How to Wear an Aggressive Shoe

by Lesley Kennedy (Subscribe to Lesley Kennedy's posts)
Posted Sep 28th 2009 at 8:00AM

These boots were made for stomping. A studded bootie by SM Luxe Trump. Photo: DSW

They're chunky. And studded. With buckles. And platforms. Oh, and straps. Lots and lots of straps. Nope, these shoes certainly would not be described as delicate or girlie or sweet. Fashion's favorite fall shoes makes a powerful statement.

"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."

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How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

DSW

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

"I think this boot looks great with a tight black dress or even with a rolled-up skinny jean," says Stacey Bendet of Alice + Olivia for Payless.

Alice + Olivia for Payless "Robertson" jeweled peep-toe platform boot, $50, at select Payless ShoeSource stores and Payless.com through mid-September.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

DSW's Valara Gee says anything too long doesn't make sense with this kind of shoe. "Now, it doesn't have to be a mini mini mini skirt either, but some of those pretty dresses that are a little bit feminine and floaty and flirty above the knee look great with these shoes," she says.

SM Luxe Trump studded cut-0ut ankle bootie, $80, at DSW.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

DSW's Valara Gee says denim looks great with these shoes, "but it has to be more of a skinny leg to the ankle. Leggings look fantastic with these with something bigger on top, maybe layered, with a bigger shoulder, so almost you're creating that inverted triangle look. And the whole idea of wearing it with a tailored cuff short looks super cute with these shoes."

Madden Girl "Kendra" platform peep-toe bootie, $50, at DSW.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

"We're seeing a lot of these shoes on platforms with a little bit more aggressive heels," says DSW's Valara Gee. "And then the idea of the hardware, certainly becomes important here, whether it's zippers, chains, stud or buckles."

Zigi Soho Zipora platform bootie, $70, at DSW.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

Platform peep-toe booties, like these from Marshalls, are often seen in black. "I think we're seeing a lot of black (shoes), we're seeing a lot of things that are slightly harder edge, because I think it extends that idea of black and even leather and things like that as being recession-proof," says "What Not to Wear's" Stacy London.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

Nordstrom's Gregg Andrews says footwear is now being used to ground a look. "Shoes are a little bit more heavy just in general than they've been in past seasons, they're not really delicate," he says. "When we see straps they're bold, they're wide, there are several of them. There's lots of coverage. You know, they might be strappy, but they don't look fragile."

Steven by Steve Madden "Tutorr" sandal in purple suede, $169, at Nordstrom.com.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

Caged footwear tends to have a lighter, more feminine look when the straps are finer and narrower, says Nordstrom's Gregg Andrews. "There's still a lot of coverage to the foot, but for a woman who's a little bit more feminine in her personal style, or she's looking for a shoe to go with softer, more fluid-type garments, this is a great choice."

Jimmy Choo "Keenan" caged sandal in cobalt python, $1,195, at Nordstrom.com.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

"The great thing about these shoes is that they add interest and spice to even the most classic items, or they can solidify an edgier look," says Piperlime.com's Jennifer Gosselin.

L.A.M.B. "Rhett" platform sandal, $240, at Piperlime.com.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

Piperlime's Jennifer Gosselin says to stick with clean lines when wearing these types of shoes. "Avoid more complicated items like bubble skirts or lots of pattern or statement necklaces," she says. "You want the shoe, itself, to make the statement."

Jessica Simpson "Katie" platform peep-toe in eggplant, $89, at Piperlime.com.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

"I think edgy shoes are totally for anytime, it just depends on your individual style and what you want your look to be," says "Project Runway" champ Christian Siriano.

Christian Siriano for Payless black pump, $35, at select Payless ShoeSource stores and Payless.com through September.

How to Wear Aggressive Shoes

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