Clinton Kelly, cohost of TLC’s popular show What Not to Wear and author of Oh No She Didn’t, explains this fashion truth and offers advice on shoe repair, commuter shoes, and more.
Look, I don’t know how much information your brain can accommodate, but I need you to clear out a little gray matter for the following concept:
The shoe always, always, ALWAYS sets the tone for an outfit.
Think about that for a minute. It’s deep. It’s the reason nuns don’t wear stilettos and strippers don’t wear orthopedic shoes.
You could be sporting a five-hundred-dollar haircut, flawless skin, an Italian silk blouse, a fierce Dolce & Gabbana pencil skirt, and a diamond the size of Rhode Island, but if you do it wearing chewed-up, gnarly heels, people will think you’re a slacker. Seriously, I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve seen women wearing shoes well past their expiration date, and there’s this sloppy, careless vibe that clings to them. It’s a little like, “I sleep on a mattress without sheets, I have Chinese food in my refrigerator that’s older than Miley Cyrus, and the backseat of my car is filled with empty Big Gulps and ketchup packets.”
Sometimes shoes can be repaired and sometimes they can’t. The best way to find out is by visiting your friendly local cobbler. Mine’s a peach! Going forward, if you know you’re going to put a lot of mileage on a pair of shoes, bring them to the shoe repair shop before you wear them and ask for heel protectors or heel taps to be added. A very small investment of time and money will add months — maybe years — to the life of your shoes.
On a related note, I’m a big fan of the commuter shoe when executed properly. Your office shoes should be fabulous, but wearing exquisite crocodile pumps on the train, subway, and across five city blocks doesn’t make a ton of sense. Buy yourself a shoe bag and carry your good shoes with you in a tote. Not only will the shoe bag protect the shoe, it will prevent contamination of the contents of your commuter tote. While you’re traveling to work, wear something more comfortable — but still cute — like a ballet flat, a wedge, or a boot. You’ll notice I did not suggest sneakers, and that’s because they look really stupid with a skirt or a suit. And if you need evidence of that, it’s time for you to watch Working Girl again.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Clinton Kelly is the cohost of TLC’s popular show What Not to Wear, a spokesperson for Macy’s, and a motivational speaker who has successfully talked thousands of women out of stirrup pants. He has worked as an editor at several noted fashion publications, including Marie Claire and Mademoiselle. In his book Oh No She Didn’t: The Top 100 Style Mistakes Women Make and How to Avoid Them (Copyright © 2010 by Clinton Kelly), Clinton points out the hundreds of fashion mistakes women most commonly make and describes how to fix them.
MORE ARTICLES BY THE AUTHOR
LEARN MORE
- Read the Introduction to Oh No She Didn’t: The Top 100 Style Mistakes Women Make and How to Avoid Them
- Learn more about Oh No She Didn’t, a delightful mix of hilarious dish and expert fashion advice
