Deliberately choosing the wrong shoes for your outfit? At first glance, that sounds like a gross fashion faux pas. However, the wrong shoe theory says exactly the opposite: Followers of this TikTok trend are convinced that the wrong shoes with the right outfit make for a cool fashion update. This is behind the “wrong shoe” theory.
The Wrong Shoe Theory is about deliberately breaking the style of the look. The theory is based on the assumption that adding shoes that at first glance seem like the wrong choice makes an outfit more interesting and unique.
A perfect example of the wrong shoe theory is the combination of a more girly look consisting of a flowy skirt and a playful top. In this case, the right shoe choice would obviously be a shoe that takes up the girlish, playful elements, such as a pair of ballerinas. The wrong choice would be chunky sneakers or boots. But it is precisely this combination that turns the outfit into an eye-catcher. In this way, interesting contrasts are created that give your own styling more individuality.
The stylist Allison Bornstein explains on her TikTok channel how to combine the wrong shoes with the right outfit: For example, if you are very active in everyday life and depend on wearing comfortable shoes, you could be tempted at first to wear your entire outfit to adjust to the shoes. For example, one of her customers always wore sporty looks in everyday life because she was convinced that the rest of her outfit should be coordinated with her functional sneakers.
Bornstein clearly dispels this conviction: the stylist believes that this cleverly placed break in style creates the impression that a conscious decision was made to combine two different styling directions. This enables outfits that on the one hand fit perfectly into everyday life and on the other hand reflect one’s own personality.
The wrong shoe theory not only makes a playful, feminine outfit more interesting. Even everyday outfits that seem comfortable at first glance can be styled into interesting going-out looks in no time at all. For example, by combining filigree kitten heels or elegant platform high heels with wide, sporty training pants.
