10 Essential Shoes Every Woman Needs

Capsule Wardrobe Shoes You Should Own

There are 10 essential shoes every woman needs in her closet to get dressed effortlessly no matter where she’s going. That’s what I’m focusing on in today’s post. I’ve included my budget and luxe favorite shoes for each style. Think of this as a shoe capsule wardrobe or the foundation of your shoe wardrobe.

Megan from Never Without Navy writes, “Shoes act as that finishing touch to your look, with the capability to completely transform it”. When building your capsule wardrobe for shoes, you want to invest in shoes that are classic, versatile, and comfortable. I will say that while I did not add rain boots to this list, they could easily make number 11.

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The 10 Essential Shoes

1. Neutral Pumps.

essential shoes, nude pumps, classic nude heels, capsule wardrobe shoes — Sam Edelman

essential shoes, Jimmy choo nude pumps — Jimmy Choo

2. Black Pumps.

best affordable black pumps — Sam Edelman

3. Black Heeled Sandals.

essential shoes, shoes every woman should have — Tony Bianco

essential shoes, best designer black heels — Alexandre Birman

4. Neutral Heeled Sandals.

essential shoes, white sandals for summer — RAYE

essential shoes, alexandre birman clarita 75 nude — Alexandre Birman

5. Flat Neutral Sandals.

Chloe

6. Black Flat Sandals.

best black designer sandals — Saint Laurent

7. Closed Toe Black Flat Shoe.

essential shoes, best ballet flats — Sam Edelman

8. Closed Toe Neutral Flat Shoe.

essential shoes, best golden goose dupes — Veja

9. Black Ankle Boots.

best budget friendly black ankle boots, essential shoes — Sam Edelman

10. Neutral Flat Or Low Heel Ankle Boots.

capsule wardrobe, shoe essentials — Nordstrom

essential shoes ankle booties — Aquatalia

Once you have a black and neutral pair in each of those shoe options, I believe you will have an easy time styling shoes with your outfits. Whether you’re starting with your clothing or your shoes, I always recommend building your foundation closet with a neutral color palette before adding other items like trends or pops of color. When writing about how to create a shoe capsule wardrobe, 40+Style states, “For a capsule wardrobe, the right collection of shoes can provide endless options for building outfits“.

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FAQs & Expert Tips For Capsule Wardrobe Shoes

capsule wardrobe shoes, capsule shoe wardrobe

How many shoes should be in a capsule wardrobe?

The number of shoes in a capsule wardrobe is based on several factors including personal preference, lifestyle, and individual needs. However, when considering a capsule wardrobe the idea is to simplify your wardrobe. For most women, there are 10 essential shoes I recommend having. These shoes should be classic styles in neutral colors like nude, beige, camel, tan, or black.

What do I need in my capsule wardrobe?

A capsule wardrobe should consist of high-quality staple items that create the foundation for your closet and help you get dressed easily. There are 10 capsule wardrobe shoes and 13 clothing staples every woman should own. Some of these wardrobe essentials are a t-shirt, blouse, lightweight sweater, cardigan, black pants, leggings, and jeans. Essential shoes include flat sandals, ankle boots, closed-toe flats like sneakers or loafers, and heels. To get the most out of your capsule wardrobe, these items should be classic styles, neutral colors, and high quality.