Light Metals
Zhush up your look with comfortable metallic sandals…
I’m a big fan of metallic footwear. It adds a nice pop to an outfit, yet is incredibly versatile. If you only add one pair of sandals this summer, go for the gold (or silver, or bronze). They’ll be the ones you reach for over and over.
I’ve managed to collect a few pairs of metallic sandals over the last several seasons. As comfort is now my Prime Directive, I can attest that all of these are very comfortable, even the ones with a little bit of heel.
Above: I wore a previous pair in this style around Paris on my last two visits, and was able to walk all day, even on cobblestones, without any problem. The velcro straps adjust for a secure fit. Though I sometimes size down in sandals, in these my usual size (38) works. This crinkled gold finish is fun, but they’re also available in several other finishes, including silver and rose gold.
A pair of wedge espadrilles has classic appeal and these are a nice muted metallic. In this style I did size down to a 37. If your palette is cool, they’re also available in a soft pewter (as well as some other colors).
I love a mule, though not all of them are easy to walk in. These are. (The straps sit high enough on the instep that they don’t “thwap” when I walk, either!) Though the finish has both snake print and gold, the effect is subtle. The square toe clinched it for me. Took my usual shoe size of 7.5 (AT 5).
This “jolie laide” sneaker/sandal hybrid is another good option for warm weather travel. (I packed a previous pair in black for a trip to Japan in 2016, and wore them often.) They’re supportive, comfortable, and fun. I’ve had this pair for a couple of years. Sized down to a 7 a for perfect fit.
It doesn’t get much more comfortable than these. I have a similar pair in gold, which I’ve been wearing most days around home, for grocery runs, and our daily walk. Also available here. In this style, I find a 37 Narrow provided the best fit. (My foot is a medium width.)
If you can still manage a bit of a heel, these are some of the most comfortable heels I’ve ever worn. Until my feet finally rebelled against anything over 2″, these were my “go-to” shoes. They went with everything, and really added a bit of oomph.
Do you have metallic sandals or shoes in your footwear wardrobe?
More comfortable metallic sandals …
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You have great toenails, do you do anything special?
Thanks! I think the last few months of going without polish has helped them. I’ve also been taking part (through my dermatologist) in a blind study for a hair growth supplement that has helped my nails too. Once the study is over and I know what it is, I’ll be happy to share.
Really hoping the hair growth thing works! So far, pretty much nothing has (for me). I anxiously await your report!
Just a note on the ad placement. I went back to an older post and they were particularly intrusive, to the point that they made it hard to concentrate on what you had written. I know they may need to become part of your business model, but is there a way to limit the number of times they’re inserted into your copy? And in the meantime, thanks for providing such fun, thoughtful content so consistently. Much appreciated.
Hi Ann, thanks for the feedback. As I mentioned in this post Doing What I Love (For A Living) there will be more frequency for the first few weeks to test. After that I’ll be able to reduce the ad placements.
Nice selection of metallics which I like too. Thanks.
I agree with Ann, the advertising is now intrusive and highlights cheesy clothing I doubt you would recommend. It interrupts your copy and also squeezes the copy to the left side of the column. Other blogs handle advertising better such as mydesignchic. Can you rethink how to include advertising so it does distract from what was otherwise a wonderful blog?
Hi Kay, thanks for the feedback. As I mentioned in this post Doing What I Love (For A Living) there will be more frequency for the first few weeks to test. After that I’ll be able to reduce the ad placements.
Can I ask what device and browser you’re using? I can ask the support folks to look into the formatting issue.
Susan, I use an iPad to read your blog. Today it was more difficult to read and felt quite jumbled. But you have a terrific blog that I look forward to reading and to investigating your recommendations. Thank you.
I would imagine one way to get around all the advertising is to charge for membership to the blog.
Hi Katrinka, as I mentioned here Doing What I Love (For A Living) I’ve wanted to keep my content free to everyone, but am looking into an ad-free option with a subscription fee. It’s a bit complicated and costly to set up, but I haven’t ruled it out.
Okay with me to have ads, it’s quitte common in other blogs and I’ve just gotten used to moving past them. Not a big deal.
I agree with Deanne. The ads appear between paragraphs of copy, not super-imposed over the copy, and are fairly small. Most are for brands that target our age group. There are a few for things I don’t even know what they are (Rx drugs and what I think might be a gambling website). Amazon is offering me a job for $15 per hour (I’ll pass, lol)! The advertising here seems like the online version of ads appearing in pods during TV shows or between the pages of articles in magazines, so nothing we haven’t coped with multiple times a day for our whole lives.
Okay, I’m going to weigh in on the ads, which I barely noticed–I scrolled back up to see them. I think you’ve done a good job with the size of your content vs. the size of the ads so that I can easily tell which is which.
Also your layout is good–the bottom “More Metallic Sandals” has nice wide spacing, so I can easily sort it from bordered ads (of course, today they were mostly for cars, a dead giveaway). I contrast your display choices with some other blogs I devotedly follow where I’m having difficulty discerning between ads and content, or the ads follow me down the page in my face (I’m looking at you NYT).
I agree on both points, Mary. Personally I can’t stand the ads that follow you down the page; it’s like you’re being stalked. And I agree that the ads here are not too intrusive. Obviously, we’re all a bit spoiled by the previous absence of advertisements, but if it keeps this excellent blog afloat I’m in favor.
When reading the comments I too had to scroll back up as I hadn’t noticed ads. I read on an android tablet, they are in between paragraphs and I’m getting local real estate. So used to this kind of advertising my eye just glides past. I don’t find it a problem.
I totally agree. Metallic shoes make any outfit modern and interesting. Yours are excellent examples.
Greetje
I have had numerous metallic footwear over the years and do find they go with just about everything. Most of mine are silver or pewter, but do have a pair of really comfortable ones with 1 1/2 inch wedge. I find the wedge is always more comfortable even on uneven streets when travelling. I have not gotten into the square toe idea and still prefer a softer toe box. Also, how are those hummers doing? Did the babies start coming to the feeders?
Hi Diane, I haven’t put out feeders, but am currently caring for a chick that was pushed out of the nest. Look for more (and a pic of the little Pip) in tomorrow’s post!
I bought a pair of White Mountain sandals this week. They look like Birkenstocks at a fraction of the price. Very comfy. They came in a metallic rose gold which was beautiful. In the end I went with brown as I felt it would be the most versitile.
Love all of the sandals you modelled today. I always need to size up in Eileen Fisher footwear but size down in the clothing. I wear the same shoe size as you.
I have always admired your blog content & look forward to it. However, the ads are driving me crazy because just as I start to read a new line or paragraph, I lose my position because an ad insert moves the text in another direction. A couple of thoughts…could the ads be located in the reader response section? Could the ads just be located in a side bar so as not to disrupt the position of the text? Could the ads be more relevant to what you post, such as ones by Eileen Fisher, Mephisto, and remain in the side bar? Could the ads not be flashing off and on? Maybe these more established companies would pay to have their ads on your blog in a non-intrusive way and therefore attract more readers. Thanks for your consideration of these requests, Susan.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for the feedback. After a few weeks of initial testing, I’ll be able to refine the ad placements. Thanks for your patience in the meantime. I’d love to be able to hand-pick advertisers, but generally companies of that size don’t place individual ads with individual blogs.
I always treat metallic shoes as a neutral, partly because I think it is true and partly because if I treated them as Dress Up Only shoes, they would not be worn so often.
As for ads, I use Chrome and in the body of your post saw a Zappos post for sandals and a post about masks. All other ads were in the sidebar and not intrusive. I don’t know how those algorithms work but the ads I see are for a retailer I recently made a purchase from (via an ad elsewhere which I rarely do), from another company I do business with (pet insurance), and for a product I recently searched for. I don’t find them intrusive but then they aren’t following me on the page either. There is stuff at the bottom too but it does not interfere with the readability of your post.
I have worn a pair of bronze sandals for years and loved them. However, I recently purchased a pair of gold sandals and a pair of silver ones. I love them both, and I agree: they make my simple outfits pop. That is a plus since, in Missouri, hubby and I are still staying close to home.
I just got my 4th pair of Mephisto “Helen” style in soft gold. I can wear these when I’m not in athletic shoes. I’m dealing with plantar fasciitis again. I’ve been measured for new custom orthotics. My old ones were 10 yrs old. They have incredible technology now for foot issues, so update yours if it’s been a while! All these sandals you’ve shown are great choices for the finicky footed!
Susan, I am a new subscriber. I love your style and have already ordered a couple of things per your suggestions. I couldn’t find the post or comment about comfortable bras from Soma. Is there one that you find especially comfortable? It doesn’t have to be Soma. I am constantly searching for comfort! Merci mille fois! Kathleen
Hi Kathleen, welcome and thanks! I don’t have any Soma bras myself, but perhaps someone mentioned them in comments in this post: Comfortable Bras and Underwear?
Hi Kathleen – if you are looking for a good review of Soma bras, I recommend checking out Alison Geary’s blog: Wardrobe Oxygen – wardrobeoxygen.com – she has extensive try one.
It will be interesting to see how you handle the ads. They do make me crazy, yet I certainly understand the need. I’m looking forward to see how you handle them. But, I love the metallic sandals I word them all last summer. My question is the rolled up hem pants. What pants were they? I’m looking for pants that will be comfortable for the summer to replace my PJ.s. Ha! some thing loose ( yes, I’ve gained weight) and I love the idea of rolled up hems.
Hi Sandra, thanks. I appreciate your understanding. The cuffed linen pants I’m wearing are these from Chico’s: Linen drawstring pants.You’ll be seeing them on the blog soon!
I like metallic shoes on others, but feel rather loud in them myself. Does or did anyone else feel that way, and does one eventually get over it?
Hi Donetta, if your personal style is more elegant/subdued, you might find something in a softer, more muted metallic works better for you. Or perhaps a style that has both solid and metallic straps?
Thank you, I may try the platform sandals to start. You wear them well.
I see no ads, but I use an ad blocker on my lap top (Apple) I don’t use one on my ipad and ads are a bit annoying but they can be x’d out. Hope you don’t have to go with a subscription. I paid for a subscription to NYT’s Cooking for a year and found most of the same content elsewhere on the internet for free. So I unsubscribed. My CDN dollar doesn’t go too far these days and the content would have to be pretty amazing to justify paying 25-30% more on the USD. I wonder how a subscription would affect the number of other ‘off shore’ viewers who read your blog. I find it interesting to read the comments from outside the U.S. and have found your blog to have an international vibe with readers chiming in from Australia, U.K., Europe, Canada etc. This sense of community was something I found sadly missing in many other American blogs and I dropped them accordingly. World view is so important and seeing how much women of a certain age have in common no matter where they hail from has been one (of the many)reasons I enjoy reading your blog. It’s not all about putting an outfit together, although that is fun to see!
Susan, I don’t envy you this process and I know that what ever decisions you make will have been done mindfully and with a great deal of thought.
I love metallic shoes and do have a pair in a soft gold. I find they go with almost everything. I probably would not have bought them without your suggestion of metallic shoes from a post a while back. I appreciate how your suggestions empower me to wear things I may not be confidant about. Keep up the good work!
Yes I like the fact that metallics are much more widely available now . I always had gold sandals to wear with saris because I would also be wearing all my gold jewellery . Now they are strappy shoes and are more likely to be worn with salwar kamiz or anything velvet . I also have some shoes in a rose gold which I got when I was looking for something in a pinkish fawn – in fact they were called ‘dusty pink’ . They do indeed go with everything !
As to the continuing debate about ads ; a previous poster was going to (Ithink) disable her ad blocker because it wasn’t helping you . Does this mean that either 1. the ad placers can tell if a blocker is being used and will cut your payment accordingly or 2. if not enough of your followers respond to the ads then again you will lose out financially ? I haven’t seen any of the ads as yet but from the descriptions and remembering the ads on gmail & yahoo before I installed a blocker my impression is that they are not as classy as eg you get in Vogue magazine where the ads are often more beautiful than the illustrations of the content and the placement isn’t as well related either .
I have a free blog on wp and I know ads are placed beneath each post however I don’t see them and neither do my followers IF they have an ad blocker . The only wp ads I see are on the email alerts I get for blogs I am following .
Today, the ads are for hand soap, masks, mortgages, mattresses, clothing and internet services.
Glad to have searched up this post! I wanted to ask you — which season looks good in rose gold? I am almost certainly a spring or autumn, and I am pretty sure that rose gold is not for me, unless it is. However, I think I like brushed gold the best because it is a little less loud. I like your French Kande pieces and keep looking at their offerings.
Right now I am looking at watches after buying one for my oldest son’s high school graduation. I think a watch would be a nice “interest item” for outfits, but ugh, most everyday watches seem to be best in stainless steel and that’s not my color! So maybe a mix, maybe a plated watch… I just don’t know.
Cheers to the warm season! Thanks for all of your great posts.
Side note, have you watched the PBS series Marie Antionette? It has a lot of sexual content but is otherwise a pretty good series – have to love the costumes.
Hi Karen, usually Autumns and Blue Springs are best in rose gold. I also prefer brushed metals to shiny ones. Yes, we’ve been watching that one, it’s really stunning!