Finding the perfect nude shoe that caters to a variety of skin tones is not an easy task — and that's a shame, given that "nude" doesn't mean the same thing for the majority of people. So what's a wman to do? Why not start your own shoe line to solve the problem?
As The Cut points out, Rebecca Allen, a former VP at Goldman Sachs, decided to start her own footwear line filled with several shades of nude for all ethnicities. "As a black woman, there was no ‘nude’ for me in the marketplace,” she wrote on her site. “So I scoured swatches and borrowed my friends’ feet to find five nude shades to complement women from dark to light.”
Her shoes couldn't come a minute too soon, either. While Christian Louboutin expanded his nude shoe line to be more inclusive last year, there just aren't a ton of affordable options for people whose skin isn't a vaguely peachy shade of tan. And even if you do love the look of Louboutin's signature red soles, let's be real: those aren't always the most cost effective. Each of Rebecca Allen's five shoes retail for $250 each. While they're not the cheapest pair around, their leather construction and three-inch heels will last you from parties to your first interview post-college and everywhere in between.
Not only is it exciting to have a shade inclusive brand of shoes that are affordable, these shoes are also created by a woman of color who has understands the issue firsthand. "I love color, but I never wore it because I couldn’t find the perfect nude pump to complete my outfits," she said. Now, after creating her signature 3-inch high-heeled "New Pump," the issues that she experienced are becoming less of a problem for other shoppers like her.
Pro tip: as we head into prom season nude heels are a great option for any dress! *Score.*
Shop the exclusive collection here.
Click here to read the full article on Teen Vogue.