Sandals for Maxi Dresses and Skirts

What do you think about the maxi trend? I'm getting mixed reviews from my over 50 girlfriends. Personally, I'm loving it. My legs aren't my best feature, so I'm happy to cover them up. And, yes, the look does take me to the early 1970s, when my mom dressed in long dresses for dinner parties. But I think a little nostalgia dressing is fun. If you're on the fence about the trend, there's one bit of good news: You won't have to reinvent your footwear to wear a maxi. Chances are most of your favorite shoe and sandal styles will look great with the maxi length.

For instance, I love the strappy sandals in the photo above (if you click on the photo, you'll get info about the skirt). You'll find that very trendy style on most of the shoe sites. Below are TRINIDAD NATL LEA (was $99.95, now $69.99), a version of the sandal from Steve Madden.



Ballet flats and sandals with flat, wedge or platform heels are also perfect styles for the maxi length. Below are a few more favorite spring sandals and flats--all under $100--for women over 50. And be sure to check out the sweepstakes at the post. You could win a pair of shoes.

NO PUMPS, PLEASE
There are only two styles of footwear that I strongly advise older women to avoid when wearing a maxi dress or skirt...1) a classic pump and 2) a bulky, flat sandal that's reminiscent of the '60s or '70s hippie movement. Believe me: over 50 women should avoid looking like aging hippies. I don't have any earthy sandals in my closet, but here's a few snapshots of different footwear with a maxi skirt.

DON'T wear a maxi with pumps...




DO wear a maxi with a flat sandal (below top) or wedge (below bottom)...







MAXI-MUM APPEAL
My friends tend to love ankle-length skirts and dresses for one reason: they look great with flats. Below are some flats that caught my eye. While I don't recommend a sandal with an ankle strap for midi-lengths (they make the calf look chunkier), I love them with maxis. I also like sandals with natural accents, like the straw braid in the Unionbay� Grace Braided Sandals ($50) from Beall's below.



Ballet Shoes with their round toes work well with maxis. Flats with pointed toes are another good choice. However, avoid flats that are like loafers with square toes. Check these flats out...


Anne Klein Baby (Orange) ($79) in 4 shades.





Anne Klein Buttons Flats Dress Shoes (Blue) (was $69, now $49.99)




I know that flat are great with maxis. But I'm always looking to add an inch or two to my height. So I love sandals with a little wedge like these Rocket Dog Capri Sandals Women Brown ($44) from Planetshoes.com.







Here's a SHEILAA CORAL PATENT (was $69.95, now $49.99) from Steven Madden. The wedge is pretty tame and it comes in several colors. But I'm loving the red.



Finally, Easy Spirit is having a sandals sale right now. Click on any of the photos below and it will take you to the site, where you'll find more choices.



Easy Spirit Ullanie Comfortable shoes for women (Black) ($69). Also available in tan with black trim.







Easy Spirit Shavonne, Ships 4/25 Comfortable espadrilles for women (Yellow Fb) ($85) has a 2 1/2" heel. It comes in blue and pink, too.






Easy Spirit Seascape, Ships 4/25 Comfortable sandals for women (Black) ($79) has a 2" heel.