What Kind of Shoes Match a Cream Suit?

Actress Bella Thorne accents her cream pantsuit with gold shoes and accessories.

Just like black, white, gray and beige, cream is considered a neutral. To match your favorite cream suit you don’t need a closet full of shoes. To wake up your suit for work or play, you only need a few select pairs of stylish footwear. Whatever the occasion, a tailored cream suit is a wardrobe workhorse that serves as a chic alternative to a woman’s little black dress or a man’s finely tailored navy blue or black suit.

Casual Shoes

For a casual outing in the summer, pair a men’s linen suit with brown leather sandals or beige suede loafers. Team with a baby blue, brown and tan paisley pocket square and a blue button-down shirt to complete the casual preppy look. If you are meeting your best girlfriends for brunch, wear a women’s cream linen Bermuda short suit with light brown sandals. To break up the neutral tone of the cream and tan combo, slip a sunny yellow silk tank under the suit. Accent your neck with a cream and yellow scarf or a yellow necklace.

Work Shoes

For work, brown, black or navy heels complement a woman's cream suit beautifully. If you are tired of wearing dark-colored heels or basic cream shoes with your suit, choose nude shoes instead. In the spring, select nude heels featuring a pointed toe, or wear delicate kitten-heel slingbacks or nude ballet flats with your cream suit. For men, contrast a monochromatic cream suit with a shoe featuring a deep hue. Chocolate brown brogues, burgundy cap toes or navy oxfords provide sophisticated polish to a cream suit.

Dressy Occasions and Evening Shoes

"GQ" magazine advises leather soles for an elegant, dressy appearance. Pair light brown, cranberry or tan leather-soled oxfords or loafers with a cream linen or silk suit for a morning wedding or spring dinner party at home. For women, metallic silver sandals or gold heels add a refined and rich feel to a cream suit. To complete the party-ready look, use citrus, mango or gold accessories to punch up a cream suit, whether a skirt/jacket combo or pantsuit.

Pastel Colors

In the summer, a cool mauve sandal or a feminine pair of blush pink or lavender mules adds a hint of glamour to a woman's cream suit. Accent the soft and feminine color in the shoes with a lavender or pink silk blouse and silver jewelry. If you are a man living in a tropical city or a hot climate, pair your linen cream casual pant suit with pastel-hued suede loafers, a crisp white button-down shirt and a matching pastel-colored pocket square.

Two-Tone Shoes

Nothing wakes up a cream suit like a dashing pair of two-tone spectators or printed shoes. For women, navy and cream graphic wedge sandals complement a cream silk suit beautifully. For men, pair a casual cream suit with a pair of cream and brown saddle shoes. For more dressy events, a cream and black spectator shoe is an elegant and dapper shoe choice for a man’s wool cream suit.

References

• InStyle: Anne Hathaway in Chloé, 2010
• InStyle: N and O are for Nude and Off-White
• InStyle: Cat Deeley
• Fashion Ribbonwear: Achieve Great Color Match Through Complementary Colors
• More Alive With Color: Personal Colors-Personal Style; Leatrice Eiseman
• GQ: What Shoes to Wear With a Suit
• Ask Andy About Clothes: Practical Color Help for Improving Your Style
• A Suitable Wardrobe: A Case for Black and White Spectators
• Art of Manliness: A Man’s Guide to Boots and Shoes