It's Settled—These Shoes Complement Long Dresses the Best

Wearing a dress with any of your shoes is kind of a guessing game. We don't know why it is, but it seems every dress we own has a different pair of shoes that look best with it. Take midi dresses, for instance, whose below-the-knee length almost never looks good with anything ankle strap (it's the quickest way for calves to appear stumpy)—we love the dress instead with mules. The same general rules apply to long dresses, too. Which is why we thought it best to settle the matter once and for all: Knee-high (particularly slouchy) leather boots are the shoes that look best with long dresses.

Whether paired with a floaty, printed, or asymmetrical dress, their substantial weight is what grounds the pretty frock and creates a cool contrast. The combination works with any dress and any pair of boots, too. Just ahead, fashion girls are showing us seven cool ways to wear the two. As long as the weather permits, we'll still be wearing our slouchy boots with long dresses.

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(Image credit: @mariaalia)

A minimal color palette works incredibly well here.

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(Image credit: @songofstyle)

Neutral beige boots complement a pretty patterned frock.

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(Image credit: @ada_oguntodu)

Let the boots take center stage in your outfit by opting for a colorful or printed pair.

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(Image credit: @nnennaechem)

Try a tonal look like this one that plays off of different shades in the same color family.

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(Image credit: @slipintostyle)

Our favorite outfit yet: chunky knit sweater over ruffled dress with slouchy knee-high boots.

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(Image credit: @marenschia)

Black leather boots are the ideal match for a fun bright dress.

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(Image credit: @alwaysjudging)

This season, Western boots are the style that's winning over fashion girls everywhere. Team yours with a breezy embroidered dress.

Shop more boots:

Ready to branch out of just long dresses? See all the shoe-and-dress formulas that go together like, well, gin and tonic.

Editor

Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.