Tangospeak’s Shopping Advice

So, you’re shopping online and you’re not sure what size, which colour to get, which model and how would they look on you?

So, let’s go through common questions one would have one by one:

Q: Size - does it really run true to size?

A: Yes, it truly does. However, there is one common exception which is women with wide feet often go up a size to accomodate the widest part of their foot. If you tend to do that too, then I recommend you do so. If you are a 36 but you have to go up to size 37 sometimes in order to get shoes that fit the width of your feet, then you should do that here too.

Colour: women fit into two colour categories. It’s all based on undertones of one’s skin which are cool blue and warm yellow. Those with a blue undertone look good in strong colours that also have a blue or cool undertone. Such as cranberry, royal blue, emerald green, midnight blue, velvety purples, icy silver. Neutrals, pale pinks and muted colours should be avoided. Those with a yellow undertone look amazing in autumn colours, ranging from olives to rich purples to golds to pale colours to pastel pinks and golds. Women from the mediterranean with their darker skin look fantastic in pastels, gold, turquoise, bright vivid hot colours and nude colours.

Which model to get? Well, that depends on your personality type. If you like stillettos and modern young hip toe bands, go check out the Taconeandos in metallics. If you are looking for something that says pure sex – as in unzip me shoes – check out the black ones with pink stitching in the leather category. They are truly dominant. Or if you like High Society Afternoon Tea shoes – check out the peach ones in the Fabric category. What Marlene has done is present pure eye candy. Her shoes are undeniably young, sexy and have such wonderful range of saturated colours.

If you like a mature style, edgy, thoughtful, and unique, go check out GretaFlora’s Jacintas – study their toebands. Or check out the Renatas – so architectural, so sexy. Or if you want flower power – then check out the Petronas, the Ninas, the Amalias. Pure femininity.  That is exactly what makes GretaFlora so different from all the other tango shoe designer. They break the mold.

How would they look on me?

The only advice I can give you is go by experience, and don’t be afraid to be brave. And think carefully about your skin tone and the style of your clothes. A woman came in wanting to get gold shoes that would match a muted turquoise dress, a green patterned dress and a white dress with purple flowers. Gold shoes is definitely a good idea but I had a strong feeling metallic pastel green would actually be a better choice. She was so determined to get the gold shoes before she got to my place but once she tried on the metallic greens, she realized it was a rare colour and it just added that wow factor to her clothes – really brought them to life. She had a hard time believing me that purple and green go beautifully together. Her white dress had dark purple flowers. Dark purple and pale green really make each other pop.

So, don’t always think in terms of being safe and getting a neutral shoe that would go with everything. Think about a colour that would go well with your outfits. If you tend to wear black all the time – then get something ultra special – something metallic or something that shines or glitter. Wear some jewelry to complement the shoes. Best accessories for black clothes are bright eye catching jewelry and shoes. Live it up.

Then there are those of you who like to wear very patterned clothes – lots of colours and texture. Having a multi-coloured shoe would not be a good idea in this case because it just adds to the busyness. Let the clothes be the centerpiece with a neutral shoe – something black or nude. Or even a warm grey like the grey suede Amalias – the flowers are removable if one would want to keep them especially neutral.

Final piece of advice – listen to your gut instincts, don’t play too safe and have fun being adventurous. Make sure you keep your skin tone in mind, olive-skinned people don’t look good in greens with yellow undertones as an example. Porcelain types don’t do well in oranges or nude-ish pale colours. Dare to be bold, but true to yourself. If you are a woman who’s always played safe, but constantly fantasized about having a pair of shoes with sexy heels and rich vibrant colours, go for it. Really.

I’ve encouraged women to take that first brave step from basic black to gold shoes with gold flowers on the toeband (Amalias/Rosauras) , to wonderfully purple suede with a wider heel (Petronas). A year later they would come back and insist on the higher heels and were looking forward to adding new colours and textures to their collection. One of the best thing about GretaFlora is the padding in the shoes. Really well done. With GretaFlora, one can dance on stone and granite and go home with their feet feeling good. In fact, my best friend wears two pairs of Gretaflora shoes to work – one is the Simona Tobacco and the other is the black and white Petronas. She works in a hospital where she is always on the go, seeing one patient after the other. A lot of hours on one’s feet. I asked her if her feet got sore in the GretaFloras, her response was that they are just so comfortable. As comfortable as the sneakers she used to wear.

3.5 inch or 4 inch is not recommended for a Nuevo dancer though. Due to this more athletic style of dancing, medium heels are favoured.

And p.s. yes, the heels are strong and steady. They won’t fall off.

Having fun checking out my shop. I hope you like what you see.