Dark Sandal Colour
Diante Scharsch
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I got a pair of black gladiator wedges today, but was very torn in the store trying the same pair in the black/taupe/brown colors. I loved the taupe but was told they're very low contrast to my very pale (I'll tan in summer though LOL) skin and the black looked much better. I also liked the cognac color, but it seemed very casual (and I have a pair of dark brown flat glad and cognac pair of cork wedges from last summer), and wanted something different. The black IS a nice contrast but how versatile is it? It looks perfect with skinnies but how about skirts and shorts (I was thinking denim boyfriend shorts and bermuda shorts mainly). Is a sandal that blends in the skin color a no-no? How about the 'leg lengthening look'? I never really wore black sandals so they seem a bit striking on my feet with shorts (but I need a versatile pair, not a 'skinny jeans only' one).
Oh, here are the sandals:
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Dilemmas, dilemmas... Any thoughts?
Cute sandals! Can't go wrong with either color, I think. I don't know your overall style and what colors the majority of your pants, skirts and dresses are (besides the denim bermudas you mention), so this is just based on personal preference: I like lighter tones for summer shoes. I think nude would be extremely versatile and you'd get a lot of mileage out of them. I also like metallics for their versatilty. But that said, black is super versatile as well, and will definitely work great with denim.
If you wear a fair amount of black or have dark hair, black shouldn't be a problem. I wear plenty of dark colors in summer, personally. However, if your wardrobe is heavy on pastels and is very low contrast, black might indeed look too heavy.
Thank you
@ Rae- you just nailed it at the head lol, my wardrobe (for summer at least) is predominantly lighter and pastel - I own a single black tank top and a black/white polka dot one, other than that it's florals, blues, couple orange, greens, grays and whites. As for bottoms, it's still a bit 'work in progress' but mostly on the lighter side as well... I guess I need to get out sans child and spend some quality time in DSW and try them on again without rush ;).
I like the light metallic color better, especially with the colors you wear in the summer. I don't mind black sandals and have a pair myself, but they are thongs. They aren't as dominating on the foot as gladiators would be.
Isabella I must chime in and say that even with a black/gray based wardrobe and dark hair, black isn't always the most versatile sandal! I have tried and returned several black sandals because they simply look too heavy, even though I wear primarily black/gray/white, have nearly-black hair, and light skin. If I want "dark" sandals I'm going with pewter/bronze, and if I want light then nude/white. The only outfit I was able to put together where the black worked was, oddly enough, when I was wearing ALL white. I do need to experiment further with this though, just wanted to let you know what I found
That said, I have more than one pair of sandals including several black pairs that get worn often. I do have dark hair and am team high contrast. Are you team low or high contrast? If you're low contrast I agree the black will probably not get worn as often.
Thank you for the insight...
@ Aida: I love the look of an all white outfit with black accessories and black sandals - but would I wear it? no... or at least not very often.. And I definitely don't need another pair of closet orphans!
@ Diana: very interesting about Team High/Low Contrast, haven't thought of it either! Just shows how much still there is to learn for me.. I do have dark hair (dark brown, not black) but am planning to go lighter for summer, for all it's worth. Thinking of contrasts, I'm more inclined towards low contrast, as much as I love high-contrast outfits, I am not good at styling them. Low contrast items appeal to me more on myself - I'm a bit of a fashion coward
I agree that your wardrobe should help you decide. For me, black sandals are indispensible -- in fact, I'm going a little crazy trying to find a cute replacement for a pair of black flat sandals I've nearly worn out! But I have dark hair and a lot of black in my wardrobe, even in summer pieces, because I like prints with black in them.
If you want a little contrast and something other than tan or brown, but not as stark as black, try a metallic like pewter. There are some nice metallic options out there now and they're very versatile. It got to 85F here today, so I wore a summer dress with some new metallic flat sandals (again, my old ones were nearly falling apart), and I like the look a lot.
Also, if you already have cognac sandals and feel that the taupe is too light, why not try the olive ones? They are a darker neutral, will go well with pastels and lighter colors but still provide a more solid base to your outfits. I have a pair of Ecco t-strap wedges that are between an olive and beige color and I find them very versatile for all my summer outfits. They are actually a very flattering neutral sandal considering that I have dark brown hair (not too light or too heavy).
I think this is really a matter of personal preference :). I have multiple pairs of black sandals that I wear almost constantly all summer--they're my favorite color of sandal! But I wear black a lot, and don't care for light-colored sandals, typically, for myself. If you barely have any black in your summer wardrobe and you don't have black hair, however, I'm not sure black sandals are the ones for you.
My question is whether black sandals aren't all that workable for summer? Especially given that I have very pale legs, blonde hair and blonde eyebrows/lashes. There wouldn't really be much of a bookending effect. Does this matter?
Amongst the sandal considerations, I'm looking at these Ecco banded sandals (in pic#1) as a good 'go to' casual sandal to wear with bermuda/clam shorts and very casual skirts throughout summer. I can't find the gold colour in my size. In terms of casual summer skirts, I have a few denim pencil skirts, a new mustard-ish linen blend skirt, a brown cargo skirt, a black cargo skirt - you get the idea. I also have black slim-cut bermudas, those Kut from the Kloth (dark blue) denim clams and so forth. Once in a rare while, I'll wear long light coloured pants, but this isn't the norm - it's just too hot for that. At a certain point, even the denim shorts become too hot, and I stick with casual skirts and lightweight bermuda shorts.
Most of my shoes are black and I think I solve the problem by wearing dark/dark neutrals pants with it or jeans. I don't really care for the look of black sandals and light colored pants especially if you are "height challenged" like I am! I like the ones you picked a lot, I think its a great choice for summer and will go with number of things
I have worn my denim skirt with black sandals and I think its ok, I paired it with black top though, I think it gives it some balance. Modgirl brought up excellent point also-metallic sandals. I have a pair and wear these all the time because I don't like light colored shoes in general but metallic goes with everything. Just another idea for you
It's 92F here today (this is 'spring' weather). Summers mean 100+ temps. So I don't generally wear jeans (or even pants) very often in the summer. It is true though, that most of my summer bottoms are dark colours. That said, black sandals against my pale (practically glow in the dark) legs might not be so flattering, especially given light hair. Very little chance of book-ending, at least not without a lot of effort.
Black seems like a harsh color to me, in the warm weather. Especially with your fair hair...but if you do navy, denim, brown it could work....I just wouldnt pair it with any light bottoms- whether its a skirt or pants. Good luck!
With black sandals I think it's hard. I find that I only like those with very thin straps that keep them light, otherwise not only do they look stumpifying to my eye, but also too granny-like. Just my two cents here Ecco is a nice brand, but I'm sure you can do even better!
I have black sandals, but I also have dark hair and wear black throughout the year - usually pair my black sandals with a black tank or handbag. In terms of stumpifying, since these straps go right across the ankle bone, they are going to shorten the leg more than a low-vamp shoe in the same color. However, the low-contrast gold should solve this problem.
Have you ever considered olive colored sandals? I bought a pair on a whim last summer on vacation and I have worn the heck out of them. They seem to go with everything and are actually low contrast with my very pale skin and hair.
Hi VC! I have been doing some deep closet-soul-searching and realized that my dark denim skirts and shorts want to be paired with a darker shoe to sort of "ground" them. I have metallic, and nude and turquoise sandals, but somehow a stiff denim skirt of heavy material needs something darker near the feet to my eye. So I totally get your idea of a black sandal. I think these particular ones will be stumpifying with skirts however.
Have you tried a dark espadrille-type fabric sandal? The fabric keeps it from having that hot feel. Also how do you feel about dark brown? I just bought some brown Jesus sandals today to wear with my denim skirts. Not everyone's cuppa, but my fussy feet loved them. They have a fairly high vamp, but nothing like an ankle cuff. Ya know what? Their vamp isn't any lower than the ones you posted so I'm going to shut up now! There is something about a black sandal with black trim and everything that seems like it would be harsh on a blonde. Just sayin'.