A sea of nudity. That’s what you’ll see when you window shop any women’s shoe store these days. Nude coloured footwear.
Kate Middleton catapulted the nude shoe into main stream popularity when she sashayed out in her L.K Bennett Sledge Nude Pumps a few years back and well, it hasn’t waned since.
Why do we love it?
We’re in the warmer, leg-baring months - don’t shriek, just keep calm and read on. Colour matching footwear to skin tone, regardless of heel height, immediately (just like magic of the fairy-tale kind) lengthens a woman’s leg length…and what woman on this mortal coil doesn’t want that?
The onlooker’s eye travels seamlessly all the way to the tip of the toe, without a break in colour.
A contrasting shoe, on the other hand, sign-posts the end of a woman’s leg length. A darker toned, high vamp (across the top of the foot), ankle strap style or boot will visually crop a woman’s leg at the point the shoe begins.
Hail the arrival of the clear shoe.
Emerging in the UK, Europe and the US, clear PVC and lucite give the same illusion as the nude shoe but it’s more fun and it’s definitely on-trend.
It just wouldn’t be the fashion industry if there wasn’t a new fad for us discerning fashionistas to spend our money on, would it?
You’ll find them in various forms - mules, sandals, classic pumps and even boots. Opt for a block heel style to keep it classy. There are plenty available online if your local shoes store hasn’t stocked them yet.
A word of warning: being plastic, they can be uncomfortable to the point of punishing and these babies WILL make your feet sweat. Wear in and stretch before taking them for a public spin. For that reason, best you opt for a strappy style to give your feet some room to move. Avoid closed toe or full boot styles in clear plastic – they ‘steam’ up in a short time, which is, not cool, in more ways than one. Beauty is a pain sometimes, isn’t it?
Don’t confuse these chic, new varieties with the older platform style with 6 inch heels. Leave those as a bad memory of the 90's if you donned them back then or on a pole-dancing/body building stage.
They also must, must, must be supported by a good pedicure as those twinkle toes will be on full show.
If nothing else, the clear shoe, albeit not quite the glass slipper, might allow us to have our very own Cinderella moment…but you can buy that moment with a credit card, no prince-charming required!
Gold Coast, Brisbane & Northern New South Wales Stylist, Louise Chambers is available for personal styling, photo shoot & media styling, style workshops, fashion event MC bookings and media bookings.
Instagram: @stylechambers