With what’s felt like an interminable winter now behind us and the promise of fairer weather on the horizon, now is the time to get thinking about your Spring & Summer attire, banishing your woollies and winter coats to back of the wardrobe. One of the biggest trends in recent years has been the gradual acceptance of trainers as an option with skirts and dresses as well as jeans, shorts and other more casual trousers. But not all trainers are created equal and there is a definite art to choosing a pair that will complement your favourite dresses.
Why wear trainers with a dress?
The obvious answer to this much asked question is, why not? Trainers are comfortable, often very stylish and can look incredible with all kinds of outfits including skirts and dresses. Trainers are also far more practical than many other shoe choices. Why wear shoes that will hurt your feet for your fair weather walks, picnics in the park or barbecues with family or friends? If an impromptu game breaks out or you feel like chasing your kids, siblings, nieces or nephews around, why not be ready instead of having to go in and change?!
So, what trainers do look good with dresses?
The classic white running shoe
Plain white runners, with minimal logos or patterns will always have a contemporary feel. They are timeless classics that allow you more freedom with your choice of dress, working as a blank canvas for you to go wild on. From bold floral prints to grey cut-out maxis, denim or leather, white runners have you covered. An added bonus of the classic white runner is that it will make your legs look more tanned than they probably are after a year or so without a holiday! There’s a reason why, if you look around online at articles suggesting how to wear trainers with dresses, the majority of pictures show classic white runners.
Picking out a colour from a favourite floral
Let’s say you have a couple of floral print dresses that feature a particular shade of red or deep pink against a black backdrop. Why not try to find a pair of trainers in as similar shade as possible to really accentuate that colour? It’s a great way to wear trainers with dresses. Suede effect low cut trainers in a similar style to the classic Adidas Gazelle will work perfectly for this.
Gold trainers, beige maxi dress
Gold low top trainers can be a particularly effective when paired with a favourite maxi dress. Beige or pink are great colours to pair with gold designer trainers, which almost act like jewellery for the feet. Comfort, style and breathability can coexist and this kind of trainer is living proof. The pairing with a comfortable maxi knit dress works so well, especially if you finish the look with a vintage denim jacket.
Leopard print feature
If you like the idea of leopard print but don’t always want to go all out with the pattern, then trainers can provide a way of adding a splash of the print to your outfit. Designs which feature a minimalist integration of the leopard print, alongside a subtle pink majority colour are incredibly versatile designer trainers that can be paired with a wide variety of outfits including many different kinds of dresses.
The future is bright!
Bright, luminous shade of green and yellow low tops can be an incredibly successful choice for a pair of trainers, especially if you have a lot of little black dresses (LBDs) in your wardrobe. A favourite LBD, perhaps with a little frilled white trim can look truly stunning with a pair of brightly coloured designer low tops.
Top tips
Pay attention to fabric: If your dress is lightweight in fabric, choose a suitably lightweight fabric for your shoes, like canvas. If your dress is wool or wool blend, suede or patent works best.
Don’t pair extremes: While a little contrast works wonders, too much and it’ll take some considerable fortune or effort to pull it off. It’s best avoiding wearing really athletic looking trainers with a frilly dress unless you are super confident you can pull it off.