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the year is 2025 and yet this question about matching your purse and shoes still comes up. the short answer from someone who designs bags for a living: sure, you can match your purse and shoes, but you certainly don’t have to. there are no actual rules when it comes to pulling together your personal look! should your shoes and purse match? it’s all up to you.
there was a time when society by and large agreed on what it meant to be ‘well-dressed’... no white after labor day. no mixed prints. sequins only for evening. don’t combine silver and gold or black and navy. dress for your age. today, these maxims are outdated and, uh, kinda snobby if you think about it? while i maintain a closet of fairly simple, relaxed looks because that’s what i’m most comfortable in as i go about my busy day, i applaud those who throw caution to the wind and experiment with fashion. by all means, have fun with it!
that said, for those who want a few foundational strategies for getting dressed in ways that harmonize rather than match perfectly, here you go…
matching purses and shoes once followed one rule, and one rule only: match both shades exactly. black shoes with a black bag. cognac shoes with cognac bag. things have changed! pairing exact shades too matchy-matchy for you? choose from the same color family instead.
head-to-toe tonal dressing is on completely trend and is a quick, easy way to achieve a stylish combo. to nail this look, choose your bag and shoes in variations of the same color. for instance, you might pair your midnight cruiser crossbody with shoes in a lighter shade of blue or your sage ranger tote with mint green trainers.
feeling bold? try matching purses and shoes in complementary colors to add contrast and vibrancy to any outfit.
if you’re not familiar with complementary colors, it's a concept used in art, design and fashion that basically just means two colors opposite one another on the color wheel. so blue with orange, red with green, and purple with yellow. they balance each other and are amazing for creating a stand-out look.
how should these shoes and purses match? try to ensure your bag and shoes have a similar saturation, like pairing your burgundy amuse crossbody with mustard yellow flats or your army green tillie tote with pink trainers.
shift into neutral
what purse color goes with everything? think neutral. classic black is by far the most popular neutral. but other neutral colors — midnight/navy, black, khaki, etc. — are great choices, because they’ll also play nice with a good portion of your wardrobe. the great thing about neutrals is that they’re ‘quiet’ colors that don’t insist on being the star of your outfit. they play a solid supporting role.
matching purses and shoes can feel complicated when you throw prints and patterns in the mix. but trust me, it’s not as impossible as it seems. you have a few options if you love patterned bags or want to add playful boardwalk straps: wear neutral shoes, pick up a color from the print for your shoes, or match prints/patterns.
playing with a pattern? see what happens when you pair neutral shoes withyour bag’s graphic print — it draws the focus to the pattern, so if you’re carrying your leopard wonder crossbody bag, you could pair it with blush, nude, brown or black shoes. the same applies to your patterned boardwalk straps. shoes in a neutral hue put the attention on your eye-catching accessory straps!
neutral shoes aren’t your only option when matching printed purses and shoes. you could also match a color from the print. love your navy/blue/pink straps? wear shoes in any one of those colors. carrying a green camo arcade belt bag? slip on shoes in green, brown or black. this helps your look feel cohesive and intentional.
should patterned shoes and purses match? again, not necessary. but they sure can — and the patterns don’t have to match exactly in order to look amazing! pairing your black-and-white checkered shoes with your checkered boardwalk straps. the same with leopard-print, camo and so on. matching purses and shoes is all about expressing your personal style, so trust your eye and do what makes you feel most confident!
the days of matching materials in purses and shoes is swiftly becoming a thing of the past — likewise with textures. leather with leather? suede with suede? velvet with velvet?. go for it if you want, of course, but that’s so two decades ago! today, we’re mixing textures and fabrics — and looking fabulous.
i love my sleek nylon bags, because they pair well with pretty much everything in my shoe closet, from leather clogs to canvas sneaks. whether you choose from our o.g. collection or our wave quilted collection, premium nylon delivers a soft, silky sheen that looks chic paired with almost every daily outfit you’ll throw on.
what purse color goes with everything? should shoes and purses match? hopefully i’ve answered these questions to your satisfaction. if you remember one thing, remember this: there are no set rules for matching purses and shoes. no fashion police exist to tell you the “right” way to proceed. because as long as you follow your personal style, you’re never doing it wrong.
xo — sloane
