These boots were made for stomping. A studded bootie by SM Luxe Trump. Photo: DSW
"Details are very important when shopping for great shoes," says "Project Runway" winner Christian Siriano who has a line with Payless. "I think fabric, shine and color always help shoes stand out. I also think that hardware like chains, buckles, studs and beading are essential for a statement shoe."
Gregg Andrews, national fashion director at Nordstrom, says that women are looking for things to incorporate into their existing wardrobes that will make their older items look fresh and new. But they also want something that brings a little power with it.
"While women want to look feminine and, often, sexy, they don't really want to look fragile, and a lot of these shoes have a lot of strength to them," Andrews says. "And I think there's a lot of that feeling of strength in the '80s trends that are going on."
We asked a panel of shoe experts for guidance on the tough shoe trend work for you. Here are their answers:
What clothing styles match these statement shoes?
- Piperlime.com's Jennifer Gosselin: "From a trend perspective, this season the boyfriend look -- whether it be a jacket, jean, cardigan or tee -- and the rocker look are both strong. Pairing these shoes with the boyfriend look adds a feminine balance to the androgynous style. Or paired with leggings and a motorcycle jacket, they can top off a rocker look."
- Nordstrom's Gregg Andrews: "Try to strike a balance between what you're wearing on top and your footwear on bottom. A jacket, a cardigan, even something with a large-size scarf, will give you that visual weight that will balance out that heavier shoe."
What clothing styles should you avoid when wearing these shoes?
- "What Not to Wear's" Stacy London: "If you're a mom on the go and you're wearing a jacket and T-shirt and jeans, you don't need an aggressive shoe. But another big trend is heavily embellished flats, so you can still get the chains or studding or things that are a little bit harder edged, but you can do that without the crazy platform heel."
- DSW's Valara Gee: "Regular office pants do not work with these shoes. It has to be something that's closer to the leg, and stops at ankle, or it has to be either a dress or a skirt."
With all the peep-toed aggressive styles, how can women carry this trend into fall?
- Piperlime's Gosselin: "Wear these styles with tights as long as there is no seam around the toe. It works especially well if you stick to a black dress and shoes and tights in a dark, rich color, such as eggplant. Or, if the shoe is colored, stick with black tights and a dark dress. I really would not recommend them with pants or jeans through the colder months."
