresses from navy to black, green, red, and white, with infinite possibilities on the shoes to wear with them, whatever the occasion. These are the colour-matching rules that will chime as much in a decade’s time as they do right now …
What Colour Shoes to Wear with a Navy Dress
A navy dress is probably the most classic of them all, sophisticated without even trying, it’s the ultimate shade that will adapt for work, the weekend, and the special occasions in between. Equally navy blue is one of the toughest colours to style, its not-quite-black-but-blue qualities don’t easily lend itself to many other shades where your footwear is concerned, but with a little know-how you can unlock the true potential of navy blue.
Navy Dress and Red Shoes
Asking yourself what colour shoes to wear with a navy blue dress to the wedding of the year? For smart occasions like work and evening soirees, shoes in a deep red will effortlessly pair with a navy dress, it will make a bold statement without being OTT. Go for deep, rich shades of ruby and crimson for your accessories like a clutch bag or even slick of lipstick. Adding variations of rich red tones will lend further depth to your outfit and avoid any predictable style clichés.
Navy Dress and Neutral Shoes
Mixing neutral tones and muted palettes of tan with shades of indigo blue and navy will provide a gentle and flattering combination of colour. The key to keeping neutral shades interesting and suited to your skin tone is to play with textures and shades, slip on a pair of neutral strappy heels with a silky navy dress, or a dark blue dress with a pleated skirt and suede brown court shoes. Simple, sophisticated, and entirely versatile, a pair of neutral shoes can be re-worn with practically everything in your wardrobe.
What colour shoes to wear with a red dress
Red is a colour that’s made to garner attention, when worn in dress form how do you style daring red shades with your shoes? Firstly, it’s vital that you pay close attention to the shade of red you’re wearing, the style and cut of the dress, and the occasion too.
If you’re looking to invest in an essential red dress for the many seasons to come, a classic shoe collection consisting of jet blacks and chocolate browns will earn a cherished place in your wardrobe. As for ladies who are raring to make a statement, clashing jewel-bright shades like hot pink and orange will add a playful and daring twist to a red dress.
Red Dress Brown Boots
For a time-honoured look, match deep tones of red like burgundy and maroon with rich brown and chocolate leather, the warm palette will provide a sense of cohesion while letting your dress and your shoes make a stand-alone statement.
Red Dress Black Boots
Classic is a word that gets bandied around more often than it ought to, but a pair of black boots are truly deserving of the title. Imperative for their versatility, black ankle boots are the perfect pairing with an everyday red dress between the seasons, where black knee-high boots will see you through the depths of winter.
Few garments are as versatile as a silky slip dress, it forms the base for many a look and a ruby red iteration will make a show-stopping entrance, no matter the agenda. A primary shade of red is said to suit every skin tone, considered the colour of power it’s a hue that’s bound to lift one’s mood too. In such a case it’s best to keep the colour of your footwear classic and your dress colour bold.
Red Dress and Black Shoes
Wearing black shoes with a red dress is an essential colour combination that we will never tire of. A black pair of heels with a crimson slip dress will set the tone for a classy evening look, complement the outfit with a black jacket and gold-toned accessories for a sophisticated finish.
For an easy weekend look, swap your heels for black leather trainers; a minimalist pair will work best. Feeling chilly? Layer up with a dark grey roll-neck jumper and black belt.
Red Dress and Red Shoes
Monochrome means the single use of colour in a variety of shades and intensities, so when it comes to pulling a successful outfit together with minimal effort, the monochromatic look will always reign supreme. A red dress with red heels makes a classic and bold look that is sure to reap compliments, whereas a pair of hot pink heels will fit the monochrome brief while propelling your look with a playful twist.
What Shoes to Wear with a Black Dress
Who doesn’t love a black dress? Classic, versatile, and sure to make a statement. A black dress may take many forms, but it’s versatile and classic nature means it will always take centre stage in our wardrobe as its neutral shade means it can be styled with an oasis of shoe colours to suit every agenda.
Black Dress and Black Shoes
An all-black ensemble is an easy work outfit that will tick every box, low-effort, high-impact, playful and all-together serious. The key to nailing a monochrome look lies in the detail, a heeled pair of black ankle boots and a black midi-dress are the ultimate mix-and-match staples, tie the look together with a waist belt and a biker jacket. For a relaxed outfit for on-the-go days switch the boots for black platform trainers and a cross-body bag.
Wearing Black and Brown
We’ve all heard that old adage that brown and black should not be worn together, but we’re stepping into new-found territory where embracing the modern classics are concerned. A pair of tan loafers make an enduring staple in every capsule wardrobe and their warm tones make an unexpected match for a black dress, to tie the look together coordinate with accessories like a handbag and a waist belt.
Black and Bold
The beauty of wearing black is that can be styled to suit your mood, which is good news for maximalists. What better way to heat up an all-black ensemble than with berry-bright hues? A black dress is your opportunity to experiment, so clash vibrant colours and prints, and a juicy pop of red with your heels and accessories; or sign the look off with a glint of metallic detailing. Take a break from the ordinary and indulge in every shade.
What Shoes to Wear with a Green Dress
A green dress will give a welcome, refreshing feel to the monotony of your daily edit. Nothing will quite make your skin glow and energy-levels soar quite like the jewel-bright shades of emerald, pistachio, and mint. But what colours should you wear with green?
Green Dress and Black Shoes
Black shoes are almost guaranteed to work with every colour in your wardrobe and green makes no exception to the sartorial rule. For an easy office to evening look, wear black ankle boots with a knee-skimming green dress for a flattering play with proportions that will simultaneously toughen up your look.
When evening occasions call, a pair of black strappy heels will ensure your green dress takes the spotlight, pull the look together with a matching black bag for an elegant finish.
Green Dress and Brown Shoes
Combining green and brown shades will give an outfit a laid-back, earthy feel. It’s a successful colour formula that will accompany every shade of green, particularly darker shades like khaki. For a sophisticated cold-weather look, indulge in leather knee boots in rich shades of chocolate brown and a vibrant green knee length dress, the complementary hues will be the perfect match for your working wardrobe.
What Shoes to Wear with a White Dress
The thought of a white dress may conjure up themes of bridal and twee summer dresses, but what if we told you there’s a versatile dress that can be adapted to every season in neutral shades of white and cream? Enter the jumper dress. Timeless, sophisticated, and absolutely essential, it’s the ideal trans-season staple that’s as easy to dress up as it is down.
To keep things casual, team an off-white jumper dress with black cup-sole trainers, for a cool off-duty option, match the look with a mini cross-body bag for on-the go moments. Monday morning again? No problem. Switch your trainers for a black pair of ankle boots for an easy 9-5 look.
Introduce warm notes to neutral tones for a wholly appropriate winter ensemble. Layer up with soft textures for a truly cosy feel, knee high boots in deep shades of brown will pair perfectly with gold-toned accessories.
