Style Stories: Shoes

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Goody Two-Shoes, Part 1

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Today, my look has to transition from day to evening and I’m using shoes and accessory placement to make it happen. My modern-boho daytime look is full of colour in a tie-dye mesh dress with side ruching, Zara. I’ve never been a big colour person rather a colour combination, person…think, Tequila Sunrise, so a great tie-dye is right up my ally. Because I’m so short waisted and my dress is fitted the ruching detail really helps me out. It creates a break from below my bust and blurs where my waist should be. It also keeps the dress from riding up. You may think this is an add choice, but I love pairing the unexpected. If it makes sense and this actually does…my OD utility jacket, Forever 21, adds additional shape, dimension and texture to the straightness of my dress and it creates a frame around it so the eye stays focused. I’ve also pulled in some colour from the dress and accessorized my jacket with a large red rose flower pin and a pale pink feather boa, Amazon. Aside from needing these accessories, tonight they do work with my overall look. I need a weighty shoe to balance with the loftiness of my jacket and so I brought in my OD platform, Chelsea, boots, Sorel, to finish my daytime look.

For tonight…I’ve repositioned my solid pale pink feather boa and red rose pin from my jacket to around my neck, wrapped like a choker. This brings in some drama and has an evening like feel. My boots get replaced with purple satin sling backs, Shein. My choice of a sling back or a sandal rather than a pump is to have a more open and lighter feel, especially because my dress takes up so much of my body. The satin also brings a reflective element and a necessary pop of a solid colour that works in unison with my solid accessories. For additional shine, I’ve added a rhinestone ankle bracelet, Melinda Maria Jewelry. As you can see, my accessories work in unison to frame my dress and elevate it from day to evening.

*Style-tip: using your shoes with good accessory placement is an inexpensive way to get the most out of your garments.



Goody Two-Shoes, Part 2

I’m using the same concept with shoes and accessories to make the transition from day to evening but only using all one colour.  I’ve decided to wear all black and go full-coverage. My long knit dress, DKNY, combines a heavy and lighter weight gauge. The strategic placement of the sheerer knit creates a great body shape because it elongates my torso so you can’t really see where my body parts start and stop. Like above, I’m using a feather boa and flower pin, Amazon, as a choker but staying with my monochromatic story. The choker gives me the additional coverage I want but also frames my face and draws the eye to the dress. Like the dress, my motorcycle jacket, Zara and lug boots, Gisele, are matte and bring in some heaviness for a downtown vibe that’s perfect for my daytime look.

For evening, I’m using the same purple satin sling backs, Shein. The shoes bring an unexpected pop of colour while exposing a little skin to lighten the look. My rhinestone ankle bracelet, Melinda Maria Jewelry, along with the satin shoes and choker are my reflective elements to brighten up a very long, dark, matte dress. Through the use of shoes and accessories, I’m able to take a long sleeve knit dress and turn it into something chic for an elegant evening out.

*please treat your wardrobe well. Many people worked very hard to get it to you.

Author

  • Felicia Arlin

    Felicia Arlin’s work as a stylist and costume designer has been featured in print, tv, film and on the red carpet. As a 20+ year veteran designer/merchandiser in the LA/NY garment industry her work has graced the racks of every major department store and specialty chain in the country. She is passionate about helping women look and feel confident no matter their age, shape or socioeconomic status. Her hope is to empower other women by sharing some of the things she’s learned along the way to better cultivate and express their own individual and ageless style.

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