Dark colour tights lighter shoes?

Is it acceptable to wear dark colour tights and lighter coloured shoes?

I have just bought a lovely navy silk dress with beige coloured spots. As the dress is quite short I tried putting leggings on but this didn't look right. I have found a perfect match navy tights but I wondered what colour shoes to wear?

I have a pair of shoes that are the same colour as the spots on the dress but I'm not sure if it is right to wear shoes a lighter colour than your tights???

Jane's answer... There are reasons why wearing this combination of darker tights and lighter shoes isn't a good idea (see below).

I suggest you either...

• Stick with the navy tights and wear shoes that are either as dark, or darker, than your dress and tights. The shoes can be navy or black or maybe even a dark grey. Or,


• If your skin colour is not far off your beige shoe colour: wear the shoes that are the same colour as the spots and flesh coloured tights. This will make your legs look longer and slimmer

The effect of wearing lighter shoes and darker tights

Wearing lighter shoes with dark tights will act as a low focal point, which, if you are not tall and slim, will make you look shorter and heavier than you are. Although, if you also have blonde hair that is a little bit similar to the beige spots and shoes this has a balancing effect and the beige spots and shoes will enhance your hair colour.

However, another problem with wearing darker tights than your shoes -- especially if they are the opaque thicker type of tight (as in the photo above), rather than a finer gauge -- is that it's a mixed message: dark tights usually being associated with autumn or winter weather and lighter shoes usually being associated with spring or summer.

Having said all that, if your personal style is Creative and you think you can break the rules and still look great, then go for it!

Try taking photos of yourself wearing the different combinations to see which you like best.