Better off Red

Victoria Beckham and Prada are both seeing red when it comes to this season’s festive footwear.

(Photos courtesy brands.)

Now is the time to prep your festive shoe bag, and your wish list should include some fun, new styles. Snakeskin and croc looks is everywhere, from platforms and sandals, to thigh-high boots, mirroring this year’s animal print trend in ready to wear. Rebellious utility boots, square toes and shoes with jeweled embellishments sure footed their way down many catwalks. But the micro trend that caught my eye was the mythical red shoe.

I have always loved scarlet shoes. They make me feel special, daring, fun—and especially festive. The color red congers strong connotations. Associated with passion, desire and love, fire and blood, energy, danger and strength ... Choosing to wear red on any given day shows you mean business: You’re ready to roar. It’s no surprise then that, throughout history, red shoes have held a special allure.

During the reign of French King Louis XIV, only men of nobility were allowed to wear red shoes, as red dye was expensive to create. Fast-forward to 1938, and Dorothy’s ruby bugle sequined shoes began enticing generations of women to have their very own pair to go skipping down the road. A few years later, the red satin ballet shoes in Hans Christian Anderson’s film The Red Shoes cemented the craze. Red shoes have been making a bold statement throughout time and continue to have enduring appeal.

So, if you’re in the mood to give your feet a starring role in your wardrobe, there are some serious contenders to check out this season. As stated, tall boots rocked the runway. Take a gander at the soft, slouchy suede pair
from Gucci, or perhaps Victoria Beckham’s open-toe boots will be a
local crowd pleaser (and a little less warm). Lavin combined snakeskin with utility to create a wearable, flat, red bother boot. All of these styles look great with mini or mid-length skirts and dresses or with pants.

Prada gave a definitive nod to The Wizard of Oz with a pair of sparkling red shoes, which for me, are the pinnacle of dressing for the holidays. Simone Rocha went noble with red satin plat- forms. And if all these sound over-the-top, the quick flash of an iconic red sole of a Christian Louboutin will give you just a hint of the sexy allure that the color red indicates.

Red shoes feel provocative, powerful and playful, so click you heels, and away we go for the holidays.

Kim Smith has been a professional wardrobe stylist in Honolulu since 2004. Born a true Londoner, Smith had a successful career in public relations in the fashion industry in London for more than eight years before moving to Hawai‘i in 2002. Smith’s work spans a vast array of magazines, retailers and television as well as working with individual clients on their specific style needs. See her work at kimsmithstyle.com.