Women interested in fashion are divided into two large camps.
There are the peacocks who change their jewelry twice a day, swap prints, layer colors, do four different hairstyles depending on their mood and like to dress up.
And then there’s the rest of us – the “hawks” – who prefer to keep things simple but effective. We like glamour, we love clothes but we have no use for something you can’t put on faster than you can brush your teeth and we love a one step solution.
A hawk (me, in case you haven’t guessed it) approaches every dressing room with three clear goals: Look your best, look a little different, don’t bother. No effort is shown: We prefer to wear a blazer and pants than an airy dress with buttons.
It’s not that we’re lazy, we just prefer to find a formula that works and adapt it to reflect what’s new.
And now to the point: right now, the secret to making your clothes look new and interesting with minimal effort is a change of shoes. Pictured: Actress Katie Holmes
Peacocks love to parade in front of the mirror, try scratching for that belt on the back of the drawer that might be the perfect finishing touch, and see what surprisingly works on the day.
Hawks roughly know what they’re going to wear, the only question is how they’re going to tweak it to make it look better and more contemporary. We look in the mirror, but only to see if the boots or the shoes look better.
And now to the point: right now, the secret to making your clothes look new and interesting with minimal effort is a change of shoes. It’s no big secret that shoes and boots can transform your look from year to year faster than any other piece of clothing in your wardrobe, but some seasons have a significant change in shoes. Spring 2023 is one of them.
As of now, the shoe shape that makes your pants (any pair of pants, as long as they’re not tight) look like you bought them yesterday is a low-top slingback with a kitten heel.
Me+Ems don’t come cheap (£250, meandem.com) but if you want maximum portability from this style you can’t do better than these – in either gloss black lacquer or snake print. Wear it with relaxed ankle length pants and a blouse and blazer and you have a smart work outfit or a simple cocktail option.
They’ll add sparkle to a Holly Golightly dress, too — although this year it looks like it’s all about putting on pants.
As of now, the shoe shape that makes your pants (any pair of pants, as long as they’re not tight) look like you bought them yesterday is a low-top slingback with a kitten heel. Pictured: model on the catwalk of the Chanel show at Paris Fashion Week, Spring/Summer 2023
By replacing your trainers or loafers or chunky ankle boots with a chic pair of kitten heels – try & Other Stories for glossy black (£85, stories.com) or Zara for leopard print (£59.99, zara.com) – you Add that sharp touch of ladylike that makes everything look new this spring. And by ladylike I mean polished and feminine, not primitive or pretty.
It’s surprising the difference they make: with a simple step, you’re smoother, higher off the ground, and look a lot more dressed up.
Elsewhere, the ballerinas are back, which works well in Leopard too (£35, marksand spencer.com). When it comes to ballet flats, it’s best to stick to the three classics: snake, leopard and black (£89, hush-uk.com).
Accessories: the new rules
- A kitten heel is back
- Try lacquer or snake print
- Wear pointy boots
- Get a ladylike chain bag
The ones you want are cut higher at the foot so they look less ballerina, and the sleeker the better. You wear these with tailored trousers or jeans, never with a dress. Too girly.
And then there are the new sharper boots. I dug up some old pointy black Zara ankle boots that look a bit acne; High shine, a longer length, a skinny fit and a pointed toe are what you’re looking for in an ankle boot that can be worn under cropped pants or with midi dresses.
For something similar, try H&M’s handsome pair of block heels (£34.99, 2.hm.com) or Hush’s Tallis boots (£169).
Otherwise, cowboy boots still have a moment. Unfortunately, they’re on my personal list of items that make me look like I’ve had a bad case of age denial (along with tulle, sheer biker jackets, and slogan tees); But if you want to try them out, Arket has a sheer pair that’s cowboy-only, as they have a Cuban heel (£199, arket.com).
Then all that’s missing is a lady’s bag. I like Mango’s chain-strap leather case (£89.99, shop.mango.com) because it has room for an iPad and a spare pair of shoes, but the rectangular chic chain bag, also from Mango (£22.99, johnlewis.com) is the classic shape where nothing can go wrong.