If elegance is what you strive for in your personal style, then paying attention to the type of shoes that you wear is necessary. Just because a shoe is trendy, expensive or sexy does not necessary mean that it´s elegant.
In fact, there are several overprised and overhyped designer shoes that aren´t elegant at all. On the contrary, there are many affordable shoes that are quite elegant and sophisticated.
On my next blog post I will talk about the types of shoes that are elegant and sophisticated, but this post is about the types of shoes that are NOT elegant.
I believe it´s important to be well-informed about how certain styles of shoes are perceived because not only can they cheapen an outfit, they can also send the wrong message about you.
Whether you´re applying for a job or looking to attract the right guy, wearing the wrong shoes can negatively affect your chances of success.
So here are the ten types of shoes that aren´t elegant al all.
Table of Contents
1. The Platform Pumps
I don´t understand why this type of shoes is being marketed as elegant and sophisticated. There is nothing elegant and sophisticated about its style.
The front is chunky and the toe area is cut short – making your legs appear shorter and thicker.
From whatever angle I look at it, I don´t find this shoe pretty at all. That´s why I never owned a pair of its kind.
I don´t understand too why contestants in world-renowned beauty contests such as the Miss Universe prefer this shoe. They market themselves as elegant and sophisticated too but the shoes they wear aren´t elegant, if I´m to be honest.
This platform style has a reputation as the shoes for hookers, sexy dancers and prostitutes. Not that I judge women who work in the „sex service“ field, but if that´s not the reputation that you want to create, I believe it´s better not to patronize this style of shoes.
Now there are certain types of platform shoes that are still elegant. The platform of those pumps aren´t as thick and the toe box is pointed and longer. Take the pumps that I´m wearing in this photo as example.
2. The Knee-High Gladiator Sandals
The gladiator sandals are derived from the ancient Romans footwear. Modern interpretation of this Romanian sandals include flip flop with lace up straps, caged straps or cutout design. Heights warry as well, from ankle to knee-high.
When I was in my early twenties I had a pair of flat sandals with long lace that I had to tie around my ankle creating the gladiator look. It was in black with quite a minimalist look. I found it really sexy and I loved wearing it. However, I never owned a pair of knee-high gladiator sandals.
I found a few knee-high gladiator sandals that are sexy and not too loud. But most of them are quite seductive, too loud and just too much.
Whenever it´s too much, in my book it isn´t elegant.
But if you really must wear a pair of knee-high gladiator sandals, then choose something that is nude or closest to your skin tone such as this.
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3. The Super High Stilettos
Stilleto heels with low-vamp and pointed toes are my go-to elegant shoes. However, I noticed nowadays that most stilleto heels come with very high heels. We´re talking 4.5 to 6.5 inches heels.
When the heels are too high, it ruins your overall elegance because you´re not able to walk properly . Your posture is affected because your body has to balance while you walk. This is probably the reason why most women opt for very high stilleto heels but with the ugly platforms because it´s easier for the feet.
Wearing very high heels especially is a NO for petite ladies. If your heels are half the length of your legs then something is really off with your look.
The most elegant heel height is below 4 inches. But the best heel height for you may vary depending on your height and your level of comfort in those heels.
Learning how to work with your proportions is a better approach to lengthening your vertical line than tip-toeing in extremely high heels. Not to mention that very high heels gives a negative message about you similar to that of shoes #1.
4. Some Glitter Shoes
Not all glitter shoes aren´t elegant. However, I found many glitter shoes tacky. They look like shoes for performers.
I know that some women are into glittery shoes, glittery jackets and handbags. If glitter is something that makes you happy, that´s totally fine. And if you´re wearing it to special events which occasion calls for striking glitters, that´s totally fine too.
However, choose your glitter carefully. Go for something that isn´t too showy. And something that is made with good taste such as this or this.
The style of the shoe and the color of glitter that you choose will identify whether or not your glitter shoes are elegant.
5. The Ugly Sneakers
The trend of the “ugly designer sneakers” has died down but ugly sneakers still linger around. Of course not everyone could afford the ugly designer sneakers, The Balenciaga Triple S, king of the ugly sneakers, but there are many affordable versions of the ugly sneakers too.
I follow the trends because this is my job, but I´m not a trendy person myself. I don´t wear something just because it´s trendy. And I will never spend so much money on something “ugly” just because it´s trendy.
To identify the ugly sneakers they usually look like a boat. If you wear them, they look too big on your feet. They have thick platform soles and they look chunky. Their colors differ but you´ll know one when you see one.
6. The Over-the-Top Ankle Strap
Ankle strap shoes are always tricky to style because they cut your vertical line. The best approach to wearing ankle straps is choosing straps that are slim, in color that is closest to your skin tone.
So if your shoes have ankle straps that are dominant and heavy – thick straps and buckles, or anything that are extremely attention grabbing but in a negative way, or over-the-top decors such as hanging beads around the ankle – then they are not elegant shoes.
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Of course rules on elegance aren´t set in stone. This is my personal opinion on what I find elegant or NOT elegant but people´s tastes and styles vary. So if your favorite style of shoes made it to this list, just take it with a grain of salt. What matters is you feel good and confident in your shoes.