What color shoes go with red dress

Whether worn as holiday appropriate attire, a daring date dress or an evening look, one thing is for certain: we ladies love a bold red dress! Am I right? But that's the easy choice. What color shoes to wear with red dresses is a little bit more tricky.

I've created an in-depth guide to help you select the best shoe color to complement your crimson frock (and what heels for red dresses work best!). 

Keep in mind that if your dress is a burgundy, poppy or a pink tickled-red hue, it doesn't matter. The following are the best color shoes to wear with a red dress outfit; any red dress, no matter what type of “red” it actually is 🙂

But if you want to specifically see what shoes paired with a burgundy outfit look best, feel free to skip over to my post on what color shoes with burgundy dresses to wear!

Funny enough, the shoes that pair great with a red dress outfit are the same shoe colors that look good with green dresses too. Maybe because green & red are complimentary colors? Who knows!

Oh, and be sure to check out the images right below for the best red dresses available at your favorite stores, at all price-points. Right now!


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Pssst…if you're looking for styling suggestions on how to wear crimson shoes, head on over to my post on how to wear red shoes. Because I prefer to stay clear of matchy-matchyness of red dresses and accessories!

Scroll way down to see which shoes not to wear with red too 😉

1. Red Dress and Gold Shoes

What color shoes go with red dress

Shop Gold Shoes:

What color shoes go with red dress


My absolute favorite footwear match for a red dress is a metallic gold shoe. Whether a warmer or cooler toned heel, sandal or flat, gold definitely reigns supreme. This is one of the best color shoes to wear when pairing with a gown for a formal and a fab color shoes for a cocktail dress.

A flat, simplified gladiator-like sandal in this rich color also works well with a casual streamlined or laid-back, bohemian style dress.

If you're looking for a wear-with-everything gold sandal, check out Sam Edelman's Yaro. Out for a pump? Nordstrom's Abilyn pump with a chic strap is a great contender.

Looking for a strappy party heel? Check out these Sam Edelman Alisandra sandals, which are amazing!

2. Red Dress Nude, Beige or Blush Shoes

What color shoes go with red dress


Shop Beige/Tan/Nude Shoes:


What color shoes to wear with red dresses? Beige to taupe to blush hues! These neutral footwear colors look fabulous with red & are likely easily accessible from your shoe closet.

However, a red dress and nude shoes & heels (no matter what your shade of “nude”) is a fan favourite! Which is surprising to some, but believe me when I tell you that these are neutral color shoes that go with everything!

It really makes the red outfit stand out & a Nudist-type sandal is a great way to let a more intricate red dress speak for itself.

Stuart Weitzman's Nudist sandal & the designer's new satin Square Nudist which is all kinds of amazing! A less pricey alternative is Sam Edelman's perfectly minimal Patti Strappy Sandal.

I'd opt for a shade close to skin-tone for the maximum shoe diminishing effect. But whichever your skin color is, beige is fantastic paired with any red dress outfits! Although I don't always like a blush tone as it's usually too ‘pinkish' for red, it can often work.

For a more casual look, a beige chunky heeled ankle boot would look amazing!

3. Red Dress Black Heels, Sandals & Boots

What color shoes go with red dress

Ah, of course, black shoes: they go with almost, if not, every color & type of dress, am I right? I love the stark contrast they create compared to the red color & if your dress is one solid shade of red, you get an instant color-block effect between frock & shoes.

I love how Zara paired black oxfords with a simple mini-dress (left), giving it a quirky spin! Opt for strappy sandals for instant glam.

Chunky heel boots look great with a red sweater dress & are a definite contender for a simple, yet sexy no-nonsense style. It's a great, “I'm not trying too hard” look that's great for more laid back first or second date, as the Topshop image on the right illustrates so well.

Looking for black sandals? Stuart Weitzman’s NudistSong strappy sandals (available here at Nordstrom) is a great choice. Or if you’re looking for a lower price, Steve Madden makes a nice minimal sandal called Stecy that you can also buy here. 

Sam Edelman makes a great, simple but comfy pointed pump called the Hazel. It comes in many hues and & you can take it from the ballroom to boardroom and then to the bar!

So yeah, if you want an all encompassing choice of shoe color to wear with your scarlet dress, black is a solid one!

4. Silver Heels & Shoes

What color shoes go with red dress

Shop Silver Shoes:

What color shoes go with red dress


When looking for shoes to wear with a red dress, another great metallic besides gold, is silver. Whether it be pointed-toe pumps. brogues or sandals, they make a great pair! Silver shoes are best matched with metallic jewelry in the same shade along with a red dress.

If you're looking for a closed toe silver shoe, J.Reneé's ‘Maressa' silver pointy toe pump from Nordstrom has been quite the hit this season with it's interesting texture & reasonable price. Popular strappy silver heeled sandal is Chinese Laundry from Nordstrom (priced for under $100).

I love how the silver pumps are perfectly matched with the Proenza Schouler dress on the far right, bringing out the white detailing in the printed fabric. All three looks are a spectacular example of how to wear a red dress with silver shoes!

On a side note, silver shoes are actually a great staple to have in your wardrobe as they match with almost any hue. They're also an easy solution to the frequently asked question of what color shoes with navy dresses to wear!).

5. White Shoes with Red Dresses

What color shoes go with red dress

Shop White Shoes:

What color shoes go with red dress


Great for Spring/Summer! Especially if you live in snowy winter wonderland Toronto. The alternative to black or silver shoes is a bright white boot, sandal or sneaker with your red dress outfit.

Less bold than black, but still contrasting (depends much on skin-tone & tights -if any- chosen), white shoes are the freshest of them all, when parked against a red dress.

White sneakers look amazing with a simple red style of dress & are a great way to dress down the vibrancy of the scarlet outfit. Obviously not the best choice, however, if off to a romantic Valentine's dinner 😉

White sneakers and heels are some of my fave shoes to wear with black dresses, if you haven't read that post of mine yet!

6. Red Dress Blue Shoes

What color shoes go with red dress

Shop Cobalt Blue & Blue Shoes:

What color shoes go with red dress


If you're feeling like pushing the fashion envelope, a red dress with blue shoes is a great & unexpected outfit mix.

Keep the purse simple or over-the-top. But as long as the dress & shoe type makes sense, this red and blue combo is even more fun & eye catching way to wear with red dress outfits. Or any red outfits, for that matter!

7. Brown Shoes with a Red Dress

What color shoes go with red dress

Shop Brown/Tan/Caramel Shoes:

What color shoes go with red dress


Can you wear a red dress with brown shoes? I'm on the fence about this one, because it's a bit of a ‘tricky' color, so to speak.

As you can see with the image on the far right: the model's brown shoes are actually a very close match to her skin tone, making them pretty much nude for her.

The styling of the maxi dress in the middle with the chunky slides looks good because it matches the boho style of of the look. In the pictures right above, brown/tan shoes with red dresses work well for more easy-going, less dressy looks. And particularly so if they match your skin tone and you want a leggy look!

Two-Tone Colored Shoes with Red Dresses

If all of the above shoe colors look great with a red dress, why shouldn't a mix look just as good? Below are my favorite two-tone combinations of shoe shades to make your hot-hued dress look even better!

8. Black & White Shoes

What color shoes go with red dress

Shop Black & White Shoes:

What color shoes go with red dress


If you can wear black shoes with a red dress as well as a pair of white ones, why not wear a two-tone shoe with your outfit?

Although it's more tricky to style red with a black/white shoe, the simpler the dress, the easier it will be to style a colorblock shoe. That being said, if you're style savvy & have a good eye for detail, a more intricate black & white shoe with an even more complex printed dress can work.

Just check out how Neiman Marcus replicated Saint Laurent's runway red/white/pink floral dress with a two-tone ancient Greek printed platform (above pic on the left).

It works really well, but not the easiest combo to pair! Then again, the dress isn't completely red, now is it? 😉

9. Gold or Blush Combo Shoes

What color shoes go with red dress

If you take gold or nude shoes that have another color that, on its own, works well paired with red, then you're good to go. Gold toe-caps on nude pumps looks amazing with Kirsten Bell's intricate dress (left).

The heel “capped” black pointed-toe pumps look just as fabulous with the bow-waisted red dress on the far right. The black/blush floral pump in the middle is a surprisingly fun match!

Again, this last one is more difficult to put together, but the blush clutch & the black nail polish really brings the shoes & the dress together in an atypical & fun way.

10. Black Shoes with Metallic Embellishments

What color shoes go with red dress

Again, if one shoe color works great with a red, why shouldn't a bedazzled or studded shoe look good? Usually it will, so if you have some metallic or rhinestone adorned nude, black or white sandals, go ahead & wear them with your red dresses!


Now that sums up my what color shoes to wear with red dresses post, but that doesn't mean other colors can't look great too. A minimal red dress outfit with simple lines could look amazing with the following:

  • Patent yellow pointed pumps
  • Purple shoes
  • Fuchsia heels
  • Leopard print shoes

But…What About Red Shoes with a Red dress?

What color shoes go with red dress

Going matchy-matchy with your shoes & red dress ONLY works if you're going to a black tie/red carpet event. Or possibly going for a bridal or matchy prom look. Is that your case?

Then keep your shoes minimal, like Rosamund Pike did, at the Oscars here, wearing a stunning red lace gown with her what is Givenchy's version of a red satin Stuart Weitzman Nudist sandal.

If you're specifically looking for what shoes to wear with a lace dress, click on the link to read more about the best shoes styles to choose, in my latest post. 

If you MUST wear red shoes with your red frock & you're keeping it more casual than glam, do it with a dark burgundy shoe or bootie, which will compliment your red dress.

For more inspiration, find out here what to wear with red shoes & shop some pretty burgundy numbers, below:


Shop Burgundy Shoes:

What color shoes go with red dress


One thing to keep in mind is that when wearing red, is it's best to go for bold contrast or barely-there shoe looks. Although personal taste is subjective, the colors listed up above will do your red outfit the most justice & can easily be considered your easy go-tos.

So hopefully I solved your red dress dilemma. If not, please a comment below & be sure to let me know how I can help you shoe-style your dress!

PS: If you're looking for an even more statement-making dress, check out ShoeTease's styling guide to the best shoes to wear with sequin dresses, skirts and pants!

Love skinny jeans?  Find out which shoes with skinny jeans look best, here!

xo ShoeTease

What color shoes go with red dress

What is best Colour shoes with red dress?

What color shoes look best with a red dress? Black, gold, silver, nude, and red are the easiest to style, making them the best shoe options for a red dress. However, other colors such as blue, brown, and two-toned/patterned styles can work as long as you accessorize properly.

What color does red dress go with?

Some colors that go well with red clothes include black, gray, brown, blue, yellow, and green. However, you need to play with fabrics, prints, and color tones to avoid looking over the top. A pop of yellow, powdery blue denim, green corduroy, plaid skirts, and gray layers on red can work nicely together.

What heel color goes with red?

Nude is a great way to style red because it isn't too warm or cool. What makes nude heels different than wearing gold, white, or black? Nude colors are similar in color to your skin tone which helps to create the illusion of longer legs.

Do yellow shoes go with a red dress?

Red Dress with Gold Shoes It's not a surprise that many people wear gold shoes with red outfits. It is one of the most common combinations, because the color complements each other very well! Gold shoes go really well with red dresses and skirts, but can also be worn with other colors.