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Let’s be real. If you aren’t in that stage between wanting to look glam every day and snoozing your alarm… how? I always have the desire to go for the classiest vibe with my outfits, but I’ll always have an appreciation for laid-back clothes. I say all of this because no matter what I wear, picking a pair of shoes from my closet takes forever. It could be the simplest outfit and I will still swap my sneakers to boots, boots to sandals, and then back to sneakers. So what does that mean for this spring? Well, I decided that we could use a shoe ranking, but one that places comfy on the same level as fancy. Pitting two shoes against each other for each round, I will give its pros and cons to decide on the winner. For each shoe, whether it wins or not, I will also include details on where to purchase a similar style!
- Strappy vs. mule sandals
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Steve Madden Lori Lace-up Sandal
Steve Madden, Nordstrom Rack, $40, shop now
Who’s in agreement that strappy sandals are not always easy to strut in? They require a bit more motivation than other shoes, but there is enough variety to wear a version that ties at the ankles or above them for added comfort.
Marc Fisher, DSW, $65, shop now
Mules are more of a slip-on shoe, and have a similar elegance as the strappy sandal, but not the same drama. If mules had a bit more flair, then I wouldn’t give the win to strappy sandals.
Winner: Strappy sandal
- Strappy sandal vs. classic sneaker
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Marc Fisher, DSW, $60, shop now
This one is a little tougher because it means comparing the staple white sneaker with a chunkier heeled strappy sandal, just to make it fair. Looking at the sandals, I am confident that I wouldn’t fall because the height is nice.
Steve Madden, DSW, $60, shop now
The sneaker is just hard to compete with! The casual style lends itself to running errands or going on a date, so they are typically what I end up wearing. I would say that they do not give me the height that I would love to have with shoes, but I never have to doubt whether I can walk in them. Being that much of a go-to makes it hard for them not to be the best in this round (sorry, cute strappy sandals)!
Winner: Classic sneaker
- Slip-on sneaker vs. slides
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Slip-on sneakers:
Lucky Brand, DSW, $55, shop now
Slides
Before you laugh at me, don’t you love that amazing feeling of putting on slippers after a busy day? What if you could wear the same kind of shoe but as slides, AKA the dressier version of those shoes you may already own? You can do sporty slides, fancier ones that are less comfy, or a combination of the two! There’s enough options to have favorite pairs of each and for that ultimate win, I gotta give the spot to slides!
Winner: Slides
Did this list get you more excited for spring weather like it did for me? You can absolutely use this list to figure out what you don’t want to wear but also to learn what you would like to buy for your next shoe shopping splurge. Happy spring!