7 Dress-and-Shoe Combinations That Work Like a Charm

Some of the most inspired looks don't require a whole lot of brain power, thankfully. Take, for example, a dress-and-shoe pairing; the two outfit ingredients take little to no time to physically put on your body, but somehow the final result consistently feels pretty polished and put-together. This low-effort, high-yield kind of situation is well-suited for summer, when you have less time to think about what you're wearing because you're spending more time enjoying vacations or weekend barbecues with friends. In other words, a dress-and-shoe pairing is a golden recipe for wardrobe success.

So the natural next question is what dress to wear with which shoes? Turns out there is a boatload of possibilities. To help spark a few new ideas, though, we rounded up seven combinations that work like a charm. From the best kicks to complement your slip dress to the coolest way to wear those cowboy boots you've been dying to break out of the closet, scroll down to discover and shop your favorites to get going on your next effortless summer look.

Slip Dress + High-Tops

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Translate your slip dress to summer weekends with a pair of cute high-tops.

Puff-Sleeve Mini + Low-Heel Sandals

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Accessorize a pretty puff-sleeve minidress with low-heel sandals for a picnic-ready ensemble.

Floral Midi + White Sneakers

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For a look that's versatile and flattering, wear a pair of white sneakers with all of your floral midis.

Printed Midi + Strappy Sandals

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Embrace the season's printed-midi-dress trend by wearing it with another of-the-moment piece: strappy sandals.

Prairie-Inspired + Flat Leather Sandals

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Not sure how to pull off the prairie-dress trend? Try a pair of low-key leather sandals.

Mini Wrap + Cowboy Boots

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A low-cut, wrap minidress can feel slightly intimidating to wear but when teamed with cowboy boots instantly becomes more approachable.

Sheer and Ethereal + Utilitarian-Inspired

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Contrast a dreamy frock with lace or sheer paneling with a punk-inspired pair of Dr. Martens or utilitarian shoes.

Up next: the 20 best dresses of summer so far.

Nicole Kliest
Freelance Contributor

Nicole Kliest is a freelance writer and editor based in New York City who focuses on fashion, travel, food, wine, and pretty much anything else that's amusing to write about. After graduating from Pepperdine University with a bachelor's in journalism and creative writing, she started her career back in 2010 as Who What Wear's photo editor and throughout the last decade has contributed to publications including Fashionista, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, The Zoe Report, PopSugar, Fodor's Travel, and several others. She also copywrites and has worked with clients such as Frame, Sea, 3x1, Intelligentsia, and others to develop brand voices through storytelling and creative marketing. She's very passionate about the ways we can improve our sustainability efforts in the fashion industry as well as cultivating content that's diverse and inclusive of all people. When she's not checking out the latest restaurant opening in her West Village neighborhood or riding her bicycle along the West Side Highway, she can be found scheming her next trip somewhere around the world. (Up next is Vienna.)