There are a few pieces in my wardrobe that I dutifully try on every few months, only to remember exactly why they’ve been gathering dust. For the longest time, flared trousers were victims of this habit. It’s not that I don’t think they’re chic, it’s that I’ve never quite cracked the code on how to style them. More specifically, I’ve always stumbled at the same hurdle: the shoes.
Some pairs look clunky beneath the smooth line of the trousers; others all but disappear under the extra fabric. So when I spotted Rochelle Humes wearing the exact style I’ve struggled with, I zoomed in on her footwear to figure out precisely how she made them look so good.
Her choice? A pair of almond-toe shoes. Where rounded toes might have blunted her look, and pointed pairs would have been too severe, the almond toe struck the perfect middle ground.
An underratted shoe silhouette, the softly curved shape visually extends the line of the leg, echoing the elongating effect of the flares without relying on sky-high platforms or chunky heels. Rochelle opted for a dark brown heeled boot, but the same principle applies to flats—choose a refined almond-toe silhouette, and you’ll achieve the same easy lengthening effect.