The “Wrong Shoe Theory” is the easiest styling trick to spice up your outfit
If you’ve been on the Internet recently, you might’ve heard something about the so-called “Wrong Shoe Theory”. But what is it? And how can it help you improve your style?
Coined by stylist and wardrobe consultant Allison Bornstein, the “wrong shoe theory” is actually quite straightforward: the styling hack consists in finishing off an outfit that feels boring or monotonous with the “wrong” shoe, aka the one that seems to go “against” the rest of the look. The result? A perfectly imperfect look full of personality.
In regards to her groundbreaking discovery, Bornstein told Vogue: “In working with clients and breaking down the style of our favourite celebrities, I realised what makes a look feel interesting and personal is the addition of accessories that feel slightly ‘off’ or mismatched with the vibe of the rest of the look.” And she couldn’t be more right.
Tibi’s Creative Director Amy Smilovich champions a similar idea in the intro to her column The Good Ick: “All things good, stylistically speaking, have that push/pull.” Both Smilovic and Bornstein are talking about the same thing: how to achieve that good friction between the elements of your day-to-day looks.
But, as we all know, an image is worth a thousand words, and learning how to implement the wrong shoe theory in your wardrobe is much easier when you have a visual reference. So, without further ado, here are ten wrong shoe outfits done right, and all the tips you need to recreate them.
1. A feminine dress with dad sneakers
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Amy Smilovich talks about achieving a push/pull effect in terms of style, and that’s exactly what supermodel Vittoria Ceretti (right) is doing here. She paired a pleated mini dress with an oversized bomber, a leather handbag, scrunched up white socks, and black Adidas Samba sneakers. In this look, the push/pull effect created by the dress vs. the shoes (and the bomber vs. the handbag) is actually double: masculine/feminine and high/low fashion.
-79%
Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini
short-sleeve pleated minidress - women - Viscose - 44 - Red
$125.00
$598.00
FARFETCH
-25%
Maje
pleated sleeveless mini dress - women - Polyester - S - Blue
$235.00
$313.00
FARFETCH
Victoria Beckham
pleated silk dress - women - Silk - M - Green
$203.00
FARFETCH
-50%
Ganni
ruched ribbon-back dress - women - Organic Cotton - 32 - Pink
$148.00
$295.00
FARFETCH
-50%
Ganni
floral-print dress - women - Fabric - 44 - Neutrals
$198.00
$395.00
FARFETCH
-50%
Pinko
sleeveless midi dress with pleats and gathering - women - Cotton/Elastane - 44 - Blue
$191.00
$379.00
FARFETCH
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Liu Jo
button-down pleated mini dress - women - Viscose/Polyamide/Elastane - S - Brown
$240.00
$267.00
FARFETCH
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Aje
Star pleated midi dress - women - Cotton - 14 - Brown
$228.00
$583.00
FARFETCH
If you’re looking for a way to how to style your cowboy boots, wrong shoe theory is the answer! Cowboy boots with baggy, ripped bermuda shorts is definitely so-bad-it’s-good territory, and we suggest you embrace it. If you’re feeling especially bold, try pairing your calf boots with sweat or biker shorts instead of denim shorts. I promise, in this case two wrongs do make a right!
A Gold E
Prcsn Denim Shorts - Blue
$126.21
Italist
-41%
Dress To
Front Pocket Bermuda Shorts In Denim Blue
$64.00
$109.00
ShopSimon
-50%
Mango
Low Rise Denim Bermuda Shorts in Light Blue at Nordstrom, Size 4
$34.97
$69.99
Nordstrom
-28%
Olivaceous
Ashly Bermuda Shorts In Denim Blue
$58.00
$80.00
ShopSimon
-3%
Roaman's
Plus Size 24/7 Bermuda Short (plus) in White Denim at Nordstrom, Size 30
$57.99
$60.00
Nordstrom
-11%
Roaman's
Plus Size Comfort Stretch Bermuda Jean Short in Dark Olive Green at Nordstrom, Size 30
$39.99
$45.00
Nordstrom
Ballet flats are back and more popular than ever—but that doesn’t mean we have to style them like we did in 2008. Try playing with proportions, and pair your ballet flats with the baggiest, most boy-ish pants you own (jeans, cargos, slacks, even sweats!): you’ll have a look that’s both edgy and chic.
Camper
Casy Myra ballet flats - women - Calf Leather - 41 - Black
$175.00
FARFETCH
-30%
Alo
| Pinstripe Straight Leg Sweatpant in Bone Pinstripe, Size: 2XS White
$103.00
$148.00
Alo Yoga
Liu Jo
Flared Denim Jeans - Navy Blue
$213.98
Italist
-30%
Alo
| Pinstripe Straight Leg Sweatpant in Espresso Pinstripe, Size: Medium Brown
$103.00
$148.00
Alo Yoga
Gimaguas
Leggings - Black
$112.77
Italist
-50%
Frame Denim
The Collegiate Flap Pocket Jeans White
$189.00
$378.00
Neiman Marcus
NYDJ
Plus Utility Feather Pant Jean
$29.99
Rue La La
Ramy Brook
Kasey Belted Shorts White
$245.00
Neiman Marcus
Wrong shoe theory is all about the good tension, and good tension can be created by pairing “high” and “low” elements to create a striking outfit. Here, we’re paying the most casual item of all—the tracksuit—with shoes that are generally considered dressy and elegant, like heeled ballet pumps or kitten heels. Add a pair of rhinestoned sunglasses and a stretchy headband and you’ve got yourself the perfect Y2K look.
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Daily Paper Clothing
Lex tie-dye cotton track pants - women - Cotton - L - Orange
$203.00
$226.00
FARFETCH
Ganni
Pink Soft Bow Slingback Heels
$395.00
Ssense
Studio Amelia
Red Entwined 70 Heeled Sandals
$425.00
Ssense
Amy Crookes
Green & Black Mimi Heeled Sandals
$635.00
Ssense
Ganni
Orange Soft Bow Heels
$395.00
Ssense
5. A skirt and platform Crocs
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Is it just me, or are platform Crocs kind of cool? In recent years, the plastic clog brand has come out with a number of new platform models, from the iconic mule to sandals. If you value comfort above all, jump on the platform Crocs train and style them with a sleek maxi skirt and a blazer. Instantly cool!
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Faithfull The Brand
floral-print short skirt - women - Elastane/Polyamide - 8 - Multicolour
$176.00
$252.00
FARFETCH
Crocs
(WMNS) Crocs Crush High Shine Slides Light Green 209648-3VS
$65.52
KICKS CREW
-61%
Crocs
(WMNS) Crocs Mega Crush Triple Strap Chalk White 209842-0WV
$46.80
$120.51
KICKS CREW
-6%
Crocs
(WMNS) Crocs Crush Meta Pearl Slides Blue Calcite 209045-4NS
$69.03
$73.71
KICKS CREW
Crocs
(WMNS) Crocs Classic Crush Shimmer Pink 208602-6TY
$60.84
KICKS CREW
Crocs
(WMNS) Crocs Crush High Shine Clogs Black 209285-001
$186.03
KICKS CREW
Crocs
(WMNS) Crocs Classic Crush Boots Fuchsia Fun 207946-6SV Pink
$202.41
KICKS CREW
6. Flip-flop sandals and tailored pants
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Flip-flops and tailored pants are shaping up to be a big trend this year, with celebrities like Elle Fanning and Zoë Kravitz sporting the look. The juxtaposition of the quintessential chill shoe and the slouchy tailored pants makes for an effortless yet sophisticated look.
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Camperlab
Hastalavista sandals - women - Leather - 38 - Orange
$171.00
$340.00
FARFETCH
Just Cavalli
High-Waist Tapered Trousers - Brown
$132.49
Italist
Just Cavalli
Cotton Mid-Waist Straight Trousers - Beige
$132.49
Italist
Sportmax
Holiday Trousers - Beige
$228.41
Italist
Just Cavalli
Mid Waist Flared Cotton Trousers - Beige
$132.49
Italist
Ermanno Scervino
Cotton Slim Fit Trousers - White
$182.58
Italist
Dolce & Gabbana
Tapered Trousers - White
$214.18
Italist
Just Cavalli
Low Waist Skinny Trousers - Cream White
$132.48
Italist
7. Denim shorts and heeled mules
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Styling shorts in a way that makes you feel both grown-up and put-together is not an easy feat. The best trick to make denim shorts work is to elevate them with the right choice of shoes and tops. Berlin-based content creator Tina Haase turned her shorts from summer camp vibes to city chic by styling them with a romantic tube top, an oversized blazer, a flower choker, and heeled mules.
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Ksubi
longline distressed denim shorts - women - Cotton - 25 - Blue
$261.00
$541.00
FARFETCH
Dolce & Gabbana
Cotton Formal Dress Shirt - White
$182.58
Italist
Dolce & Gabbana
Cotton-Elastane Formal Shirt - White
$214.18
Italist
UGG
Classic Short II Boots Black
$180.00
Neiman Marcus
Dolce & Gabbana
Cotton-Elastane Dress Shirt - Black
$214.18
Italist
Ganni
Green Cap in Washed Cotton Canvas
$140.00
GANNI
AMBUSH
Logo-Print Cotton T-Shirt - White
$247.36
Italist
8. A suit and a pair of clogs
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On the other hand, a tailored suit often feels too grown-up, and a little stuffy. To make your suit less business and more casual, try pairing it with a pair of clogs for that good high/low tension that makes an outfit immediately unique.
Birkenstock
Boston Clog - Black
$223.07
Italist
Loeffler Randall
40mm Paulie Studded Leather Clogs Red
$250.00
Bergdorf Goodman
Free People
Calli Platform Clog in Black Leather at Nordstrom, Size 8.5
$228.00
Nordstrom
Cordani
Zorba Heels Brown
$225.00
Anthropologie
Kork-ease
Gemini Leather Clog in Brown Suede at Nordstrom, Size 10
$160.00
Nordstrom
Kelsi Dagger
Glory Sligback Mules Beige
$175.00
Anthropologie
Free People
Hudson Platform Clog in Black Leather at Nordstrom, Size 7.5
$198.00
Nordstrom
Birkenstock
Lutry Backstrap Clogs Beige
$155.00
Anthropologie
Is your social media feed full of influencers wearing Salomon and ASICS shoes? For that you have to blame gorpcore, one of the biggest trends of the year. Gorpcore embraces utilitarian and sportswear pieces—from trekking shoes, to running sunglasses, to Goretex windbreakers—and turns them into fashionable and trendy items.
But if camping-chic isn’t for you, here’s another, more romantic way to style your gorpcore shoes: pair them with a tulle skirt, colour-block stockings, and an oversized graphic top.
Dolce & Gabbana
Cotton Formal Dress Shirt - White
$182.58
Italist
Dolce & Gabbana
Cotton-Elastane Formal Shirt - White
$214.18
Italist
UGG
Classic Short II Boots Black
$180.00
Neiman Marcus
Dolce & Gabbana
Cotton-Elastane Dress Shirt - Black
$214.18
Italist
Ganni
Green Cap in Washed Cotton Canvas
$140.00
GANNI
AMBUSH
Logo-Print Cotton T-Shirt - White
$247.36
Italist
Amity Home
Kent 108in Linen Table Runner
$59.99
Rue La La
When Solange does something, we can’t do anything but take notes! For her LA loft feature in Apartamento Magazine, the star wore a rugby shirt, sweat shorts, and the ubiquitous Miu Miu ballet flats.
Sports jerseys and ballet flats are two of the biggest trends right now, and when styled together they lead to super cool combinations: style them with a pair of mini shorts and you’ve got yourself an it-girl-worthy daytime look.
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