Shoes for Print Dress ?

I would like to create a casual day and dressier evening look for my dress. I'm at a loss as what shoes to put with it for each. In the future I would like to purchase peanut heels for day and possibly a bronze pair for evening. Right now I am trying to see if anything I have will work until I can find something else. I have enclosed a slideshow of what I have to work with. Wendy's Dress

I thought the brown espadrilles would work for day. I'm not sure if they look "too heavy" with the dress. (it is silk material by the way) I like the blue, but not sure if they go (for everyday). I also like the red (for a dressier look) but again not sure about mixing red with so much green. As for the brown slides, I thought they would work for everyday in my head. But something seems off when I see them in a picture.
The dress has shades of green, brown and turquoise in it. I'll do with wood or gold jewelry. I also have a lace cami in brown as the V is a little deep for me.
I look forward to your ideas. Thanks so much for the help. I can't wait to wear this outfit!
Wendy


The dress looks best with the red shoes. The color is "outside" of the color palette in the dress, and the red is functioning as a "pseudo neutral" here. That is, not a neutral, but able to support many colors. The espadrilles work, too, but they are a touch tricky for the patterned dress. They would work better with a neutral (tan gabardine) skirt, and a B/W small polka dot top, big rectangular clutch.

Wide strap nude sandal heels would definitely support the dress; they are the neutral accessory of the season. Skip the bronze, and buy yellow (shorter lived, but hotter.)

The low strap sandals are too skimpy to support the dress's strong structure/print/fabric.
Terrific dress! Wear tomorrow!

To Splurge, or Not to Splurge?

Will this mimosa handbag be out of style after this summer?
Judyanne


Beautiful Bag
I've been wanting it since I saw it at the Michael Kors store in Las
Vegas but can't justify that much money for just one summer.

BTW, If there is anything to this trend thing maybe yellow will be around
next summer too.
Colors 2010

From Ileana:

Hello, judyannegirlie!
One of my biggest lessons of 2008 was the realization that everything
has an expiration date but some things are worth having anyway.
I have had a canary yellow clutch for 2 years (almost now) and I got
it as a gift. At the
time, yellow was not having its heyday yet at the stores, but it was
visible at the designer level so I was ahead of the curve for a while,
and boy, did that baby get noticed! And did I enjoy using it every
time! I didn't pay for it, but even so the excitement of wearing it
was worth it, had I bought it myself.
Do you love yellow? Do you love the bag you're considering? Can you
see yourself wearing it every day? (And yes, I think
yellow will be back, and while it won't be the Pantone color of the
year, it will still be relevant). If the price is what's deterring you,
perhaps you can find another bag in the same color for less, and
still get your heart a'flutterin'. :)

From Pres:
Some trends stay on as classics (Leopard. See D&G.) Others go
definitively out. I can never predict, in advance, which will be which.
For this year, I have added some terrific yellow. A print cardi, a pair of
jeans, scarves. I had some prior stuff on hand, because yellow is a
good color for me, and I usually accept a flattering trend early on. I don't wait until it's circling the drain. I have yellow shoes from last year. They will get some more wear. Still, I did not invest in any pieces that are out of
my $ comfort zone for crashing and burning in the Fall. For significantly expensive items, I stick with neutrals.

I evaluate each piece individually (Does it sing?) and I decide if I can stand
to see it in the donation bag, when the season changes. For this test, I assume the color won't be back. I don't want to feel guilty, because of cost, and be pressured into wearing something that has passed its style expiration date.
Being current is a value for me, and is not a stretch, either. I usually love the new wave.

Casual Skirt

I've become enamored of pencil skirts. They work great for work but
I'm not liking them so much for me as a casual Spring/Summer outfit.
Somehow I don't think it works for walking the dogs at the dog park.

So. What do you suggest for a more casual skirt for this time of
year? I have a casual a-line denim skirt but need more options that
just that one. I need something I can run to the grocery store in,
walk the dogs in, putter around home and outside in, something casual
but nice.

Many of my tops are prints so I need/want solids on the bottom.
Min


Pres: Actually, a khaki cotton pencil does the job for me.
This one is Linen, and mine is cotton. It's not too well pressed (nor
would it hold a stiff pressing, if I tried.)
Khaki Linen
It's a touch shorter, and a little wider than my usual work pencils
(which are edgy and sharp. And support pumps well)
Mine doesn't have a tie belt, it has two large button tabs at the
waist, and rides on my hips.
The vibe is like khaki shorts.
Khaki is a great neutral and goes with just about any color/print that
you may have. Except denim. I don't usually mix them in an outfit.
Denim or Khaki, not both.

Khaki Cotton


Siepres:
I actually like casual day dresses for the "casual, but not getting
dirty" activities. I just slip them on and head out the door. I have
a polka dot dress from ebay that is washable and easy to wear for just
these kinds of activities.

I love Pres's suggestion of a khaki skirt too. A-lines can be nice
casual skirts too, but good luck finding a good selection this year!

Min: Thanks for bringing up the khaki idea Pres. I'd forgotten I have a
straight khaki skirt with buttons down the front. I can, and have in
the past work it for casual outfits. Khaki is actually something new
to me. Before last year I'd never worn any and I now have two pairs
of pants and the one skirt.
I need to get some casual day dresses. I seem to either have
work dresses or sun dresses. I think something a bit in-between would
work well.

Judyanne:
I like a little more fullness for a casual skirt. More flexibility in
terms of movement. They seem to be showing a lot of skirts like that.

There are a lot of them on this page of Nordstrom skirts:

Nordstrom Skirts

The New Matching

Hey Pres, What's this I see? Is Matching back?

It's not as easy as it sounds!
The addition of matching accessories to a perfect outfit is a new twist. There are several ways to try it.

1)Creating a color block by using the same colors near to each other. In this technique, a multicolored top could be paired with a jacket or cardi in the same color family. A yellow cardi might have a yellow scarf added. Two prints with the same color family might be paired as the top half of an outfit, and a neutral added as the bottom.
Tops

2) An accessory, like a bag, is in the same color family as adjacent items, like a purse and a skirt, Bag&Shorts

2) Using unexpected colors for shoe/belt matches, like our favorite yellow, or turquoise, or red. (I'm searching for an example. Watch this space.)


Some things to watch out for:
The items in the ensemble must be fresh. If you have a traditional black croco belt, don't match it to your croco shoes. This works best with high impact colors like hot pink. Please don't take a dated print and pick up a pop color, like cherries on a skirt, and echo it in high profile red MJs.

Trends Are Bad

I think that folks who advise you to follow new trends and fads should be banned from fashion advice. Trends and fads are unflattering. I look bad in yellow and my friend looks bad in purple which were the big trendy colors this year. No one should follow advise like this. And it's not about who has the nicest or new clothes anyway.


Actually, on balance, I've seen a lot worse among folks who wear the old looks than among trend wearers, and I am in a position to see plenty. Most fashion-forward dressers look for that new trend that flatters them the most, and run with it. We all recognize trends that don't work for us, whether color or cut, and we should know enough to skip them. But getting stuck in the old ways is just as bad.
Trends involve a lot more than a color or two. Shoes, make-up, hair styles, and jewelry move on as well. Here are some updates:

Hair: Flat ironed hair, especially in a round helmet style, is over. Try for a choppy, loose hair do, with a few large waves added.

Shoes: Narrow straps are big on shoes. This includes the gladiators, and gladiator inspired strappy shoes, as well as T-straps. MJs have passed, especially cloth ones, with a wide strap, flat heels and turned up toes. Keep yours for gym activities.

Make-up: Eye make-up is big, and lips are pale, pastel pale. Use a lighter color (like skin-tone foundation) to line your lips, not a darker color.

Jewelry: Chunky beaded necklaces are in, especially short ones that end around your collar bone. For a long necklace, look for ones made of modern, chunky pieces. Fine silvery, filigree or small bead earrings, necklaces or bracelets have disappeared.

Tees: Ruffly shirts are in. Stretched out tight tees in faded colors, not so much.

About the exclusiveness of the fashion scene? Fashion is an art form that everyone can
practice. It's full of fun, especially if you don't invest too much energy in trying to denigrate the creative choices of those of us that love change, and flourish in a fresh new environment every season.