Shoes with ankle straps are tricky. I have this firm belief that they shorten and stumpify (I didn’t make up that word but isn’t it just perfect?!) women’s legs. Now shortening and stumpifying might be desirable to the rare woman with very long and skinny legs, and such woman may may experience an inexplicable wish to sabotage this wonderful feature of her body… but I think it’s safe to say for most of us we have the opposite intentions.
So with this in mind I avoid ankle strap shoes like the plague.
I think they can ONLY be successful in very few cases; listed as follows:
1. You are the above mentioned lucky willow who wants her legs to appear shorter and … er, stumpier…
2. You are wearing an above-knee garment. No exceptions. A skirt or dress hitting at or just below the knee, combined with a strap wrapped around the ankle; well that short section of calf in between hem and strap is not going to be flattered by being visually sliced off at it’s slimmest points ie, the ankle and the point just below the knee. Oh OK, well it’s occurred to me there is an exception to this one; as follows:
3. You are wearing a floor scraping number, and so your ankles are hidden from sight underneath, in which case go for the ankle straps with a clear conscience. No one can see the fashion crime occurring visually underneath your fabulous maxi-dress. Relax and enjoy your cocktail.
Now this pair of shoes is the closest I have to ankle-strap shoes, and I did weight this fact up before deciding to purchase, and I ended up (obviously) going for them because the ankle strap was firstly, low enough that it sits over the foot, really more of a shoelace-y effect rather than an ankle strap, and secondly, the strap is really really skinny. But possibly my ankle-strap phobia is the reason I don’t wear these shoes more often…
But my dress hits just above knee. So I think it’s OK. Hopefully the fashion police won’t come a-knocking…
Details:
Dress; NewLook 6699 with modifications, various printed cottons
Scarf; black net, refashioned from an old skirt lining
Shoes; Jocomomola
I agree with you – the straps on these are low and thin enough that they don't look dowdy.
I have a pair of high-heels with straps and I feel that I wear them rarely b/c the skirt or dress has to be solidly above the knee, and I don't have many work garments fitting that criteria.
I love ankle strap shoes. Of course, I have the aforementioned long, thin legs – and an unfortunately blocky upper half. I generally summarize the total affect as "looking like a tomato on stilts." Ankle straps draw attention to my lovely legs while visually evening out the stilt effect.
Regardless, these look lovely on you.
Thanks so much for these guidelines for wearing ankle strap shoes. I did not know about this and will certainly keep it in mind. I am very appreciative that you shared this. Your shoes and dress look very nice together.
I think they can also work with toning dark hosiery as who knows whats dark leg and dark shoe. And of course also with trousers. The plus for ankle strap shoes is they stay on your feet better.
Aww, I love ankle strap shoes (and yours are lovely!). From your rules I am wearing them "right" though, more or less.
I don't actually own any pairs right now, which makes me sad… my husband perpetrated a brutal shoe pogrom when we downsized several years ago, and my shoe collection has not yet recovered 😉
I like your entire look, ankle strap shoes included. lol
I never gave those types of shoes much thought. Now that I think about it though, I only wear mine with dress pants, never dresses or skirts. Interesting…
Your dress is so pretty. As to ankle strap shoes: I CANNOT wear them on my "sturdier-than-average" legs. But on you, they look fresh and pretty.
It looks to me that these shoes are just below the ankle…and thus 'approved' for many lengths. 🙂
Your rules for ankle straps woulnd as though they are for women dressing for women…you know, when we consider proportion and taste etc. On the other hand, I think ankle straps can be quite sexy…perhaps in the same way that some people consider uniforms to be sexy. Then again, my other problem with ankle straps are my memories of the nuns at school, who all seemed to have fleshy feet puffing out over their straps.
I love a good ankle strap shoe, but I am on the tall side, so that is probably why I don´t have run into any problems with them. But come to think of it, I usually wear them with above the knee skirts or pants.:-)