There are a few well-known fashion standards that must be followed. You can’t wear white shoes after a specific date on the calendar, you can’t wear black and blue together, and you should never wear a tube top.
But, in the case of fashion, should you even be following rules? One rule that appears to be as old as fashion is to match your purse to your shoes at all times. Should you be obeying this guideline at all, even if it is?
No, your shoes and purse do not have to be the same color. You can mix and match as much as you like as long as your overall appearance is consistent. If one of the pieces is true, then the others should be toned down. Wear a brightly colored pair of shoes and a purse that matches your clothing. Alternatively, match your shoes to your ensemble and carry an eye-catching handbag.
History of Matching Shoes and Handbags
Let’s take a look at where this idea of perfect matching originates from before you start pairing up all of your purses and shoes in your wardrobe. When did everyone decide that purses and shoes had to be a match made in heaven?
This concept dates back to the 1950s. The idea of matching your purse to your shoes wasn’t popularized by fashionistas of the day, style publications, or even movie stars. Advertisers and retailers, like many other things, developed this fashion norm.
In the early 1950s, the sale of accessories such as purses was on the decline. The economy was smoothing out as America emerged from the postwar boom. Retailers were in desperate need of the next great thing. That concept evolved into extremely matching fashion. Advertisers began to feature women wearing flawlessly coordinated purses, shoes, and other accessories. The accessories market experienced a massive boom all of a sudden.
And all of a sudden, women were running about with handbags and shoes that were exactly the same color. Purses and shoes began to be displayed in matching sets in stores. To this day, many department shops have a shoe department right adjacent to the purse department. This was not done on the spur of the moment.
When to Wear Matching Shoes and Bags?
It’s possible that knowing this piece of trivia will make you feel a little hot under the collar. Retailers are being deceptive by attempting to get women to spend more money. However, that is essentially their entire story. Retail fashion exists solely because people purchase it, and you wouldn’t want it any other way.
Everyone used to make their own clothes back in the day. Do you want to do the same? They were also cooking over an open flame and picking their salads straight from the ground, so do you want to do the same? No. As a result, forget about advertisements and shops and start thinking about complementing accessories.
Those who rigorously follow fashion guidelines will tell you that your purse should always match your shoes. Take a peek at some of the world’s most fashionable people to discover how stunning this can be. Kate Middleton, for example, matches her purse to her shoes every time. When it comes to Kate, who is both a princess and a fashion icon, it’s difficult to argue against matching.
There are a variety of methods to experiment with matching your shoes and purse. The regulations aren’t always as rigid as they appear. Wearing a solid-colored pair of shoes with a colorful purse is a fun way to break the rule. You can sort of stretch this guideline a little if you match one color from the purse to the shoes. You may achieve the same thing by wearing patterned or multi-colored shoes with a solid-colored purse that matches a piece of the pattern.
This method of matching your accessories creates a unified, put-together style that’s difficult to overlook. It’s also seen as such a foundation of fashion that simply matching your purse to your shoes will make you appear stylish and well-dressed, even if you aren’t wearing all of the latest trends. If you put up the effort to play the match game, you will always appear elegant and sophisticated. However, you may appear a little too traditional to some individuals. The matching is fantastic… But what if you wish to deviate from the norm?
When to Partially Match Your Bag with Shoes?
There will be occasions when your handbag or shoes have more than one color. It’s a good idea to do a partial match at those times.
When wearing floral shoes in green, yellow, red, or blue, go for a partial match. Choose a plain handbag in any of the following colors: green, yellow, red, or blue.
Color-blocked bags with white, blue, and red should be paired with shoes that are either completely white, blue, or red.
When to Go-bold?
If you’re wearing neutral, basic, and/or plain clothing, this is the ideal time to choose a statement bag or pair of shoes. Go bold and choose a color that contrasts with the rest of your clothing for these instances if you’re wearing white shirts, denim trousers, or women’s sweatshirts. Adding a brightly colored bag and/or shoes to your ensemble will help it look stylish and current.
How to Handle Wearing Earth Tones?
Wearing earth tones is a beautiful style, but it needs to be complemented with a splash of color. These one-of-a-kind purses might help you get started on your quest for the perfect look.
When Not to Match Your Shoes and Handbag?
If matching isn’t your thing, put it together as you want. When it comes to accessory fashion, there are no hard and fast rules, and we’ve gathered some examples to help you feel confident in your decision. A pair of black shoes is coupled with a nude-colored bag in this ensemble. The shoes are a good match to her outfit, and the bag is a similar match to her wonderful pink jacket, but they aren’t identical.
You will never match your purse and shoes if you want your style to be a bit more out of the box, a little more adventurous, and a little more fascinating. Amal Clooney is an expert at this. She isn’t quite a princess, but she is definitely royalty in terms of style. Amal matches her shoes and purse to whatever she’s wearing individually, rather than to each other. She might, for example, wear heels that match her shirt nicely and then carry a handbag that contrasts with the color of her skirt.
To add a single, bright flash of color to your ensemble and create a terrific focal point to set off your style, use your purse or shoes. Carrying a bright yellow purse will certainly stand out if you’re largely dressed in neutral tones or black and white.
Who says your purse or shoes have to match the rest of your ensemble? There’s nothing wrong with mixing and matching colors or generating a strong contrast. Color has always been an element of fashion, and there are a plethora of methods to create gorgeous outfits by defying established fashion conventions and using vivid color tones.
Should You Match Shoes and Handbag for a Wedding?
As a general rule, matching your shoes and handbag as a wedding guest may appear outmoded. Try a flamboyant bag with basic shoes, or the other way around. An exquisite black clutch complements the leopard print dress, while nude-colored heels add a contemporary touch.
A woman holds her black handbag while wearing a cheetah skin outfit and light yellow colored shoes. It can work without looking old if you enjoy matching. For a lively spring wedding style, a pair of bright magenta shoes is matched with a beaded and magenta clutch.
Helpful Fashion Rules to Follow
Of course, you should enjoy yourself when it comes to fashion. Try not to go overboard, though. You should strive to follow some basic guidelines. If you mix a lot of various colors and patterns together, for example, you can end up with a jumbled look. Carrying a red and white polka dot purse while wearing pink and black zebra striped heels, for example, maybe tough to rationalize. Even if you’re not playing the match game, you’ll want to put together outfits that look like they belong together in some way.
When choosing your shoes and purse, stick to the same basic style as your outfit. If you’re carrying a sequined silver clutch bag and sporting bright yellow tennis shoes, you’ll probably get some strange looks. When you’re wearing an evening gown and your daring strappy shoes in dazzling gold, you might not want to grab your denim messenger bag.
Clever Fashion Techniques to Follow
Even if you don’t want to be very matchy-matchy, you may still put together a look by matching some pieces to your purse or shoes. If you have a pink purse but are wearing black shoes, add a pink scarf to your outfit to bring in more of the color. You can match the color of your purse or shoes with some jewelry or a matching clip or flower in your hair. It’s a simple approach to achieve a more complete look and a more coherent color scheme without having to match your shoes and purse exactly.
You can also use your imagination to make your purse and shoes match. You aren’t the only one who wears jewelry. There’s also bling for your shoes and purse. Shoe jewelry may be hooked directly onto your shoes, allowing you to match your purse to your shoes and vice versa. You can add a variety of small clips and doodads to a purse to match the color of your shoes.
Fashion is all about being inventive, trying new things, and having a good time. So experiment with creative ways to match or mismatch your outfits. Finding the fashion rules that truly work for you, breaking the ones that don’t, and developing some of your own along the way is what creating your own style is all about.
