50 Spring Shoes Paired With 50 Pretty Polishes
In the colder months, we’re stuck in boots or similarly closed-toe leather options. So spring ultimately becomes about freeing our toes, and this season’s selections are awesomely bountiful. You can find anything from floral platforms to blue metallic stilettos — even canary yellow cage heels and holographic Jesus sandals. When we sat down to cull our favorites, we realized that as vibrant and beautiful as they all are, they do pose an added challenge when it comes to getting a pedicure. For instance, when you’re wearing a heel with the color and sheen of perfect red nail polish, what goes on your nails?
To answer questions like that, we’ve rounded up 50 unusual pairings so you have no excuse for a boring sub-ankle season. In every color imaginable (vermillion, lavendar, coral, periwinkle, lime, etc.), there are tone-on-tone options, bold contrasts, and subtle complements or clever nods that highlight a shoe’s best details. Click through our slideshow to find your own match, handily organized the way we all shop, anyway: With purpose, from lowest to highest heel height.
Nicholas Kirkwood
If you've committed to wearing metallic teal and animal print, then you'll want a competingly bold polish, like this fuschia ...
Nicholas Kirkwood
If you've committed to wearing metallic teal and animal print, then you'll want a competingly bold polish, like this fuschia one by Givenchy.
Aquazzura Like an excellently sunny day, the best complement to this all-blue shoe is a hit of bright yellow.
Manolo Blahnik With spare sandals that look like polish themselves, be sure to wear an even brighter, cooler hue for tone-on-tone that actually c...
Manolo Blahnik With spare sandals that look like polish themselves, be sure to wear an even brighter, cooler hue for tone-on-tone that actually contrasts.
Sophia Webster With their unusual pattern and color, these carnival funhouse heels demand something more demure. This icy blue will sing against ...
Sophia Webster With their unusual pattern and color, these carnival funhouse heels demand something more demure. This icy blue will sing against the brighter toe strap.
Zara When you're wearing shoes like these, white varnish will be noticed but still lets the heels do all the talking.
Alice + Olivia Striped grosgrain satin throws a preppy cast on these date-night heels. Draw even more attention with a contrasting metallic confe...
Alice + Olivia Striped grosgrain satin throws a preppy cast on these date-night heels. Draw even more attention with a contrasting metallic confetti polish.
Sergio Rossi Life's short, so play up the fun color and pattern and everything even further with a neon green varnish.
Topshop
These shoes look more expensive than they are. Adding a dark red polish will only further that cause.
Gianvito Rossi
Yellow shoes can make certain skin tones look sallow, but a pale lemon shade is almost like wearing a nude sandal. A vivid pur...
Gianvito Rossi
Yellow shoes can make certain skin tones look sallow, but a pale lemon shade is almost like wearing a nude sandal. A vivid purple polish will help create contrast between your shoes and toes.
Reed Krakoff Sometimes it's more unexpected to get matchy-matchy, especially when it's Creamsicle orange. Guaranteed to enhance any tan.
Pierre Hardy A slightly unusual opaque nude will hold its own against the statement sandal, day or night, without competing against the shoe's sw...
Pierre Hardy A slightly unusual opaque nude will hold its own against the statement sandal, day or night, without competing against the shoe's sweeping accordian detail.
Narciso Rodriguez
A neutral polish helps make open-toe shoes appropriate for the office, while emerald snakeskin pratically begs for happy ho...
Narciso Rodriguez
A neutral polish helps make open-toe shoes appropriate for the office, while emerald snakeskin pratically begs for happy hour afterwards.
Jimmy Choo Like Easter, but amped up: These canary yellow eye-catchers will look better with an almost-pastel violet polish.
Giuseppe Zanotti Any color will match a white shoe, but the cagelike straps demand something more daring. Violet is nice for a warm-weather night...
Giuseppe Zanotti Any color will match a white shoe, but the cagelike straps demand something more daring. Violet is nice for a warm-weather night out.
Carven These web-laced heels seem too ladylike for sultry nights in the city, unless you wear them with the burnt brass flecks that show through ...
Carven These web-laced heels seem too ladylike for sultry nights in the city, unless you wear them with the burnt brass flecks that show through this bottle.
Givenchy
The conical pitch and futuristic clear sleeve of Givenchy's architectural shoe calls for something decadent to throw it off, like, say...
Givenchy
The conical pitch and futuristic clear sleeve of Givenchy's architectural shoe calls for something decadent to throw it off, like, say, some dellicate microflecks of gold.
Loeffler Randall
For a party one-two trick, go for a whimiscal shoe with personality, then add a dazzling finish of peach confetti.
Tibi
Push this black-and-white mod design into nautical territory by adding a bit of ocean-esque blue.
Elizabeth and James
Pewter nails add sparkle to a chunky, color-blocked heel that could otherwise verge on being practical.
ASOS
Ground the icy, perhaps saccharine mint shoe with a glinting black that will contribute edge and make the look evening-appropriate.
Kors Michael Kors Bright orange plays off the warmth of a glamorous gold wedge, making this a smart combo for day occasions like garden weddings....
Kors Michael Kors Bright orange plays off the warmth of a glamorous gold wedge, making this a smart combo for day occasions like garden weddings.
Fendi The spikiest, most street-style-baiting shoe of the season calls for an equally dramatic plum polish. This one's called "Swagger."
Zara These are disco shoes for daylight, best worn with toes in a complementing glittering rose. Abba's Gold optional.
ALDO This spring, clear pieces feel futuristic and fresh. The see-through heels lighten up the black upper and a cobalt polish adds to ...
ALDO This spring, clear pieces feel futuristic and fresh. The see-through heels lighten up the black upper and a cobalt polish adds to the space-age aesthetic.
Sigerson Morrison
Silver looks sleek here, without distracting from the graphic elements of this black-and-white stacked heel.
Jil Sander One-up the Miami-esque color combination with a cooloer, mintier polish on your toes to create a cool tonal effect.
Diane von Furstenberg A stacked perspex heel plays a game of reveal and conceal with tan and white leather in this comfortable sandal. Throw off ...
Diane von Furstenberg A stacked perspex heel plays a game of reveal and conceal with tan and white leather in this comfortable sandal. Throw off the low-key color combination with a sunny jolt of tangerine polish.
A Detacher
When wearing silver shoes, a slightly different shade of the same metallic will keep things looking fresh and modern.
Robert Clergerie Vampy. Nothing more, nothing less, and perfect for a fabulous night out.
Marc by Marc Jacobs With so much pumpkin red on these colorful printed wedges, we say your toes should tilt toward an equally bright shade on the...
Marc by Marc Jacobs With so much pumpkin red on these colorful printed wedges, we say your toes should tilt toward an equally bright shade on the other side of the color wheel.
Charlotte Olympia Nothing feels more like being in paradise than a pair of tropical-inspired wedges with a saturated purple polish. Just add a ma...
Charlotte Olympia Nothing feels more like being in paradise than a pair of tropical-inspired wedges with a saturated purple polish. Just add a maxi dress and mojito.
Marc Jacobs A deep, rich copper polish provides the right amount of depth to an otherwise megawatt moment.
Dolce & Gabbana Tropicana time: Pull out the slight purple details in the footbed by choosing a more saturated polish in the same shade.
J.Crew
The best way to keep simple, metallic shoes from looking too bridesmaid is by adding a cool, unexpected varnish to the mix.
Alexander Wang Snake-inspired: Opalescent silver that looks like scales will look chic with the cool reptillian print of the leather.
Madewell A sweet pink delivers the right amount of zip to this summer staple, which will look especially nice perched on a bicycle pedal.
Tonya For the minimalist, a lucite platform and swirly, pearly pedicure go hand-in-hand exceptionally.
Senso Skip the grays and blacks for a deep pink polish that plays off the digital print. It will make those flowers look brighter, and your feet ...
Senso Skip the grays and blacks for a deep pink polish that plays off the digital print. It will make those flowers look brighter, and your feet more luxe.
Gucci
Palate-Cleansing 101: Clean, crisp white leather looks great with a subdued take on a straight-forward primary color. In this case, g...
Gucci
Palate-Cleansing 101: Clean, crisp white leather looks great with a subdued take on a straight-forward primary color. In this case, go for cornflower blue.
Twenty Street by Cynthia Vincent
Delicate petal-hued polish may be standard, but it draws focus to the soft curves of this black and gold leath...
Twenty Street by Cynthia Vincent
Delicate petal-hued polish may be standard, but it draws focus to the soft curves of this black and gold leather sandal.
Schutz Alexia A regal shade of vibrant crimson adds to the Queen of Sheba feel here.
Opening Ceremony Match the toes to the heel strap so you give the yellow holographic toe box all the attention it deserves.
Derek Lam By mimicking the shade of metallic verdigris, this YSL polish seems a natural choice with these modern flats.
Chloé So all eyes are on that brilliant vermillion red, best to keep your toes a tawny, buff nude tone.
Prada
Simple, straight-forward, and undeniably expensive-looking: just like a summer spent in the French Riviera.
Marni With shoes that have a less-than-delicate silhouette, a pretty pink will keep things on this side of feminine.
Proenza Schouler Holographic sandals will reflect every color of the rainbow, so use these as an excuse to go childlike and bright on your nails....
Proenza Schouler Holographic sandals will reflect every color of the rainbow, so use these as an excuse to go childlike and bright on your nails.
Ancient Greek Sandals A coral pedicure and a pool blue sandal look both beach appropriate and right for the Jitney out there.
Rag & Bone What this streamlined white-and-blue sandal needs is a shock of color. Go for yellow.
Burberry Prorsum Total Barbie moment. Burberry's glossy, embossed magenta sandal demands a color that can keep up.
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