“Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking!” Everyone knows florals work for every season of the year when you know how to rock them the right way. Meadowy, chunky cardigans, bold blooms scattered on coats, and 3D flowers attached to mittens sound whimsical and modern, but you might be wondering what shoes to wear with a floral dress to make them work all year round.
Carolina Herrera’s spring/summer 2023 collection, inspired by the classic novel “The Secret Garden,” made us rethink throwing out some of those flowy, floral dresses we wore not that many years ago to Coachella.
Breezy, blooming prints are guaranteed the break the dreaded winter blues and we’re not ready to wait for spring and summer to make ourselves look (and feel) more vibrant. Flowy, floral frocks are inherently feminine, but you can make them your own with a couple of tricks and tweaks.
Effortless slips would work wonders with a corseted bodice, a meadowy motif, and a frilled neckline for added layers and warmth. Knee-high boots and a little slit to show off your bare legs, and you’re good to go, don’t you think?
Now, if you’re wondering what shoes to wear with a floral dress, you came to the right place. Read on and discover the world of possibilities that Veronica Beard’s Aldana ruched, floral-print dress, J.Crew’s cut-out dress, or a blooming number you already own, have to offer.
What are the groundbreaking ways you can style floral dresses for every season?
When we think of flowy, meadowy dresses, we think of espadrille wedges, straw hats, and raffia handbags. Everybody knows how to style a floral dress for the summer because there’s nothing you can wear that would be considered wrong.
Floral dresses work great with white sneakers for an easygoing outfit, strappy sandals for a night out on the town, or slides (or even mules) for running errands.
Spring’s a little trickier considering you might need a little more coverage when the temperatures are on the lower end of the spectrum. Drape a chunky cardigan on top, opt for loafers rather than sandals, and don’t shy away from experimenting with color combinations, patterns, and styles.
Depending on where you’re going, you can always wear your meadowy dress with a statement blazer (hot pink maybe?!) and platform pumps.
What about the colder days, though? Fall fashion certainly allows you to experiment and figure out what works best for you. For example, you can always take the safe route and combine a flowy, floral dress with sheer, black tights, chunky, combat boots, and a leather jacket.
Or, you can layer your dress with a structured, white button-down underneath or a chunky cardigan on top (or both). Add some knee-high boots and a clean-cut coat, and you’re ready for the office or a night out with your friends.
Winter’s pretty easy because you can go as crazy with layering as you want. Wear your flowy, floral dresses with cashmere sweaters, chunky cardigans, and teddy coats. Combine them with Dr. Martens or high-heeled booties, depending on the event.
You can experiment with different color combinations, patterns, and styles. Whatever you decide to do, meadowy prints and florals are guaranteed to appear feminine and romantic when combined with chunky knits. Voilà, you’re ready to take on the world!
What shoes to wear with a floral dress to earn Miranda Priestly’s nod of approval?
Miranda Priestly might not be a fan of florals on the runway, but even she would love the thought of styling something so summery for winter. And, we sure hope you understand these The Devil Wears Prada references because there are more to come (and we adore them).
With that announcement out of the way, we can proceed to talk about what shoes to wear with a floral dress to make them work for every season. Whatever you decide to go with, get ready to turn heads and receive a bunch of compliments.
1. Espadrille wedges
Nobody’s surprised to see espadrilles on the list! Now, we’re rooting for espadrille wedges because they’re even more feminine and they make your legs look longer (which happens to be a double-win for everyone).
Hence, when you’re wondering what shoes to wear with floral dresses during the summer, always go for espadrille wedges. We already mentioned a couple of summery outfits you can copy, but you can’t really go wrong with espadrilles.
Floor-length, flowy dresses combined with lace-up espadrille wedges would look stunning for a garden wedding or a walk on the beach (that’s how versatile these are!).
And, fitted florals would work wonders combined with regular espadrilles and a straw hat for running errands or exploring the neighborhood.
Our favorite picks at the moment are Loewe Anagram espadrilles, Soludos platform slippers, and Stuart Weitzman 75mm Marguerita espadrilles wedges.
For that wedding we mentioned earlier, we would go for something a little dressier such as Castañer Chiara satin platform wedge espadrilles. But, you can bank on finding espadrilles pretty much everywhere, from Zara and Mango to thrift stores and local boutiques.
2. Mules
Mules aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they happen to be a great way for you to spice things up – especially if you don’t normally wear them. Mules are appropriate for most situations and they’re easy to slip on and off, depending on where you’re going.
Whether you’re a high-heeled mule lover or a flats-forever type of person, you’re guaranteed to appreciate the power that a backless, summer shoe offers. Leather mules, embellished mules, and raffia mules would add a dash of je ne sais quoi to your flowy, floral dresses.
Whether you go for a monochromatic moment with matching mules or an unexpected pop of color, you’re guaranteed to look like a million dollars. We would go for an Emily in Paris vibe and play with patterns and color combinations.
Our favorite mules at the moment are Open Edit Kyla Flat Mules (on sale at Nordstrom), Tory Burch Jessa Mules, and Linea Paolo Adora Pointed Toe Mules. Now, you might have a harder time finding mules than you would finding espadrilles, but they’re worth the hassle.
3. Strappy sandals
Strappy sandals are the obvious answer to your “what shoes to wear with a floral dress” question. Unexpected colors and statement patterns might be a great way for you to elevate both the fitted florals and the flowy florals (or both at the same time).
Strappy sandals work with pretty much any style of dress and you can choose between chunky flatforms, wide-strap sandals, and even sky-high platforms, depending on where you’re going.
We would go for something along the lines of A. Emery Lily Leather Sandals for running errands or grabbing a Starbucks on your way to the groceries store.
Gianvito Rossi Sylvie 110 leather sandals might be more appropriate for a night out with your friends, especially when you combine them with a fitted floral frock.
And, Paris Texas Jessica 130 leather platform sandals would give you that Emily in Paris energy when worn with a voluminous, meadowy, bold dress for coffee and croissants with your beau.
4. Platform pumps
While we’re on the topic of platform sandals, why wouldn’t we give an hommage to platform pumps that took the world by storm when Versace came out with Medusa Aevitas?
We’re pretty pumped (pun intended) that you don’t have to break the bank to get the look because they’re now available at every store you can think of.
Zara, Mango, Asos, and H&M offer similar styles for a fraction of the price and we can’t help but suggest you combine them with your flowy, floral dresses for a bold fashion statement.
Whether you go for a blushing, blooming, floor-length dress or a daring, dazzling mini dress, you’re guaranteed to turn everyone’s head. Spice things up with a couple of gold accessories, a suede or a leather belt, and a leather handbag (lighter shades for an airy appearance), and you’re done.
5. Simple, white sneakers
Flowy, floral dresses are feminine, as we have stated beforehand. Maybe femininity isn’t something you want your wardrobe to represent.
Perhaps femininity doesn’t work for whatever occasion you’re attending. Or, femininity bores you to death and you want to make things edgier with something nobody expects from you.
Simple, white sneakers are the answer you’re looking for. They’re a summer wardrobe staple, and they’re a fashion-forward way for you to look polished and put-together without looking like you tried too hard.
They’re a great way to copy celebrity-off-duty ‘fits considering Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, and Gigi Hadid have been wearing them without a pause.
Prada Cloudbust Thunder Lug Platform Sneakers are great for staying on top of trends, but Superga 2790 Canvas Chunky Sole Plimsoll Trainers are better for that effortless, classic look.
6. Cowboy boots
Maybe you’re more of a boho, free-spirited girl? Western boots are on-trend as we speak, and we couldn’t be happier for the fact we get to wear them everywhere we go without thinking everyone’s hating on them.
Cowboy boots are a fuss-free way to style your flowy, floral dresses and appear pretty freakin’ cool – think of Vanessa Hudgens during her Coachella days.
From the high-street such as Zara and Mango to the ultra-luxe such as Khaite and Chloé, cowboy boots are the answer to your “what shoes to wear with a floral dress” question.
Our favorites at the moment are Ganni embroidered leather knee boots, Isabel Marant Duerto leather boots, and Mango leather cowboy ankle boots. What are you waiting for?!
7. Suede ankle booties
When we’re talking about suede ankle booties, we’re definitely referring to earth-toned, boho booties that bring the free-spirited energy of the 60s and 70s back.
Hence, when you’re wondering what shoes to wear with floral dresses, wonder no more. Suede ankle booties are bound to make (or break) your outfit.
Wear them with ankle-length breezy, blooming dresses, chunky, suede belts, and other suede accessories for a cohesive moment. Or, wear them with shorter, meadowy dresses, chunky cardigans, and bangles galore.
Accessories are a great way to make a statement with your outfit, and suede ankle booties happen to be an excellent (simple) starting point. Donald J Pliner Angel Suede Zip Ankle Booties and Veronica Beard Blondie Slouchy Suede Mid Boots are to die for.
8. Chunky, combat boots
And, we come to an end with chunky, combat boots. Truth be told, chunky boots (luckily) go with pretty much everything you own and guarantee to add an edge to every outfit you can think of.
That means that you can wear flowy, floral dresses without giving off that cottage core energy you despise – throw on chunky, combat boots, a leather blazer, and a chunky coat, and you’re good to go.
Chunky, combat boots work with every season (except for summer, of course), and you can style them depending on how warm or cold you’re feeling that day. Go for Dr. Martens for that classic cool-girl look, or Prada Nylon Tall Lace-Up Combat Boots for a fashion-forward statement.
