My dream dress is typically a dress in shades of brown. So, it’s no surprise I have a few tips on what shoes look good with a brown dress! It’s the perfect neutral to wear as a tonal outfit or to wear with shoes that feel more fun – like a subtle pop of color. Sometimes, it’s a challenge to figure out which shoes look best with a rich espresso dress. So, today I’m sharing a roundup of shoe colors that go with espresso dresses in different seasons.
What Color Shoes to Wear With an Espresso Dress
Espresso dresses are versatile and work with different colors and styles of shoes. There are always different shades of brown even with espresso brown, so there isn’t necessarily a single approach. I like to consider the mood of the outfit, dress fabric and silhouette, the occasion, and the time of year.
What Does The Color Espresso Look Like
Espresso brown is typically a dark shade of brown. If you’ve ever done your color palette, it’s typically more of a cool. But, as someone who is a warmer color palette, I can still wear espresso and that’s one of the reasons I love it – it’s pretty versatile and looks good with most skin tones!
What Color Shoe Do You Wear With An Espresso Dress
Okay, let’s dive in!
Brown
There’s nothing more chic than monochrome or tonal outfits! So, brown shoes are the perfect option to wear with a dark brown dress. Your shoe choice will obviously depend on the season.
Brown ballet flats or brown loafers are the best shoes to wear for busy work days – they’re practical and still chic! I also love brown flats for vacations, especially if you’re walking a lot, and for weekends. I pretty much live in flats as much as I can.
I love how brown knee high boots look with a brown dress when it’s cold. A brown knee high boot is always my go-to for fall and winter dress outfits. I do also love the versatility of ankle boots – you can style them with jeans, obviously, but you can also wear them with a longer dress.
If you’re looking for a summer sandal, this is the perfect espresso brown sandal to wear with your dress. I own this sandal in the other color and love them. Click here to see them on me!
Animal Print
An animal print shoe can be a lot of fun with dresses in all different shades of brown, including a dark brown like espresso. Choose an animal print that has brown in it, too, but the shades definitely do not have to be an exact match. Cow print is typically a good place to start since it usually has a shade of brown in it.
Yellow
A subtle, muted yellow is a gorgeous match for espresso brown and really any shade of dark brown. I avoid a bright yellow shoe because the contrast feels too stark. The suede pair is a good option for fall and spring. It feels like a true chameleon of a shoe because it doesn’t feel too wintery or like it’s made for warm weather. You could even wear sock tights with them in the winter.
Red
Red is another color where a muted option would look best with espresso brown. I love the idea of this tomato red patent shoe with a brown dress – you get a fun color and patent always adds a little something extra to your outfit. The suede shoe in rosewood is another color that would easily match espresso and other shades of brown. The woven suede brings lots of detail and texture to your outfit, so these shoes would be perfect with a simple brown dress.
Black
Black shoes might not be your first pick to go with a brown dress, but they can look really good together! I love a black ballet flat or black leather boot with a dark brown dress. I typically style these outfits with other black accessories so it all works together. Black shoes are good for work days if you want your outfit to feel a little more formal.
Tan
A neutral, tan shoe will always work with all shades of brown, whether you’re wearing a light brown dress or a true espresso. Tan is a great option for summer days – there are typically lots of raffia options available. I love to wear my raffia ballet flats with my espresso dress, and they’re versatile enough to wear with jeans too.
How To Choose The Best Shoes For An Espresso Dress
- Don’t be afraid to wear different shades of brown between your dress and your shoes
- Consider patent, suede, and other textured options like croc so your outfit doesn’t feel flat, especially if your shoes are a neutral color
- Choose brown sandals in a different material and even a different shade brown than your dress if you wear brown shoes to a formal event
- Metallic shoes are also a good option if you wear a brown dress to a formal event
- Ballet flats, sandals, and espadrilles are perfect matches for a brown summer dress. You can wear a fun color or a neutral
Espresso Dress Outfits
Linen Shirtdress and Colorful Ballet Flats
Colorful shoes are an easy way to add a little fun to your brown dress, and colorful ballet flats are everywhere right now. The options are pretty endless, whether you like red, green, yellow, or something more unique like a rosewood. CLICK HERE to shop my dress.
This style of dress also works with sneakers for casual weekends or travel outfits. If you’re wondering how to wear sneakers with a dress, check out my blog post on that topic.
Brown Sweater Dress and Brown Boots
Tonal looks are always a good idea. They do feel particularly chic in the fall when you can wear different textures together. I love a simple sweater dress and brown leather boots, for example. This outfit would benefit from a brown leather coat and a printed scarf, too! I wore this for family photos one year in London, but it’s one of those versatile outfits that you can wear year after year for different occasions.
Click here for ideas on what shoes to wear with midi dress.
Green Boots And A Brown Dress for Fall and Winter
Brown is typically a pretty easy neutral to experiment with when it comes to fun color shoes. I love how it looks with colors like green and think muted shades really look best. These green boots wouldn’t have looked nearly as good against brown if the green were super bright. CLICK HERE for similar green croc boots. You can style them throughout the fall and winter with brown dresses in different materials, whether you’re wearing a sweater dress or a silk one.
How to Style Brown Loafers With a Brown Dress or Skirt
Croc loafers or brown patent loafers are a great option for work days. They’re the shoes to wear when you need to add something subtle to your outfit. I love how croc and patent adds texture, so your outfit doesn’t feel flat. This type of detail always makes me feel like my outfit is polished and put together. Basically, I don’t have that feeling that something is missing when I look in the mirror, which means I won’t want to start over with a whole new outfit. That feeling is so important on busy days when you need to get out the door on time!
Okay, I’m wearing a skirt in this photo, but this print actually came in a dress and I’d still style it or a similar piece with these brown loafers and belt.
The Right Shoes for A Formal Event
I love brown shoes, tan shoes, and metallic options to wear with a brown dress for a formal event. You could also do something fun – like a contrasting pattern! Think a fun snake print. The shoe you pick will definitely depend on the exact dress, but these are some options I would consider for a brown dress for a formal event.
If you’re looking for more tips on what shoes to wear with different dress, you can check out my blog posts on shoes to wear with floral dresses and what color shoes to wear with royal blue dress.
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you found some helpful tips. Be sure to sign up for my email list below if you want to hear more from me on style and travel.
