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Have You Ever Wanted Red Shoes?

And then one day you wake up in red shoes.

I’m not one for pops of color, and had resolutely avoided ballet flats for this entire trend lifecycle. But then I went shopping at Modern Appealing Clothing, a local boutique owned by a brother and sister with exquisite Urban Artsy taste. The next thing I knew I had acquired this pair of orange-red Sofie D’Hoore ballet flats.

Sofie’s Belgian, and the flats are just this side of ugly, in that fashiony kind of way. I found my Ferragamos felt too demure with the dress, and who among us craves nothing wild? Or at the very least, subversive.

That said, I’m going to say dresses made me do it, and I cannot guarantee what happens next. Most people put on their red shoes and continue about their business.

Dress: Lela Rose
Shoes: Sofie D’Hoore
Glasses: Long’s Drug before it became CVS

62 Responses

  1. Oh I love them, and if my wardrobe was less trouser-centred I’d have them. They look nice and high in front, easy to keep on the feet and not likely to make me wibble about whether the degree of toe cleavage is appropriate to the current fashion and the event.

  5. I love red shoes, but have never had a pair. My feet are so narrow that just finding shoes in brown or black is a big challenge. But, man-oh-man, if I ever found a pair of red shoes I’d love it. And I’d even let the angels wear my red shoes from time-to-time!

  6. Yes, I know what you mean by ” just this side of ugly ” ; ).
    Good to see you wearing your gray dress, and you are brave to have chosen just ” that ” red. Following fashion is very much ok! Now, what if you painted your nails the same color?

  7. They look fantastic. I gravitate toward that “just this side of ugly” aesthetic too at times, especially when it comes to footwear.

  8. I like the shoes and I love the dress, but not sure I like them together.
    I’d like to see you in a bit of a heel with that dress.

    1. I will do that, at some point, but my office is wildly casual and I’m already on the fancy side.

  9. Red shoes with character – superb. I once wrote a poem about my pair of “ridiculous red shoes” (which I miss to this day). You will enjoy them more than you can suspect.

  10. Yes, and I bought myself a pair of red ballerinas for my birthday last month.

    They make me happy. They make me smile. And, as you no doubt know, I’m not at all your “pop of color” kinda girl.

  13. I enjoy reading your blog! Are you growing your silver hair out or is it blond? It is really pretty.

    1. My hair is both blonde at grey at this point. The top 1/3 is grown out, the bottom 2/3 still show the dye. Thank you.

  16. Red shoes are neutral to me, I own multiple pairs, heels, sandals, loafers, ballerinas, slingbacks, you name it. These look more orange in the pictures, they should go great with your dark neutral navy. Btw, soft yellow would also be stunning with this dress.

  17. Love those red shoes they look super with the dress.

    My first ever red shoes were ‘tap’ shoes I adored them hated having to take them off. Ida

  18. I love red shoes. In fact, I have so many pairs of red shoes that I have a “red shoe collection” and I doubt I could ever part with one pair.

    My back is in very bad shape and my doctor gave me a list of shoe manufacturers — found a red pair!

  21. You look so good I’m suspecting an affair…no?

    Then it must be the great hair and the super body in the gray dress with the red (love) ballerinas(double love).

    xo Jane

  23. Perfect shoes, but I still think you could(would) look so great with a colored hair rinse. I know you favor natural. My husband has a slight rinse in his hair and in the business world that extra look of youth and vitality makes the game. I know the purists are now screaming don’t change a thing!

  24. Congrats on the red shoes! I wore red heels on my wedding day, but they didn’t show much since the dress was floor-length. But I still wear them all the time…today in fact! (But they weren’t my first or last pair of red shoes; I’d had one pair of red tennis shoes before and a pair of converse now)…but I find red shoes go with lots of things my wardrobe. Surprisingly!

  26. Currently: red flats, red heels, red-brown clogs. I wear some kind of red shoes with nearly everything.

    My favorite shoes ever were a pair of red chinoiserie platform sandals I bought on spring break. They were the kind of shoes only my 20-year-old self could have worn, and oh! How she loved them.

  28. I like red shoes, particularly in the summer.

    I think you’re spot-on with the description of these as just this side of ugly. The dress is ladylike so it’s OK to have some shoes that are sturdy.

    For shoes that aren’t girly or showing any toe-clevage I give them points for not being chunky. Then they really would be ugly.

  29. the shoes are a daring color and they look supremely comfortable. They’re a fine touch with this dress.

  31. Oh yes, red shoes are a must have. So fairy-tale esque. I had a pair of Camper Mary Janes and I wore them until they broke… now I’m lusting for a new pair. I wear them with jeans, dresses… pretty much everything. Something magic about red shoes.

  32. Perfection! These are v. similar to a pair I loved in amsterdam (didn’t get because shop closings, holiday, timing) — same aesthetic — mine were more orange and had slight wedge.
    I think you’ll love these and who knows what’s next on the horizon . . .

  33. Well, I think you look “smashing” in your shoes and dress. You know what else you need for this look? Eyeglass with red frames to match the shoes. That would really kick it up a notch. I have red flats, red heels and orange loafer heels. I never fail to receive compliments when I wear any of them! I’d imagine you will too. You have already, judging by the comments above!

  34. I love red shoes. If I could make myself stick to neutrals in the remainder of my outfits, I’d probably wear red shoes every day! Unfortunately, not much chance of that.

  35. I think plain red shoes are a staple, especially in an otherwise quiet wardrobe. Those are great, I’m sure you will wear them often. “This side of ugly” is good for ballet flats. Not too literal.

  37. You look gorgeous – top to toes. Love the shoes, they aren’t ugly whatsoever, they’re pugly. Veering towards ugly, yet charming nonetheless. Pugly.

  40. These are very far from ugly. You are veering toward arty and I love it!

  41. Yes! Yes, I have wanted red shoes! I love the pair you’re wearing. Nothing looks better than red against a muted color like gray.

  42. I feel the same way about red shoes as I do about red nails — the color is so bright that the rest of the styling has to be modest.
    Red shoes work if they are simple flats paired with something grey or black, since that looks quirky. Red stilettos with a minidress would look trashy.
    Red nails work if they are short and work with a plain outfit. Red nails that are also long and pointy look trashy, at least in my opinion.

    I have a pair of red patent leather shoes with a very low heel (almost flats) which are from the Chinese-costume part of my wedding. But I have to admit that I almost never use them for daily wear.

  43. Yes yes yes! More color, pretty please – you have the (pretty) perfect coloring for it. Well & subversively done, you.

  44. Cute shoes!! I haven’t participated in the ballet flats trend until recently. I bought nude patent leather “Pretty Ballerinas.” Now I want red shoes.

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  46. I love the shot of color with the dress, but I can’t wear ballet flats. I need some height to balance out my, um, butt.

    I do, on the other hand, love red shoes. I have a dearly-loved pair in suede and some sandals. Red makes my feet happy.

  47. Yay for adding a pop of color! The shoes are great Lisa. Good for you. And you already know how I feel about my candy apple red Dorothy shoes. Every time I put them on I want to click my heels.

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