The 10 Pairs of Shoes Every College Girl Should Have in Her Closet

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you purchase through our links.

Photo Credit: Elle

Hi everyone! So this post is a bit of a sequel to my last article, 15 Tried-And-True Pieces Every College Woman Should Own. Last time, we talked about clothes, and this time, we’re tackling my personal favorite subject – shoes!

When I say shoes are my favorite subject, I’m not lying: I’m a shoe addict and I want everything. And I mean everything, from basics to outrageous styles I could only wear once. Even coming up with JUST ten pairs for this list seemed insane! But after thinking hard about what I – and you – truly need, I finally narrowed it down. 

It’s tempting to blow money on all sorts of shoes, but if you have these ten pairs, you shouldn’t need more. So without further ado, here are the ten pairs of shoes every college girl needs in her closet:

Everyday Flat Sandals

Products: Brown Thong Sandal, White Lace-Up Sandal, Black Plait Sandal

Gone are the days of flip-flops! Leave those for the beach days when you need a simple shoe. Instead, up your game with a pair of strappy sandals — they’re all the rage this summer! 

This shoe is one that you can slip on just like flip-flops, but you’ll always look more polished and sophisticated. Strappy sandals go perfectly with your summer dresses or jeans! I bought a cognac pair of Aldo lace-up sandals (the color I have is sold out but you can still get them in white) and they go with every.single.outfit. 

Workout Shoes

Products: Nike Pegasus, Asics Gel-Contend, Nike Flex

As we all know from experience, the key to a successful college experience is balance. So don’t quit exercising and taking care of your health just because you’re swamped in studies! If you need more inspiration to work out, buying a new cute pair of sneaks will definitely do the trick. 

Even if you aren’t an avid exerciser, these are essential for those days when you want to rock an athleisure look, or for when your car breaks down and you have to sprint to that meeting (okay that’s a bit of a stretch, but you get what I mean)!

PS: The Nike and Adidas Outlets have some great steals!

Casual Sneakers

Products: Adidas Neo Courtset, Converse, Nike TXT

If you’ve read my Monthly Favorites and Wishlist column for the month of July, you know that I absolutely raved about my new causal Adidas sneakers. The casual sneaker is the shoe to go-to when you don’t know what other shoes to wear. 99% of the time, they will match with whatever you have on at the moment. 

Yes I know what you’re thinking. But I have sneakers already, why do I need these too? Because these will actually look good with outfits that don’t involve athletic wear. Trust. One pair of sneakers for the gym and one for casual wear. Do it.

Ankle Booties

Products: G by GUESS, Black Galvin Bootie, Nordstrom Stevie Lee 

Booties are important. I repeat: booties are important. I actually prefer booties over heels because they’re more comfortable and can be worn in every season. I wear mine for parties and days of class alike. Although they are just a bit more casual than heels, they complement almost any outfit. 

What did I do before booties? Oh yeah. I would come home after a long night out with sore, blister-ridden feet. As I said, ankle booties have served me well

Riding Boots

Products: DSW Tunisa, JC Penney Cody Boot, Naturalizer Joylynn 

Ah yes. The riding boot. These are perfect for when the weather gets a little chillier, and you want to cover up, but still look fashionable. These are truly an essential to any woman’s wardrobe because they’re like a blank canvas. There is no debate about them. Let me explain…

Most shoes now have contrasting elements, such as heeled versus flat, pointy versus opened toe, slim versus regular. Riding boots are just simply riding boots and do not have to follow any trends. They’re all uniform: tall, flat, and neutral colored. They’re classic and forever in style.

Weather-Appropriate Boots 

Products: Bearpaw Snow Boots, Nordstrom Duck Boot, Chooka Top Solid

Weather-appropriate boots will vary for each one of you, depending on where you live. For example, I go to school in Northern Missouri, and it snows. A lot. So for my ‘weather-appropriate boots’, I bought a pair of Uggs. If you live in a place where it rains a lot of the days, then your best choice would be rain boots. 

Now I realize that when many people think of snow or rain boots, they think of ugly galoshes. But there are some really cute styles out there!  It’s important to have a pair of shoes that are suited for rainy or snowy weather, and it’s worth it to pay a little more for something that will function for you.

Black Pumps

Products: Steve Madden Pumps, DSW Journee Pump, Aldo Viadien

You knew this one was coming. You can never go wrong with a classic pair of black pumps! Invest in a high quality pair now and you’ll have them for the next decade! These shoes look great with everything and will take you from the office to your night out. 

Throw on your black heels with any outfit to pull your whole look together, giving you a chic vibe. 

 Wedges

Products: Steve Madden ‘Wavi’, Lulu’s Caged Wedge, Lulu’s Toffee Wedge

This shoe is perfect for the warmer months and gives you all the fashion points without all of the wobbling of a stiletto. These are great for the days when you know you’ll be walking a lot. Wedges work with everything from flirty skirts during the day to sexy dresses at night! 

Statement Heels 

Products: Pretty Purple Heels, Royal Blue Heels, Steve Madden Lace Up

Wear your statement heels out anytime you’re feeling a little more daring. Statement heels can be anything and everything, and should be tailored to your style: leather, suede, bright, bold, or studded — anything goes! But one thing they must be is UNIQUE

A good pair of statement heels will make even your simplest ensembles look brand new. So go ahead, throw your statement heels on, and rock them with confidence!

Ballet Flats

Products: Chinese Laundry Flat, Lulu’s Seline Black, Spotted Flat

Now I will admit that I don’t wear ballet flats very often, but still feel as though they are essential. Maybe your feet are tired. Or you want to look more professional. Or you just love that effortless French girl vibe. Ballet flats are your answer.

My favorite trick is to slip my ballet flats in my purse when I go out in my highest heels – instant comfort when I’m ready to head home!

What are your shoe essentials?

What do you think? Which pair of shoes do you wear the most? How do you style them? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: #Fashionblogger #fashiontrends



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.