Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
“Nude” pumps are a classic — they go with everything and they elongate the leg. But, of course, finding the perfect shade of pink/beige/tan/brown can be difficult. So, readers, how do you gauge online whether a shade will look “nude” against your legs? (For example: I tend to be very pale, and I’ve always thought my legs have almost blueish undertones, so pinks and taupes actually work better than “tan” for me.) Just to get the discussion started I’ve rounded up a few nice pumps that I’m seeing right now. Have you bought any great nude-for-you pumps lately?
 This tan is a bit darker than the other beiges, but it’s nice to see a classic-looking basic from Clarks’ Artisan Collection line — readers have sung the line’s praises in the past in our discussions on comfortable heels, and of late the Artisan Collection has been hard to find. Artisan Collection ‘Cynthia Avant’ Pump (Online Exclusive)
N.B.: Peep-toes are not appropriate for every office (know yours!). |
 The ankle strap, the mini-wedge — there’s a lot of trend to like here. (I know I said I’d round up mini-wedge heels, but I actually only found two closed-toe shoes that I liked enough to recommend — this is one; I’ll do the other pair for tomorrow’s Coffee Break). Anyway: These Bianca wedge heels are only 1.5″ high, and I like the “dark nude patent” — they’re also available in black patent, four suedes (mustard, purple, taupe (pictured at top), and red), as well as two calf-hair prints (Dalmatian and Leopard) — all colors are $119 at Nordstrom. Halogen® ‘Bianca’ Wedge |
 The friends I have who love Taryn Rose shoes really, really love them — as in they don’t wear any other brands! Beige suede can be a bit tricky (unless you’re the type to keep a stash of shoes under your desk, like I’ve always been) but a waterproofing spray will go a long way to helping the shoes stay pristine. These Chari heels are on sale at 6pm — they were $259, now marked to $156.99 (also available in black suede). Taryn Rose Chari |
 I always love a good kitten heel, and this strappy suede pump from KORS Michael Kors looks gorgeous. (It’s also a good sign that the shoe is almost entirely sold out at ShopBop, where they’re also available in a black suede.) These pumps are $235 at Neiman Marcus. KORS Michael Kors Malin Suede Kitten-Heel Pump |
 These DvF pumps are a fun twist on the classic, but I think the silverstone studs are subdued enough that these can be worn to work. They’re $298 at Neiman Marcus. Diane von Furstenberg Antion Studded Pump |
 These Stuart Weitzman pumps are probably among the most conservative in the bunch, but I like that pinkish beige, the tiny strap details, and the durability of patent. (Note that they’re also available in black and hard-to-find navy.) Stuart Weitzman Amuse |
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DH and I are getting ready to put our house on the market. Anyone have home staging tips to share? Thanks!
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I thought that the paint and carpet in my last house looked pretty much fine, and was resistant to re-doing it. But once we did, interest really picked up and we sold fairly quickly after that. So, I would say be very critical of those things – even if there’s nothing really wrong with them, they can refresh the whole house.
Pare down as much as possible – clean and tidy, and get rid of any extraneous “personal stuff,” a lot of people have trouble seeing past other peoples stuff to imagine what it would be like as their own.
+1 I’d consider getting a storage unit (or a POD) and putting 80% of your stuff there. You’re planning to move anyway, so get most of the moving done and just leave essentials in the house.
+1
We sold our house last spring pretty quickly. I second what Merabella said. Remove as much personal stuff as you can. I’ve heard any knick-knacks or other pesonal items smaller than a cantelope should go. We did this in our kitchen as well so that it looked like we had a ton of storage, where in reality we just went without half of our stuff. We also removed some furniture from each room to make each room appear larger. We cleaned, organized and touched up paint. In all the years we lived there, our house never looked as manicured as it did while we were selling it.
If you have a good realtor, he/she should be able to help you with this process. S/he can also give you a heads up on what the standard is in your area for your price point. We sold our house in a downtown area and the standard was basically magazine ready/pottery barn-type houses. We bought in a rural area. Let’s just say it wasn’t the same.
Remove as much as you can from the house. Ideally, leave only a few nice furniture pieces and some on-trend-but-wide-appeal designer touches.
Remove all personalized items (such as photos).
Paint light, neutral colors.
Planter on the porch.
Air out the house as much as possible – you want it to smell neutral, not like you (even if you smell good.) Painting is essential – your walls will look so much cleaner and fresher. There’s a great real estate agency in Oakland, CA called the Grubb Company and their houses are always gorgeously staged – you might look at their website for inspiration.
I agree with the general advice to remove things— especially things on surfaces and shelves that are clutter to everyone but their owner. But some strategic adding can also help. Our realtor gave us some suggestions for tying together our mismatched furniture with some patterned throw pillows, for example, and that was helpful. We also threw a runner on our dining room table to help coordinate different elements in the room.
Another thing to remember is that empty rooms tend to look smaller, not bigger. So you shouldn’t remove too much furniture. Also on this point— there are lots of people (like me!) who can’t figure out the spacial relations without a concrete point of reference.
Finally, if you have pets, have a really good solution to what happens to the pet during showings.
It’s mostly been covered, but new-ish carpet (no stains) is important, neutral wall colors (I like it when the whole house is pretty much the same color with no weird color changes between rooms). Move all of your personal clutter to a storage unit. Donate as much as possible. Make sure your closet isn’t stuffed. People will open all of the closets and cabinets, so make sure they are tidy! Make sure that the lighting is consistent – don’t mix the newer fluorescent bulbs with the old incandescent ones. Do make sure that lighting is sufficient – open all windows and turn on all lights for a showing.
The advice my realtor gave me was that people want to imagine themselves living in your house, not you living there. So anything personal – for sure photos, but even personal things that relate to interests the average person does not share – should be put away. I agree that a storage space is good for this. We managed to get all the personal items into our garage, but it would have been better had we used offsite storage.
Also, clear off countertops. Don’t leave your toaster, microwave, coffee maker on your kitchen counter. Put away your utensils. Have one towel and one utensil jar with just a couple of utensils in it. Same with your bathroom – clear vanities, tub and shower shelves. Just one vase of flowers and one towel.
If you have bookshelves, take paperbacks and magazines off the shelves. Leave hardcover books arranged attractively by size, and don’t fill up the whole shelf. Leave room for something small and pretty on the shelf in the empty space.
Do the same in your garden. You might like the overflowing bounty of a tangled garden, but your space will look bigger with all of your shrubs pruned on the small side and emptyspace in between.
People want to imagine growing in your space, so having a lot of spare space is best. That is why professional stagers use really small furniture.
FYI, if you are marketing the house to couples who want to start a family, it may be a good idea to put some non-cluttery kids’ stuff, such as framed childrens’ drawings on the walls (even if you don’t have kids). My parents did this when they sold their house, and the couple that bought it commented that they could really picture raising children there.
We just sold our house–on the market for less than a week–for significantly over our asking price. (We had no idea that the market in our area was so hot right now. Our heads are still spinning.) I second everything suggested above, plus:
Hire a professional cleaning service to do a deep clean before the house goes on the market and to do weekly maintenance cleanings while the house is being shown. Saves sanity.
Don’t go looking for problems, but take care of any obvious maintenance issues and repairs before the house goes on the market. You will have to fix things (or give a credit) anyway after the buyer’s inspection report and you don’t want something simple like a loose handrail or a closet door off its tracks to create the impression that the house “needs work.” Buyers will start discounting your asking price, whether or not your asking price reflects the work needed.
Send any pets to day care or take them with you while the house is being shown. Some people don’t like pets and even those that have pets of their own might feel uncomfortable around a strange dog. On the flip side, strange people are going to be in and out of your house and your normally friendly dog or cat is probably going to feel uncomfortable and may react in unpredictable ways. Also, you don’t want to take the chance that your beloved pet will escape out the door while potential buyers are admiring your newly planted flower garden.
As far as staging goes, as long as things are neat and clean and the rooms aren’t over crowded with furniture (buyers shouldn’t feel like they have to turn sideways or navigate a maze to walk across a room), I wouldn’t worry too much if things are a little mismatched and it doesn’t look like you hired a professional decorator. You just don’t want your furniture to stand out, the focus should be on the house.
You would think that things like decluttering, straightening closets and cupboards, and cleaning would be common sense, but we are looking for a new house now that ours has sold, and you would be surprised how many people don’t bother. As much as I would like to think that I am a savvy buyer who can overlook all the trivial surface distractions and see the space for what it is, mess and clutter creates an overall negative impression that is hard to overcome. Oh, and my comment above about staging has a caveat, this buyer will notice the violently broken bed (splintered wood!) missing the mattress and box springs and will run for the door without pausing to admire the nicely updated kitchen complete with marble counter tops and high end appliances. Could have been broken by a five-year-old using the bed as a trampoline, or maybe not…
We sold our house in November after 36 hours on the market. I can’t take any credit (the unvierse just aligned), but I can offer some advice since the quick sale forced a weekend of looking at posible houses to purchase. (No, we didn’t find one and we are building now)
Do take about half your “stuff” out of the rooms (unless you are very minimalist to start.)
Hire a cleaning company for a deep clean (you wouldn’t believe the baseboards in some of the houses I looked at.)
Take personal items out if you can. I walked into one house that smelled like air freshner, saw the pictures of the occupants smoking in the house, and realized the air freshner was covering something worse.
Clean out the pantries, cabinets, closets, etc. Things just start looking “too small” when they are jam packed with spices from twenty years ago, the full set of china, everyday dishes, kid dishes, etc. Make the storage space look like it holds what you need it too, not like it is overstuffed because it is too small.
Consider changing things that are “too” – flowery wallpaper, emerald green carpet. Wall color is one of the easiest things to change, but I saw one house where every wall almost was a different color or had wallpaper that was different. If the walls are a traditional color (even blue, green, red) it should be okay, but if they are lime green, hot pink, have a poorly done mural on the Italian countryside, they should go. Same thing on the floors.
Have a friend stop by and bring one of her friends that you don’t know – ask her to walk through as if she was going to buy the house and see what her comments are.
really? no black/brown shoes? isn’t this ‘nude for YOU,’ not just taupe?
Any recommendations?
I am medium tone Black woman and the best nude shoes i own are Jimmy Choo, which look perfectly fine as a nude, but are obviously lighter than my complexion. I also have a browner Magli, that also looks great but is not my actual skin color. Given the range of brown skin tones, you’s almost have to dye to match to get perfect nude for you….
“pink/beige/tan/brown”
Clearly she is not saying just taupe. Really.
I don’t think nude-for-you shoes are classic. I think they’ve become popular in recent years, prior to which they were old-lady shoes. (I say this as someone who is borderline old-lady myself.)
Yeah, I like the way they look but don’t think of them as classic – they still look trendy to me.
I agree! It is trend that will go out but it has lasted a few years now.
I got a pair my senior year in high school–1984
I bought the Payless pumps featured here a while back (in a different color), and I am in love with them. I have hard-to-fit feet, and they are super comfortable for me. The color also happens to be the nude for me. Who would have thought?
Oh, thanks for that. I missed the original posting and will be trying these. Looks like they could be the right shade for me. One of the most comfortable pair of heels I’ve ever had were from Payless! Unexpected but true.
I got the Payless shoes in black and loved them so much that I bought the nude for me color as well. For $20 they were definitely worth it and are worth much much more than that as far as I’m concerned.
I bought the gray pair and have received so many compliments! I’ve been wearing them frequently for about 2 months now and they are so comfortable and still look brand new. I just ordered a pair in red now – can’t wait for them to come in!!
I have these ones – http://www.callitspring.com/ca-eng/women/shoes/platforms/88826324-janes/32 I’m really pale, so it’s a good shade for me. Yes, they are inexpensive, and no, they aren’t real leather, but I’m happy with them. I don’t know if they will be a longterm classic, but if they do become a wardrobe workhorse and I wear them out, I might contemplate something higher end next time. Like the LK Bennetts.
Actually, I buy Call it Spring shoes precisely because they are non-leather, and this is where most of my husband and teenage son’s shoes come from for that reason, too. (However, the brand’s dress shoes for women are all too high for me — this pair is cute but I’d break an ankle in the first five minutes.)
It is true that a lot of people avoid leather for a number of reasons. I don’t mind the heel on these (it’s high but not deadly – just a hair over 4″ and some of that is a small platform), but you’re right that so many of their shoes have a ridiculous heel (and a 2″ platform, which always makes me feel like I’m going to fall off my shoes). I’m always on Beyond the Rack, and yet again, I see many pairs of adorable styles, but the heels are off the wall ridiculous. I wish people would stop buying them, and then maybe companies would bring the heels back to a more manageable height (3.5-4″).
I really appreciate the “nude for you” language here (recognizing that ‘nude,’ for many people around the world is not equivalent to ‘beige’), but I really wish Kat would have chosen to feature even one shoe out of the five in a brown rather than a beige.
Agreed, I’m biracial, and I can’t do chocolate as a nude for me, or beige as a nude for me..I need mocha shoes, which I have yet to see anywhere.
I agree. These pretty much all look like they’d be nude for ME and I’m a big fat WASP.
Well, because the trend isn’t really nude for the person, but that pinky-beige color. It’s not Kat’s fault!!! The color guard of the local band wears pinky beige ballet flats that look beautiful on the white girls because of the clean line from tights to shoes but dd on the black girls. I wish they would have died the shoes a mocha or brown color. Wondered what the girls thought about it as well.
I think you should either call it “nude for you” and then highlight actual “nude” shoes (in a variety of colors, just like there are a variety of skin tones) or call it “beige” and highlight beige shoes. But don’t call it “nude” and then highlight only shoes appropriate for one race.
I think if you’re going to go out of your way to use “nude for you” language (where a lot of sites just say “nude” and decide that “pinky-beige” is nude, damn it), then it’s clearly occurred to you that nude means different things to different people. I think it would help if Kat had chosen examples to reflect that (*especially* when the title of the post is “Finding the Right Shade of Nude for You Pumps”) rather than examples which only reflect one group.
Exactly.
Well, if the trend isn’t nude for you, and just pinky-beige shoes, then why bother with the nude-for-you title?
I agree with moments, if you say nude-for-you, and then only highlight shoes that are nude for people with lighter skin, it makes the rest of the readership feel a little (or perhaps a lot?) alienated. I know Kat means well, and I won’t stop reading the site because of this, but I do feel a little “othered”/overlooked as a reader of this site when a post like this is clearly aimed towards those with lighter toned skin, given the content, regardless of the title.
The first pair of shoes look like they could be nude for me, but I’m pretty light (as far as the ENTIRE spectrum of skin tones goes), so anything that is nude for me should never be the darkest color available or highlighted. It makes no sense to to talk about “nude for you” and then exclude the skin tones of the majority of the world.
I really need to get a pair of nude for me pumps. Sigh. Some just look awful though.
Side note- how long did y’all take to study for the GMAT? Thinking of trying to do it in 2 months, studying on my own. Doable?
For me, it was one one of those things that was top priority since the scores influence where you go so much, so I would go with a course (Manhattan GMAT) and followed their timeline. If you already know you are trying to get into your local business school, or an executive program that doesn’t require scores that high (or you are already testing at the high levels) then it may be doable
Hmm- the Manhattan GMAT course in my area started last week (is still open until Wed), and ends April 24th. So that’s pretty much 2 months. I figure the idea is that you take the exam right after the course?
Honestly it has been a while so I can’t remember how long after that I took the test. Maybe other readers who have done this recently can answer that. Or I would just call them.
It’s a totally personal decision. I would argue that 2 months on your own does not equal 2 months with a prep course, at least it didn’t for me because I needed the prep course to keep me on task / keep me from procrastinating. So if you find yourself with only 2 months to study because you’ve been procrastinating then pay attention to the red flag. Or you could be great at time management and love a challenge. If that’s the case, go you!
Depending on your target score, I think that’s aggressive. I was trying to improve a high/good score to a great score, spent about 50 hours, and didn’t move my score at all.
I took one month to study, got really sick before the test and bombed it (I think if I hadn’t been hacking up a lung and mentally fuzzy, I would have done fine), didn’t study for 3 more months, then took another month to study, retook it and did quite well. So yes I think it is possible depending on how much you want to improve your score (ie, if you are scoring 350 level and want to be 750 level in two months, that might not be doable, but 650 to 720 probably is) and how disciplined you are at really sticking to your plan, since 2 months doesn’t leave you at lot of wiggle room to take a few weeks off then get back into it.
I recommend longer than that. Manhattan GMAT recommends taking the test 2-4 weeks after their class and then a second test another 30 days later. Yes, they recommend taking it twice from the beginning on. I would agree. The majority of people I know had a better second test than first.
Personally, I gave myself a break after the first test (which I took after three months of starting to study) and then picked up studying again a few months later – for another 4-6 weeks. It really helped make the material second nature, beyond just cramming it in. With the GMAT, “studying” alone doesn’t cut it – you need to have all the concepts down so you can apply them in somewhat unfamiliar questions and be very confident under time pressure. Nerves are half the test.
Thanks for the advice!
Threadjack – camisole/lingerie update, following up on the recent posts. On someone’s recommendation (sorry, I can’t remember who) I tried a “b**b tube” style bandeau last week, worn over a bra with a wrap dress. It was a lot less bulky than a tank top and less slippery than a lingerie cami, and worked well to make the neckline SFW. I yanked it up a little once or twice during the course of the day, but it wasn’t a problem, and the tube might have slipped down on me more than it would on some others because it didn’t really cover my b**bs (which are, ahem, 38F).
I got black, but Amazon has it in a ton of colors. Link to follow.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004L8NW9S/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I hadn’t thought about doing this, but I’m liking the idea now that you’ve mentioned it.
So if I have more of an olive / dark brown skin is it a faux pas to wear something lighter / that does not match my skin tone? I have fussy feet as is, and it’s hard to find my color AND comfortable style
I don’t think so. I think the trickiest part with lighter shoes is that sometimes the tone is just off. As long as the shoe looks like nice on your leg, I think it would be a good look. My goal with a “nude” shoe has never been to match my legs, just to find shade that looks complimentary.
I don’t think it’s a faux pas (they’re shoes, they can be any color, I think) but I think you do lose the “leg lengthening” effect nude for you shoes are touted to have, and it sometimes can look a little bit off, depending on the color of the shoe (kind of like if I go to the drugstore to buy pantyhose — all the pantyhose will be too light for my skin and it just looks… “off” somehow).
I say go for it! I just had dinner with a woman who has pretty dark skin; she was wearing light beige shoes and they looked totally cute. I don’t think her tone would be easy to match, and while beige may not have elongated her legs as much a true nude-for-her, it still had a kind of disappearing effect (vs., say, black). Mostly, she just looked stylish.
I don’t think it’s a problem. I have olive skin, and I don’t think pink undertone shoes look good against my skin tone. I need a shoe with more tan/brown undertones.
Huh, a surprisingly appropriate thread to jack, since I was heading here anyways to ask: what would you wear with these nude Steve Madden Ravesh pumps (link to follow)? I know I have seen them featured in a couple of fashion blogs, but of course I can’t remember which ones now. I bought these on impulse this morning, because I think they’re gorgeous, but now I have no idea what to actually wear them with.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/steven-by-steve-madden-ravesh-pump/3459841?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_ite=steven_by_steve_madden_'ravesh'_pump:595008_1&cm_pla=shoes:women:pumps&cm_ven=Linkshare&siteId=Hy3bqNL2jtQ-GW.I0xo27rOqcocIMl_RRg
These would be killer with a navy suit (or a cropped navy pant). J. Crew has a similar pair, someone I know happens to own them and that’s what she pairs them with. Looks like a million bucks.
you wear them with just about anything — which is the beauty of nude shoes. Maybe not a silver dress (i cant really think of anything else they wouldnt go with) I even wear them with slacks from time to time — white in the summer, but black or navy in the fall or spring
Attorney changing jobs-related threadjack – How do you handle changing start dates and job changes from an active case load? While my work has been slow, I do still have some ongoing, and the cases are mostly completely mine (as in, the clients have never even met another attorney there). There are no other associates, so the work will have to be pushed to a partner. Bonus is that we just found out today that the only partner that handles certain kinds of work may need surgery shortly.
I’m in talks with another firm that does completely different work, and would like me to start asap. I have a messy family law case set for about 4 weeks from now, and was hoping to get to that, because I’d hate to push it off on someone else, and I’m not sure that the partner will want it or even be able to take it. I also have some other stuff pending that is outside of what the partners usually like to take (i.e., appointed work). The new firm does not wish to give me time off after start to finish up things like this, and I think trying to bring the cases could get very messy, since the new firm does such different work. I like my old firm and don’t want to leave anyone hanging, nor do I want to harm my clients’ interests. But I do want this new job.
Any tips for trying to work these competing interests out?
First, you may get more responses if you re-post on the coffee break.
That said, while it’s really nice of you to want to do right by your clients, I think if the new job would be a good fit, you should just go for it. Didn’t you say work at your firm has been really slow, and your income has been suffering as a result? If that’s the case, the partners should already suspect that you’ll be looking for a job, so having to take on your cases shouldn’t be that much of a shock. Also no one is irreplaceable; they’re lawyers, and will be able to deal.
From this and previous posts, you sound like you’re bending over backward trying to be nice to the partners at your firm, but I don’t think this is your problem so much. You wouldn’t be leaving the partners hanging, you would be making (it sounds like) a good career move. It’s not personal.
You should give your employer reasonable notice – 2-3 weeks, and maybe write up a summary on the status of each of your matters so your successor can easily see what needs to be done. Yes it might feel like you’re leaving them in a bit of a lurch but they need to, and will, find a way to deal with it.
The standard in non-profit/non-law professional jobs is to give 4 weeks notice.
Just wanted to say thanks to the ladies of Dallas who responded to my question last week (esp sunnyd!). I had a wonderful time and then took an extra few days to indulge my inner hippie in Austin and loved Texas.
I was just wondering the other day whether I could get away with a black or gray skirt suit and nude for me shoes (with bare legs or nude hose) – would that work, or would it be too trendy looking for a formal occassion, like an interview?
A few years ago, I saw a woman wearing light gold but almost nude for her (slightly darker caucasian skin) shoes with a skirt suit, and it was absolutely fabulous. I’ve been trying ever since to find a pair that would work for me, but alas, no luck.
I absolutely think you could get away with this – in the summer, I like to wear my lighter grey suit with nude heels. I’ve done it for in-between formal occasions (i.e. maybe a meeting at the courthouse with all counsel and the judge) but I feel like for a very formal occasion, I would still wear black shoes
Without seeing the outfit in question, my inclination is to say black shoes for an interview but the nudes are fine for pretty much any other occasion.
I lean the same.
FWIW, I have a nude-for-me (pale) pair of light gold heels by Nina. They are several years old now, but worth checking.
These Nine West flats come in several colors. Though not all are denominated as “nude” maybe this can help a few more people identify nude-for-them shoes. Personally, one of their pinks, turns out the only thing that can be misconstrued as nude-for-me (yes, thank you very much I’ve got the rosy complexion of a hog). They’ve got a medium and light brown – this is probably still not covering it for most, but at least somewhat darker thank just beige.
http://www.ninewest.com/Speakup/9908190,default,pd.html?variantSizeClass=&variantColor=JJD75LE_1&q=flats%20pointy&prefn1=catalog-id&prefv1=ninewest-catalog
On a similar vein, I am looking of beige or tan flats (prefereably ballet, but not necessarily) to wear with tan ankle pants. They need to be cut “European style”– wider at the front than at the back with a fairly deep toe box. My feet are challenging to fit — I just have to try a million pairs and eventually I will find one that works. If you have seen anything that might meet these criteria, let me know.
I think this shoe has been mentioned here before, but it’s got a very nice deep dark brown option:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/corso-como-del-pump/3231845?
Seems like the shades in between palest beige and deepest brown are the toughest to find a match for. I have pretty much given up for myself.
Anyone ever funded a loan through a p2p company like lending club? I’m really interested in the idea & would love to hear about any personal experiences with it.
I loved the Cole Haan Air Talia pumps, but I haven’t been able to find them in a nude for me color. And recs for comfortable, but polished shoes?
I just got the Air Talia wedge in maple sugar patent. Love them! The color is a bit less rosy than my skincolor, but I think they look great on. Honestly, truly nude-for-me shoes would just make me look even ruddier.
Glad to see you included a pair of very low/easy to walk in heels, but do you realize you’re saying that black women apparently aren’t included in the target audience of a block for high-achieving women? These shoes certainly aren’t “nude” for anyone with dark skin?
Saacnmama, you’re off base. Both the Clarks Artisan and the Halogen wedge are both waaaay too dark for many caucasians. Kat can’t possibly post shoes for all skin tones and she did a good job. Perhaps your monitor or your eyes need adjusting?
Wow, that’s really harsh. Those shoes you mentioned may be a bit darker than most Caucasian skin, more of an olive/Mediterranean complexion, but they are still too light for most African-American skin. There are more than two types of skin in the world!