Style

Stretch Your Closet – Red Dansko Wedges Two Ways

This post was sponsored by Zappos.

Hi. It’s been a CRAZY two weeks full of traveling and friends and insanity. If you didn’t catch my Instagram stories, here’s a brief recap: two weekends ago, Dustbust and I jetted to Las Vegas for a quick weekend getaway to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. We spent two and a half beautiful days exploring the strip, eating all the food, playing some Blackjack and catching up with dear friends of ours. We came back home, continued to work on our backyard project (full reveal coming next week) and got the house ready for GIRLS WEEKEND. My three best friends Erica, Taylor & Amanda, flew into SLC from ALL over the country to spend a long weekend celebrating Amanda’s birthday. It was packed full of adventures, shopping, eating, and movies and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I seriously cannot believe I am lucky enough to call these women true friends and cannot wait until we can get back together again.

As luck would have it, the weather for girls weekend was absolutely DREAMY. I’m talking 70 degrees, slightly breezy, with PLENTY of sunshine. We were so excited to actually wear all of our cute summer clothes and I finally got to break in my new Dansko Charlotte wedges that I got from Zappos while we explored downtown Salt Lake City.

But first – if you are new here, I want to share some background on my shoe philosophy; namely: that I believe shoes are worth the splurge. The first few years after my total left knee replacement, I continued to wear flimsy and cheap shoes that gave me no arch or ankle support and it truly hindered my healing process. In fact, my doctors believe that the reason why my leg permanently bows inward between my knee and ankle is because of my poor footwear choices. Oops. I was just so desperate to have my old life back and wear flip-flops again that I truly didn’t care at the time if I was hurting my knee. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good deal, but now that I am 6 years removed from my knee replacement, I’ve learned the hard way that quality shoes are always worth the splurge – ESPECIALLY if I want to wear a shoe that has any kind of heel to it. I used to think I would have to sacrifice style for support, but thankfully there are brands out there that create beautiful shoes that are comfortable, supportive, and super cute. Where have I been finding these kinds of shoes? Zappos! They have the biggest selection of shoes out there and each brand has a detailed list of materials, sizing options, and brand messaging.

Which brings me to this pair I’m sharing today – the Dansko Charlotte Wedges in the shade Tomato Milled Nubuk. These. Are. EVERYTHING. I really wanted a pair of red wedges for the summer but was really nervous about finding wedges that would be stylish and supportive. I love that these Dansko shoes have a fully-cushioned and contoured footbed for comfort and support – making them super stable for me and my knee. I also love that the wedge isn’t too high – so I don’t have to worry about rolling my ankle while walking around in them. Also, can we talk about the straps for a second? They are so soft and flexible and after stomping around SLC for the better part of a day, I didn’t have a single blister. So, yes. These shoes have completely passed the Chelsie test – they are comfortable, knee-replacement friendly, and cute as all get out. Seriously couldn’t have asked for a better combo. Plus, they arrived on my doorstep within two days of me ordering them, so thanks Zappos for getting them to me so fast!

Even though I believe in splurging on shoes, I don’t believe in only wearing them once! I’m still an everyday kind of girl who wants to get the most out of my closet – so I plan on wearing these shoes in a variety of ways and getting the most bang out of my buck. So, here are two ways you can stretch your closet and style your red shoes this summer:

The Girly Option –

Warm weather always makes me want to bring out my girly side in my style and don all the pretty summer dresses. Want to go girly with these shoes? Here are some things to think about when putting together a girly outfit to feature the Dansko Charolotte Wedges:

• Let the color pop! I don’t know about you, but red & white may be my favorite summer color combo in the whole world (hence why I really wanted red sandals for the summer.) I really wanted to let the shoes do the talking, so I opted for a white dress that would allow the shoes to really steal the show
• Look for flattering seaming in your dress! This lace dress is my favorite because it has curved seams in the bodice, which really flatters my figure.
• Bring pops of red on the top of your body to balance out the shoes. I decided to rock a red lip and a red headband to help balance the boldness of my shoes. Plus, headbands with bows add a little extra feminine flair, right?

The Edgy Option –

I’m pretty sure the sour patch kids are my spirit animal – because while I love the sweet, girly outfits, I find myself constantly drawn to edgier looks. I love that these shoes are so versatile and can be styled both ways. The red color really adds an extra element of sassiness when styled in a certain way. Here’s how I approached styling them so that they would give off an edgier vibe:

• Distressed denim all the way. It took me forever to find a good pair of distressed denim that would work with my knee, but this pair is the dream pair. They placed the distressed details over the knee (which makes it easy for me to walk in) and they aren’t too over the top so that people won’t wonder if I got into a fight with a weed wacker.
• Pick a textured top. This tank has a lot of different textures, which really gives the look a lived-in feel. It has a lace overlay and fringe, which mixes feminine and edgy elements together. I still stuck with a white top because (let’s say it together:) White and Red are the perfect summer color combination.
• Layer with leather. Leather jackets are my ride-or-die when it comes to adding some edginess to an outfit. I love this leather jacket because it isn’t a moto cut – it’s got some flattering seaming that keeps the jacket a bit more girly while still adding that moodiness to the whole look. It’s the perfect balance for these shoes!

 

 

I highly, highly recommend these Dansko Charlotte wedges (especially in this share of red) for the summer. It’s amazing how much versatility lies in a pair of colored wedges, but they really are the perfect pop of color for any outfit. Plus, they will give you support, keep you feet comfortable, and get you through a day full of adventures with best friends. Seriously, you can’t ask much more from a shoe, can you? You can check out all of the Dansko shoes at Zappos.com.

Let me know which outfit is your favorite – girly or edgy?