What Outfits to Wear With Different Shoe Colours

If you find yourself constantly pulling out the same pair of black pumps for every occasion, you may be stuck in a style rut. While black shoes are undoubtedly easy to wear (they match everything!), they’re not the most original of fashion choices. This season, give your style a reboot from the feet up with some more inspired footwear options. From metallics and pastels to bright, bold hues, there’s a whole rainbow of chic coloured shoes just waiting for you. So, whether you love the sunny hue of a pair of yellow heels or are more into the unexpected uniqueness of some silver brogues, here are some easy outfit ideas to make styling coloured shoes as simple as those black pumps.

Red Shoes

Red shoes are undoubtedly bold and eye-catching. The vibrant hue is quick to pull focus and become a dominating feature of your outfit. By choosing to pair your red shoes with simple, black and white pieces, you’ll ensure that your shoes get all the attention. Likewise, colours close to red, such as pink and orange, will also sit nicely next to your shoes. They will subdue the vibrant hue and become a secondary feature of the look. Navy and grey will also match well as basic tones, while blues, such as cobalt, will balance bright red and share the attention.

Orange Shoes

When styling coloured footwear, it’s best to apply some colour theory to decide what to wear. As orange and blue are across from each other on the colour wheel, they are complementary colours, meaning that when they are paired together, they look great. Choose a light blue shirt and some jeans for an outfit that instantly looks great with orange shoes. Alternatively, colours that are warm in tone, like orange, will blend well with the hue. Try yellows and warm, camel browns with your orange shoes for a well-paired look.

Yellow Shoes

Yellow shoes are such a fun accessory to wear. Full of colour and life, yellow shoes will put a smile on everyone’s face. Their bold hue looks fantastic when paired with a simple, monochrome outfit. They instantly become a standout feature while remaining chic and somewhat understated. Yellow shoes also look great with all shades of blues. Navy, in particular, looks superb with yellow, especially for formal occasions. Green, a colour next to yellow on the colour wheel, also matches well with this vibrant tone.

Green Shoes

As green and red are complementary colours, they look good together. However, for an outfit, green and red may leave you looking like a Christmas tree rather than a street style star. Remedy this problem by pairing your green shoes with hot orange hues instead. Orange will have a similar effect as red without any of the Christmas connotations. Try choosing an item of your outfit in orange and keeping the rest plain in black, brown, neutrals or navy. Alternatively, yellow, which is located next to green on the colour wheel, looks great too.

Teal Shoes

In between green and light blue, teal is a unique colour to wear. It’s also a gorgeous colour, though, particularly when found in footwear. Teal’s soft, feminine hue looks best when paired with other light colours, such as white, coral, pink and light brown. These colours look fresh together and carry an air of springtime about them. If soft isn’t your thing, however, try rich navies and bold reds instead for a dramatic look that brings out the blue in your teal shoes.

Blue Shoes

All coloured shoes tend to look great when paired with their own colour (no matter the hue), but navy looks particularly fantastic when paired with blue garments. Whether you choose baby blue, cobalt, or navy itself, navy shoes undoubtedly look great when paired with shades of blue. Add a fresh white base and some splashes of yellow or green and you’ll have yourself one unbeatable outfit.

Purple Shoes

Purple shoes (particularly in our favourite magenta hue!) are incredibly unique and cool. Much more exciting than your average black heels, these shoes are perfect for when you want to get noticed. The bold colour stands out brilliantly when paired with neutrals, black and white. It also looks great when paired with blue, meaning that blue denim with purple shoes is a comfortable and fabulous look. Take those blue jeans and add in a pink top and you’ve just nailed a killer weekend look.

Coral/Pink Shoes

Coral and pink shoes are superbly feminine and sweet. Much softer than black heels, which can sometimes look harsh, coral/pink shoes are perfect for ladylike dressing. Pair the colours with pastel shades, such as light blue or mint green, or match coral with either pink or orange (its base tones). As for basics, white looks fresh with coral and pink while grey offers a softer alternative to standard black.

Nude Shoes

While still quite basic, nude shoes can make a great neutral alternative to black. The light colour is perfect for outfits where black shoes look too heavy. Try out a pair of nude shoes next time you’re wearing outfits in white, cream, grey or blush and you’ll notice the difference. The colour also looks great when paired with orange or red statement pieces as it naturally falls to the background.

Gold Shoes

Gold shoes are one of the biggest footwear trends of the year. Unique and utterly unmissable, these shoes are a standout addition to any outfit. While it’s best to avoid bold patterns when wearing these statement-makers, they do look great with rich block colours, such as red, emerald, blue and burgundy. Pair your gold shoes with any of these tones and add white or black if necessary for a well-balanced look.

Silver Shoes

If gold shoes are too much for your taste, how about trying a metallic pair in silver. Shiny, and somewhat futuristic, silver shoes are sharp and chic. The unique colour looks best when paired with cool basic hues, such as black, navy and white. When it comes to feature pieces for your outfit, choose warm colours that will compliment the cold look of silver. Reds, pinks, and warm beige tones will all pair extraordinarily well.

Grey Shoes

While not a traditionally popular colour of footwear, grey has emerged as a fashion favourite for 2016. The tone falls somewhere in between basic hues and highlight tones, creating a unique look. Choose grey heels or boots in either suede or patent leather varieties and pair with minimal colours and styles. Soft pinks, white, cream, charcoal, and black will provide your colour palette a sweet spot.

Taylah McKee

Writer

Taylah Brewer holds a bachelor's degree in fashion and business and is a skilled writer with several years of experience in the world of online content creation and copywriting. She is passionate about fashion, beauty, and all things lifestyle-related and has been writing for The Trend Spotter since 2016. She currently works as the Head of Digital & Ecommerce at White & Co.