Walk This Way: The Nude Pump by Mia Anita

For as long as I can remember, I've always had an infatuation with "the truly nude pump," it's just something about the subtleness that does it for me. Whether its a bright cobalt dress or a pretty colorful motif, you can never go wrong with the nude pump, and actually for most women, the truly nude pump should be your best friend.

Now you may say, why'd you say for MOST women and not all. Well because not all women have the same complexion as the nude pumps pictured above. Take Kelly Rowland below for example. Now I love Ms. Rowland's newly found freshness, I think it suits her very well and I'm very happy to see her show some pizzazz and flash, HOWEVER... the shoes she's wearing in the photo, may be nude pumps to say a Charlize Theron, but those are NOT truly nude for Ms. Kelly.

When seeking a truly nude pump, on YOUR foot, it should be just that - NUDE! And when I say Nude, I mean BLEND! These pumps she has on have now transformed into baby pink pearlized rose pumps (yes all that)... and I know that was not the intention. Women of color have to be very cognizant of the difference between what society may name something and what WE KNOW it to be. And since we all come in various beautiful complexions, tones and underhues, there's a sense of honesty and responsibility we must have with ourselves, friends and family members when seeking items that may not necessarily include thoughts of "us" during the naming or designing process.

This is not to say there aren't nude shoes for every shade, because there are. Everything from pearl white to mahogany to rich grape, they're out there, we just have to look.

 Now with all that being said, some people question when is the best time to pull out the nude pumps? In my opinion, the best time is anytime really, BUT, if you're not the nude pump lover fan like I am, then I would pull them out when the outfit you are wearing contains rich and vibrant colors from which you do not want to distract. The bright pink on Tracee, the rich red worn by Jada to the color spectrum hung on Thandie and the bubble gum pink pop on Karla are all perfect examples of keeping all the attention on the garment and not pulling the eyes to the shoes at first glance. With all the neon trends popping off this Spring, this would be the perfect time to pull out those truly nude pumps to strut in, AS LONG as they're "truly nude." If not, then you're just adding another color to the color palette you're already sporting. (see Kelly above for reference)

We women spend lots of time piecing together fierce fits to stop-and-wow victims on a regular basis so shouldn't you get the eye credit you deserve? Don't confuse the viewer with too many stops at first glance... pick one focal point for each outfit and keep it simple. Happy Dressing

photos courtesy of karlascloset & various internet searches :)