Home

As part of my ‘Flat Shoe Style’ blog series here on my blog, today I’m talking slip on sandals, including Birkenstock style sandals.

I pulled my Birkenstock sandals out of the dark wardrobe after my little ankle break last year. I find them really easy to style with things- and they’re quite ‘in’ right now! Unfortunately, I wore through the soles in less than 2 months on the gold pair so I won’t be purchasing any more of these. I also find that they encourage me to claw foot up while I’m wearing them, which just makes my gait worse…. But, they are cute and easy to pair with things if they work for you!

See more?

I’ve started a Pinterest Board of fat bodies with flat shoes (separated into different styles of shoes), and I’ve been sharing more outfit pics on Instagram using the hashtag #FatFlatShoe and adding ‘Guides’ (which you can find on my profile under the tab next to the Reel tab).

I’ve also lumped these yellow slip-on shoes into this category because I think their vibe is similar to slip on Birkenstocks, and also because they’ve subsequently broken so I can’t take more photos so they can have their own post. The best thing about these shoes is the ridiculous bright colour- they were so fun for bringing a pop to any outfit! In the back of my mind I’ve catalogued the ‘radioactive sandal’ to the future shoe wishlist.

As a person who only wears flat shoes, I’ve been thinking more and more about taking a shoe-first approach to wardrobe planning (and outfit planning too)!

I’ve started a Pinterest Board of fat bodies with flat shoes (separated into different styles of shoes), I’ve started a ‘Flat Shoe Style’ blog series here on my blog, started sharing more on Instagram about it and using the hashtag #FatFlatShoe.

White Sneakers: easy to style

I’m new to white sneakers, and was basically convinced I should buy them by a very friendly salesperson and the podiatrist

I didn’t really think I’d wear these creamy leather shoes all that often, but let me tell you that these have become my go-to shoes.. I hate to admit that she was right, but they’re incredibly comfortable and super easy to pair with things.

White sneakers are low-profile enough to pair well with ‘girls dresses’- bias cut dresses, summery dresses with gathers, but they can also look cool and minimal with black pants. They’re kind of like a style chameleon- not reading as particularly feminine or masculine, but working well with whatever they’re paired with. Check out the White Sneaker Pinterest Board for more inspo or proof!

Plus size white sneaker outfits

Here’s my stream of consciousness paragraph about what cute white sneakers go with:

They go with dresses and skirts- pair them with a silky bias skirt or a casual knit skirt, a lovely bias cut dress like the Nullarbor Cami Dress or a knit t-shirt dress like the Hexham Dress. They look great with summery dresses with gathered skirts (Waikerie Dress View A) but you could also style them with longer socks for extra cosy.

They work with pants, and bring a hint of business to business casual fabrics. They also fit well with business type fabrics (you know those black business women pants, and a blazer if you can buy that kind of thing in your size). They look great peeking out from under wide-leg pants like the Glebe Pants, but would also look great with a linen 2 piece.

If you’re a Muna and Broad Patreon, I’ve gone deeper and included inspo pics and pattern suggestions here for white sneaker outfits. But my final musing on this style of shoe is that it would be great for travel if looking tidy is important (ie trying to avoid athleisure tourist), because they’re waterproof (leather) and can also be VERY comfortable (like my podiatristy ones).

Above, I’m wearing my creamy white sneakers with my hacked peachy seersucker Melba Dress, my colourblocked Alistra Dress, my hacked mocha Waikerie Shirt with squiggle Whitlam Skirt, my red chorister Melba Dress top with the squiggle Whitlam, my A+R linen Melba Dress, and a Torrens Box Top / Glebe Pants combo.

These have been my go-to shoes for going to shows in the evening or the cinema, etc now that winter is here. In summer I was reaching for an orthotic sandal, but now that it’s cooled down I want to keep my toes cosier, so these podiatrist-approved white sneakers are perfect. Comfortable enough to actually walk in, they also work with so many thing in my wardrobe and don’t feel like a style compromise, or too much of a compromise, when I’m choosing outfits.

In spite of the fact that they’ve been getting a surprising amount of wear, they don’t appear on my instragram grid much (yet). I think because I had a different sense of how the shoe looked in an outfit, because it doesn’t look the same when you’re looking down on it while you’re wearing it…. as it does in photos… (obviously, Jess)! Having selfie-d away on these I’m very pleasantly surprised and I think I’ll be reaching for them even more!

Ever sew up a garment or buy something and then realise you have no shoes to wear with it? Shoes are my styling kryptonite, basically because I never want to wear heels again in my entire life. Because SO MUCH ‘fashion’ and especially plus-size fashion is shown with high-heels, I’ve been thinking a lot abut how to make shoe-first outfit recipes!