How to Wear Red Shoes

Choosing the Right Shoe

Look for a slinky red stiletto for the ultimate in sexy footwear. If you want a shoe that will leave a lasting impression for a date or big event, a red heel is the way to go. Be careful about what you pair this shoe with, however, since pairing it with too many notably sexy garments can push your look into the realm of trashiness.

Tone things down with a red pump. If you want to wear your red shoes to work or for a casual stroll down the block, a simple red pump is your best bet. Flats are simple enough to subdue wild red into submission.

Find middle ground by choosing a low-heeled pump. Heels can look classy, even if they are red. Closed-toe pumps are your best choice, and you can wear them with both casual and dressy outfits.

Try a different shade of red. If you feel uneasy about wearing a bright red shoe, start out by wearing a deeper shade, like burgundy. A deep shade of red is more subdued and a little less noticeable, which may make you feel more confident about your ability to pull it off.

Choosing the Right Outfit

Match red with neutrals. If black, brown, gray, nude, white, and deep navy blue are the only colors found in your outfit, a neutral shoe will only make your outfit seem duller. Adding a bright red shoe can make your style pop. Try wearing a red pump the next time you throw on a black pencil skirt and white button-down blouse.

Color block. Color blocking is the practice of wearing solid blocks of bright, complementary colors against one another. Try wearing your red shoes against an orange or pink dress.

Avoid wearing red with red. If you have a solid red dress, do not wear it with your red shoes. If you do, you run the risk of overkill. If you would prefer to wear your bright red shoes with a red dress, choose a deep red dress to add depth to your ensemble.

Also avoid wearing red shoes with bright green. Red and green are too closely associated with Christmas, and wearing them together will make your outfit look too seasonal. Instead of a bright green, mix your red shoes with deeper shades like olive.

Wear red shoes with a neutral pattern. Red peep-toe shoes make a good accompaniment to a black and white polka dot dress or pinstripe trousers.

Pair red shoes with patterns that have traces of red in them. While solid red outfits are often overkill with red shoes, a print with traces of red in it coordinates with your shoes in a subtle, appropriate manner.

Wear your red pumps with casual clothes. Red shoes look great against denim blue jeans, especially medium and dark washes. A red pump is an easy way to add a pop of color and a twist of sophistication to your everyday style.

Avoid wearing red shoes with trashy or suggestive pieces. Red shoes are already relatively sexy. Wearing them with ripped jeans, tube tops, cut-off shorts, and other revealing garments does not make you look sexier. Instead of looking confident, it may simply look like you are trying too hard to be noticed.

Wear your red shoes with a conservatively sexy ensemble. If you want to take full advantage of the seductive nature of red stilettos, pair them with an outfit that is subtly, rather than overtly, sultry. For instance, a little black dress with cap sleeves and a hemline that comes down to your knee can be very sexy, even though it shows a modest amount of skin. This makes it a potential candidate for your red high heels. Reader Poll: we asked 726 wikiHow readers, and 73% agreed that the best shoes to wear with dresses and skirts are heels. [Take Poll]

Resist the temptation to adorn yourself in too many red accessories. You can match your red shoes with red lipstick and a red handbag, but stop there. Do not add a red belt, red scarf, red bracelet, and ruby red ring to the mix. A few red accessories looks coordinated, but too many looks overdone.