What color are your flip flops? Honestly, no matter your coloring or proportions, your flip flops probably don’t ruin your looks. That is, when worn poolside. But that isn’t the point of this post.
Fully functional athletic shoes are different. In my experience any kind of white runner or trainer, even worn with the shortest possible socks, looks distressingly unnatural on me when worn with shorts; and a color is worse! But then what on earth am I supposed to wear to play tennis? Or when I am required to wear “gym shoes”?
Of course, to add insult to injury, there are all these people walking around looking perfectly normal dressed like that! But here’s the difference: proportionately my legs are short. And, although recently I have taken a slight detour into dark brown accents, when wearing shorts or casual skirts flats that blend with my legs have always worked for me. Naturally, heels change everything.
(If you resemble these remarks, I recommend reading these posts where Imogen explains what you need to know in all the detail you could want: Body Proportions Explained – Long Body, Shorter Legs and How to Look Taller and Make Your Legs Look Longer.)
Consequently, in my wardrobe:
- my new Chacos work because the upper color blends with my skin.
- my lipstick colored flats have made the mental move from spring (which for me is long pants worn with full shoes, no socks) to summer, where they somehow don’t jump out and call attention to my feet and the low-cut vamp elongates the leg.
- I need a pair of shoes to play tennis in. But I really don’t play often, so I don’t want to spend alot of money. My hero’s grandma, a very stylish 85 year old, was wearing leg-colored keds the other day; do you think I could get away with them?
Now, enough about my problems. Is there anything you have been frustrated trying to wear?
What look(s) seem to work for many people but not for you? And what wonderful alternatives have you found?
I happen to love – I think you hate them – culottes, divided skirts, gauchos. They look fine on me from the front and back but from the side, if they fall straight from the fullest part of the backside, then it’s horribly blocky. I also look terrible from the side in most shorts as well as straight skirts that fall straight down.
Recently I was questioning why I don’t own a single pair of shorts. I had just given away a pair of white linen crop pants for the exact reason mentioned above plus I really hate the way I look in rumpled fabric. Spotted what they were calling bermuda shorts – I was looking to try a crisp city short. Got them in black. They’re fabulous. The rise is not too low – low rises make me look deformed – and they break just where my calf dips in beneath the knee. Plus they are not baggy.
So this makes me feel like I’m wearing a divided pencil skirt. A real winner for me. And probably as close to shorts as I’m gonna come.
“Leg-colored Keds” – the phrase makes me squirm because I keep thinking of shoes made from human skin instead of, you know, cow leather.
If the point of the tennis shoes is actually for playing tennis, then does the fact that it’s not your best look matter so much? I mean, I get why that look wouldn’t work well for you. But it sounds like your goal is functional – wouldn’t it be important to get something hefty enough to protect you from injury (which is why tennis shoes look like that)? Keds probably wouldn’t fit that bill, though the other options you pictured might since you play only occasionally and thus might not want a single-use item.
I have seriously been considering some Pumas. They have a great retro vibe, and are slim and sleek compared to so many other tennis/exercise sneakers.
If you’re going to play tennis (or any sport), even if you don’t do it often, it is still worthwhile to get the shoes meant for the activity. The damage done by wearing the wrong footwear isn’t worth the cash savings.
My legs are long for my 5’2″ height (30″ inseam), and I cannot/will not wear heels. There is a limit to how tall I can make myself look with magic tricks. I’m learning to rejoice in being small but mighty.
What the other gals said! Keds are not nearly supportive enough for tennis. (Or running of any sort.)
My legs are short and muscular. There you have it. Rather than worry too much about shoes to make them look longer, I find skirt length to be a much better solution. To the knee or just above is ideal, particularly in warmer months when boots are not required. I do have and wear heels, but out to lunch, dinner, parties or the theatre — they’re not a choice on a daily basis.
flats with skirts give me hiccups. my legs look stumpy. i need heels, but not too high because i’m a music teacher of kids grades K-5 and have had my share of stepping on little hands. This is a horrible thing. I think I managed to avoid stepping on hands this past year, but I always have that fear. (We all sit on the floor in my music classroom.)
Other than one pair of deep red pumps and red ballet flats, my shoes all tend to be neutral, no matter the season. Even sandals – black, brown (some shade of) or ivory. Someday I might get around to having the perfectly coordinated colors for shoes, but not any day in the near future.
As for the flesh colored Keds? Noooo! Nude loafers, sandals or other shoe, yes, but not Keds. The only ladies I’ve seen wear them are contemporaries of the hero’s grandmother. (My gran bought a pair when a stroke meant no more heels, not even low ones.)
Even if you don’t get official tennis shoes, get a pair of shoes designed for athletics. Multisport / crosstrainers or a basic running shoe will give you much better support and cushioning for moving around on the court than Keds.
I’m sure I’m no help at all here. I have one pair of ugly old tennis shoes for painting and really grungy yard work. I need something athletic for running (I hope) or basketball with my kids, but I just dread shopping for them. It is so hard to find athletic shoes that look nice, I think. Other people seem to pull it off just fine, but for me it’s a challenge.
Vildy – I can understand why people like culottes, etc. I don’t know that I’ve ever stated an opinion, but I don’t wear them. I just don’t think I’d feel like myself. I love your story about figuring out the shorts thing – and that you ended up with a solution that really suits you. 🙂
Concerning what to wear for tennis: I think I will continue to wear my old adidas (which, like Charity Grace’s old uglies, have paint splatters, etc on them) until such time as I can find something like the shoes pictured here (which I didn’t realize would be pictured quite so small – sorry!) for about $20. That’s what I spent for my brown-burgundy pumas with the black stripe.
Wendy in England – wow! your legs are longer than mine and I’m almost 5’6″!
Wendy (in Canada) – your comment had me wondering about skirt lengths. I generally dislike above the knee, it just doesn’t seem as elegant as just below. But maybe that’s for dressy stuff with heels, where if I were to wear a skirt for everyday (which I would in the summer, but haven’t much lately) perhaps I would prefer to the knee or just above. I know my over-all leg length is short, but my lower legs are actually a tiny bit long.
Lydee – thanks for commenting! I sympathize with not wanting to step on little hands. Hopefully you can find some low wedges in a color that blends with your legs (I dare not say “leg-colored” ha ha).
Joy – your shoe wardrobe sounds just perfect for someone who doesn’t have the short leg proportion issues like me. 🙂
I read a “rule” about skirt length…For knee length or shorter, flat shoes are fine; anything below the knee should be worn with a heel. I’m sure there are exceptions…And maybe it’s just a bad rule. I certainly don’t follow it all the time. But it would fit with the shorter skirt/athletic shoe thing.