Leggings are a must-have in anyone’s closet. Not only are they very versatile, but also they are comfortable and give you that easy look. Because of this, a lot of women have a stack of leggings in different colors and fabrics.
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Styling goal
Leggings are mostly worn casually and a lot of people reach out for them on lazy days, but they can also be dressed up. If you pair leggings with specific wardrobe pieces that are dressier, add some accessories and jewelry, and finish the look with the right shoes, you can also create feminine and classy outfits.
The options are endless when it comes to shoes and if you’re wondering which ones to go for. The most important thing is to choose shoes for leggings according to the occasion you are dressing for, and of course the legging style (such as leather legging vs jeggings) also matters. Here’s a list of what shoes to wear with leggings to help you complete your leggings outfits right:
With sneakers
We start with the easiest and most common shoes to wear with leggings, that is sneakers.
Sneakers are comfortable but aside from that, they are tougher and more durable compared to ordinary flats.
With Converse
Wearing your leggings outfit with Converse gives you a sporty look that’s great if you’re headed for a work-out at the gym or a run in the park.
This pairing also works great on days when you have a lot of errands to run because not only is it comfortable but also makes sense.
After all, errands take up a lot of energy and the last thing you need is to be struggling because you picked the wrong shoes to wear with your leggings.
With ankle boots
Ankle boots are great when transitioning to fall from warmer months. They are available in different prints, colors, heights and styles which is what makes wearing them all the more exciting.
Pairing your ankle boots with leggings means pairing two favorite fall pieces and it simply works. Ankle boots aside from being classic shoes, make your leggings look either chic or edgy. If you’re going to be wearing standard or plain leggings, you can go all out with your ankle boots and let them make a statement.
If you like the idea of some extra height, you can always pair black leggings with black ankle boots to give an illusion of longer legs. The best part about ankle boots is in case you don’t feel like walking around in high-heeled ones, you can still look super chic and stylish in low-heeled ones or go for the completely flat ones.
Going for a high waist pair of leggings makes you look taller if you decide not to pick the highest ankle boots.
With over-the-knee boots
Still on boots, over-the-knee boots are also a classic type of shoes that can transform a look instantly. They are versatile and will keep you warm during colder months.
Leggings are some of the best pieces to style with over-the-knee boots. This is because over the knee boots, as the name suggests, go all the way above the knee and it can be a bit difficult to tuck some pants into your boots.
However, leggings are fitting and hug your body all the way from your waist to your toes. This makes it easy to get into those over-the-knee boots. This pairing is chic and can easily take you from day to night since the boots will transform your leggings look from basic to high fashion.
Wearing something a little loose-fitted on top makes leggings with over-the-knee boots pairing more balanced and chic.
With stilettos
Safe to say that there isn’t a pair of shoes that’s more flattering for a woman’s figure like stilettos. Wearing them instantly gives you a confidence boost making you feel like you’re ready to take on the world.
You can style your leggings for a night out or to the office with a pair of stilettos. For that chic look, instead of going for plain old leggings, you can go for more textured ones or leather leggings as they look classier and more expensive making them the best to wear with your stilettos. Choosing a black pair of leggings allows you to go for different stiletto colors. Going for darker leggings lets you wear fancier tops, coats, and other fancy outerwear. Pointed stilettos for this pairing will also make you look more stylish.
Pointed stilettos make you look even taller when paired with a similar color of leggings.
With strappy heels
Strappy heels, just like stilettos are a very feminine type of shoes. They are great particularly during summertime when you want to look fancy without your feet sweating.
You can reach for your strappy sandals on days when you want to give a boost to an otherwise effortless look such as one that involves leggings. Strappy heels are great with leggings because they allow you to pair your leggings with just about anything on top from blazers and dusters to kimonos and bodysuits.
Be careful with the sizing of the heels though. You don’t want to get loose ones as they’ll give you a hard time walking yet the whole point of wearing a leggings outfit is to look effortless.
Leather leggings are a great way to go if you’re looking for a chicer, more dressed-up look. Wearing the heels with leather leggings can make you event-ready or date ready in just a matter of minutes.
With leather sneakers
Wearing your leather sneakers with some leggings is a fashionable way to wear a casual outfit.
Anyone can pull off this look and many like to when they’re looking for comfort. It’s a combination that you can wear when you have no plans of leaving the house or compound.
When wearing leggings with leather sneakers do not always have to be black. Adding some color makes the look more fun and easier on the eye as it makes you more approachable.
With ballet flats
Ballet flats are very versatile and can be worn throughout the year whether it’s hot or cold. They also suit all types of women with different shapes and foot types.
Aside from being minimalist in design, ballet flats are also light comfortable which is why a lot of women will wear their leggings with them. It’s perhaps the most comfortable look you can go for especially because with ballet flats it feels almost like you’re wearing nothing on your feet. A combination of leggings and ballet flats can take you from a meeting at the office since they are, as already mentioned, minimalist to a lunch out with friends. Since a ballet flats-leggings combination is very simple, you can wear the leggings with more statement pieces on top.
Cardigans and options such as dusters and kimonos make a leggings and flats pairing dressier because otherwise, the look will be too simple. However, if you are that simple girl, you could just go for a tee or vest but accessorize with some nice jewelry pieces.
With loafers
Loafers are comfortable and are a great option if you want to go for a pair of flat shoes but still want to look like you’re all dressed up. They have become a favorite among top fashion influencers because not only are they functional but also look great.
When you wear your leggings with a pair of loafers, the loafers will give you that extra sophistication. More like they’ll make your entire look dapper enough for you to walk confidently into an office and still look appropriate. For this it’s best to wear a blazer with your leggings or layer a sweater over a shirt for a more preppy look.
While loafers are known to give a dapper touch, going for flowy pieces and some color adds a more feminine touch. You could also add some statement jewelry to make the look more feminine.
With skin color shoes
A chic way to style your leggings is to wear them with skin tone shoes.
It’s up to you if you want to go with flats or heels, but either way, this outfit will make your legs appear longer.
With combat boots
Combat boots are cool, comfortable and timeless. They have been around for a while and are particularly a fall and winter favorite because they’re warm.
It’s true that chunkier shoes are not the best when you’re wearing leggings since leggings follow the shape of your body, but combat boots are an exception. They are a great way to toughen up your leggings and wearing them will also make you look edgier on any day. You can balance the look out by wearing a flowy shirt, top or coat.
With matching color shoes
The best and easiest shoes to wear with your leggings? Matching color shoes.
Since most of us have a pair of black leggings, wearing black color boots, booties, or flats are some of the best options.
Because your legs and your shoes are the same color, this immediately make your legs appear longer.
This pairing can take you through lunch, brunch, or your yoga class depending on what you choose to wear your leggings with on top.
In conclusion
So if you’re the ultimate fan of leggings, you can achieve different looks just by switching up your shoes. As you can see, you have a lot of choices and it’s amazing that just a single change of shoes can take you from a boardroom to a lunch date out with the girls, to the gym or even for a night out thanks to the fact that leggings are versatile. All you need to keep in mind is that balance is important when you’re picking shoes. What you wear on top with the leggings should also go with the shoes.
Chi is 5’2″ founder of Petite Dressing, an online petite clothing store dedicated to women under 5’4″. Petite Dressing blog is here to help you understand yourself and look your best ever. If you are new, start here. Visit my Youtube Channel. Comment below and share your thoughts about this post!
Wilma says
Would love to see ideas on how to wear leggings/footwear with modest skirts and dresses.