What Shoes to Wear with a Midi Dress? Here Are Some Types to Consider

It is very easy to simply don a midi dress and call it a day when you’re unsure of what to wear. However, deciding what shoes to wear with a midi dress can get tricky, which is why some of you must have buried your favorite midis deep in some corner of your wardrobe to avoid this frequent dilemma. With this article, we’d like to put an end to this constant issue once and forever. After all, midi dresses are absolutely gorgeous and among the most comfortable wardrobe staples that we can think of! 

Besides, midis are extremely versatile, too! You can always wear a sheath or V-line midi dress when you’re heading to work, a halter-neck or slip dress when going on a date, a breezy sundress on a casual summer day, or a classy empire or bodycon dress for special occasions. So, when deciding on what shoe styles to explore, you should always consider the occasion to help you make a better choice and filter out the clutter from your options. What next? Continue reading to learn more! 

10 Types of Shoes That Look Incredible with a Midi Dress

1. Ankle-strap Sandals:

When it comes to wearing a dress, ankle-strap sandals are the most versatile shoes to go with it — and midi dresses are no exception to this! Whether in the form of heels or flats, a basic ankle strap and nothing more gives a classy, minimalistic look to the sandals. These babies give the center stage to your maxi dress and allow it to shine without fighting for attention. If your aim is to look taller in your dress, then these sandals are great for elongating your frame as well!

2. Low-top Sneakers:

Low-top sneakers and midi dresses just fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle! This is especially true if you have a T-shirt-style or a shirt-style dress, which you love to sport on casual outings. The reason why low-top sneakers work so well is that they don’t overpower the look of your midi dress or get camouflaged by it. Instead, the two complement each other in the most visually satisfying sense — like PB and J. And, no matter what color your midi dress is, you can trust that a pair of white low-top sneakers would never disappoint you! Need to elevate the look further? Throw in a cute backpack, some shades, and a chain or two around your neck to complete the ensemble!

3. Knee-high Boots:

Okay, we admit that tall boots aren’t the most orthodox footwear choice to go with midi dresses, but if styled correctly, the pairing can look rather delightful! The pairing works fantastically when you style neutral-colored boots with a contrastingly colorful dress or vice-versa; this way, even if the upper portion of your boots gets covered by the dress, you can still create a balanced, chic look that’s easy on the eyes! 

4. Ankle Boots/Chelsea Boots:

If your midi dress consists of a schiffli fabric, puff sleeves, or ruffles, then a pair of edgy Chelsea boots would be the perfect finishing touch to give you a stunning cottagecore aesthetic. Compared to knee-high boots, wearing a midi dress with ankle boots is a safer choice to give one a sophisticated and refined look. In fact, such boots would also work well with a minimalistic midi dress — like a rib-knitted or T-shirt dress — making you look like an urban goddess!

5. Strappy Sandals:

Unlike floor-length dresses, midi dresses offer some leeway to flaunt those foxy, strappy sandals — and the two complement each other a little too well! Strappy sandals look excellent with all sorts of midis — loose A-line dresses, polo-necked bodycon dresses, shift dresses, skater dresses, old-fashioned hobble dresses — you name it! While a savior on warm summer days, these sandals also do a favor to your midi dress attire and enhance your saunter, especially if your dress has a slit at the front. Also, by strappy, we mean any type of strappy heels or flats — Japanese-style roped flats, gladiators, lace-up heels, and many more.

6. Loafers/Espadrilles/Slip-on Shoes:

Even if you’re not into wearing sneakers with a dress, the closed-toed footwear options to go with your midi are endless and easy to slip into! If your midi dress is bright and flowy and the focal point of your look, then slim ballerinas would blend into the look perfectly! Contrarily, if your dress is of a bold color and has a straight silhouette, then there’s nothing better than a pair of black chunky loafers to complete the look. In addition, if your midi dress has a waistless silhouette and billowy sleeves, then bright-colored espadrilles would be ideal to give you that relaxed, weekend-ready aesthetic!

7. Sliders:

Styling a midi dress can get as effortless as slipping into a pair of flats that don’t need any buckling up! Slip-on flats or sliders work best with summer midi dresses. This is a combination in which both the outfit and the footwear are light and breathable and doesn’t make you swelter. Besides, sliders are least likely to steal your dress’ thunder!

8. Mary Jane Shoes:

Mary Jane shoes shouldn’t just be restricted to school uniforms and Dorothy Gale from Wizard of Oz! In fact, considering how suave, classy, and versatile these shoes look, they can be paired with most midi dresses in your wardrobe, whether they are striped, floral, ruffled, or pleated. Plus, polka dots are the best friends of this type of footwear, especially if you want to create a 60s-style ‘twee aesthetic!’ What makes these shoes so accommodating of different aesthetics is that they are not too chunky, nor too slim, and you can trust them not to disrupt the balance of your look. A pro tip — style them over a pair of vintage calf-length socks for a chic winter look!

9. Slingback Sandals:

For midi dresses that are more fitted and less flared, slingback sandals can be an excellent footwear choice, especially if you’re aiming for a smart casual or semi-business look. While not very different from other strappy sandals, slingback shoes have a unique flair to them that’s pleasing to the eyes, making one want to look at them for longer. Unlike their counterpart “mules”, slingback shoes are not too front-heavy, and don’t clutter the area where your midi dress ends.

10. Pumps:

Even after thinking very hard, one can barely think of any outfit that doesn’t look good with pumps — and midi dresses are no exception! Pumps do really pump up your style quotient, and complement a midi rather beautifully. While their shape is typically very slender and not the kind to occupy much space, you can make your look pop by pairing these heeled and a dress of strikingly contrasting colors. 

We assure you that when paired correctly, the above-mentioned shoes would look jaw-droppingly gorgeous with your midi dress! However, while we’ve discussed the many do’s, let’s scroll away to discuss the don’ts of pairing footwear with midi dresses.  

Shoes to Avoid Pairing with a Midi Dress:

The following are some to steer clear of:

1. High-top Sneakers:

Don’t get us wrong; we love high-top sneakers! They look incredible with mini and knee-length dresses, but just not with classic midis. While you may have encountered some fashion influencers committing this faux pas, there’s a fair reason why we recommend against pairing these two. 

Midi dresses end somewhere between the knees and the ankles, rather indefinitely, and so is the case with high-top sneakers. When you pair them, there’s a high chance of a thin strip of your skin being visible in the leg area, which definitely doesn’t look flattering and is quite uncomfortable on the eyes. Hence, it’s always best to stick with your humble low-top sneakers for a balanced look.

2. Athletic Shoes:

Well, if you’re a sports enthusiast, there’s nothing wrong with flaunting your favorite cleats or cross trainers with a dress. But, with a midi dress? No way! It only makes sense to pair such statement shoes with a low-key dress where there’s more visible “leg room” that allows these kicks to shine. And, we hate to break it to you, but midi dresses just don’t provide the right canvas for this. 

3. Dad Shoes:

If there’s anything more embarrassing than a dad joke thrown in the middle of a conversation, it is dad shoes thrown in together with a midi dress. For the love of fashion, please steer clear of this! Dad shoes are bulky and have a rugged, sort of worn-out aesthetic, which totally cancels out the sophisticated vibe of a midi dress. Not to mention, the way they all clutter the ankle area makes your ensemble awkward and shabby. 

4. Wedges:

While wedges look incredible when paired with a mini or knee-length dress, pairing them with a midi dress isn’t a great idea — for the same reasons why it can’t be paired with dad shoes — it would look too bulky and awkward at the feet. The long silhouette of the midi dress wouldn’t do proper justice to the look of your wedges, which is why the two deserve better than to be paired together. 

5. Anything Too Narrow Or Pointy:

While some people kind of like this pairing, we strongly recommend restricting your pointy-toed shoes to jeans and straight-fitted trousers. These shoes may not ruin the look when paired with a dress, but would sure bring the aesthetic down a notch from sheer perfection. Why? Because the narrow shape of the shoes looks a bit unbalanced with the silhouette of a dress. 

6. Mules:

In general, mules are quite a difficult kind of footwear to pair with anything, really — and a midi dress is certainly not a place to experiment. The intention here is to free up the leg area where the dress ends so your overall ensemble gets a leeway to breathe. 

The above-mentioned guide comprises footwear styling tips for midi dresses in general. However, to truly understand what shoes to wear with a midi dress, you must have a clear picture in mind about how the dress looks. With straight-fitted dresses such as a sheath dress, slip dress, sundress, yoke dress, shirt dress, T-shirt dress, etc., go for footwear that is a little chunky — sneakers, loafers, Mary Janes, ankle boots, etc. On the other hand, if your dress is more on the flared side, such as A-line, skater, blouson, etc., then go for slimmer and more low-key footwear such as sliders and ankle-strapped sandals. Ensure that in the process of being too precise, you don’t forget to have fun! After all, fashion is supposed to indulge you, not torment you!

 

FAQs:

What are the best midi dresses for petite women?

For petite women, a midi dress that is monotoned or has a single color tying the look together works really well in elongating the frame. Avoid dresses that are belted or cinched at the waist too much, as that cuts the frame in half and makes one look shorter. For petite women with rectangle-shaped body types, dresses with ruffles as well as puffy sleeves work incredibly well. Bodycon dresses, empire dresses, slip dresses, sheath dresses, and sleeveless collared dresses work best for petite women. 

What shoes to wear with a black midi dress?

Low-top sneakers, sling-back heels, gladiator sandals, ankle-strap sandals, pumps, or Mary Jane shoes — all would look amazing with a black midi dress as long as these shoes are black too! To wear any other color of shoes with a black dress, such as brown, ensure there is some other element in the dress, such as a belt, to tie the look together. 

What shoes to wear with a midi bodycon dress?

Glossy platform shoes, sneakers, ankle-length boots, and ankle-strap shoes are the best options to go with a midi bodycon dress.

Can I wear flats with a midi dress?

Yes, of course. Mary Janes, sliders, gladiators, or any strappy flats look excellent with a midi dress.

Should I match the color of my shoes to my midi dress?

Yes. Matching the color with the dress is a better and more visually palatable idea when pairing shoes with a midi dress, compared to wearing shoes of a contrasting color. While the latter looks good too, it makes the overall look very bold and flamboyant, which may not be everyone’s taste.

Can I wear boots with a midi dress?

Yes, you can. Ankle-length boots or Chelsea boots look the best with a midi dress.