Reader emails- Red time!

Filed in archive Reader email on January 29, 2008

I received this in the comments section, so I thought I would turn it into a reader email. Enjoy!!

Ryan, I love your column!
I recently purchased a pair of flat red shoes (patent no less!) to add some excitement to my winter wardrobe. Can you tell me how to pair them best with an outfit, without looking like a tomato from head to toe? Are they OK to wear with jeans? Thanks! Yvette

Yvette-
Awesome question! Red can be a tough one to pull off. As long as you don't do head to toe (tomato as you put it) you are good. Red needs to be an accent color, not a focus color. Jeans are great with red flats, pair it with a white dress shirt and you will look effortlessly put together. Avoid matching a red shoe with a red bag, instead opt for a brown or black bag. Also, keep the accessories in the red family to a minimum, try a scarf with hints of red to pick up the color of the shoe. Basically just use your judgment and if you think it is too much, it probably is.

Good luck with the red!

*Ryan