What are the best nude shoes for business travel? And what does “nude” mean anyway? Reader E asks…

I need shoes for business travel (I’m traveling a lot now!) and I see you recommend nude shoes all of the time. It always makes me think of old-fashioned nurses’ shoes! Can you send me some other ideas?

This is a fantastic question. I like to borrow Corporette’s lexicon when I’m talking about “nude” shoes and call it “nude-for-me” or “nude-for-you.” Nude implies a pale kind of pinky-beige. However, there are one million different skin tones, and pinky-beige is not “nude” for most of them even though it works pretty well for me. Nude tones can range for ivory to pinky-beige to camel to mocha to espresso, with every shade imaginable in between.

There are lots of reasons to wear nude-for-you shoes. I love them because they coordinate with basically all colors and can be worn with dresses and pants. With dresses and skirts they elongate my legs, which is a big deal for those of us with, ahem, stumpy legs. That being said, I also like my pinky-beige nude-for-me flats with pants, not just skirts, because I like the color contrast. It presents itself as a neutral without being boring.

As always, when looking at shoes for business travel make sure they are comfortable and walkable–I recommend supportive wedges and flats. Some of my favorite brands are Cole Haan, Easy Spirit, Clarks, and Lucky Brand. Pictured are a few of my favorites in a variety of nude hues.

Very pale patent wedges – Cole Haan (top) ||  Mocha leather ballet flats – Lucky Brand (middle) ||  Espresso flats – Clarks (bottom)

Readers, do you wear nude-for-you flats? What brand and color are they?

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