Your Guide to Buying Stylish Slingbacks

When it comes to dressy, stylish shoes, women certainly love their footwear, and it is not uncommon to find numerous pairs of shoes in every woman's closet. From classic pumps to flirty sandals, shoes often have the power to make or break a particular look. The slingback is a popular shoe style that is adored by many women for its sassy, and sometimes even sexy, look. This guide will provide information about the different types of slingbacks that are available as well as provide a few tips for wearing them.

What Are Slingbacks?
These dressy women's shoes have an interesting name, but the logic behind it is actually quite simple. Rather than having traditional straps that go over the foot and the ankle, slingbacks have a single strap that runs around the back of the foot from the ankle on one side to near the arch on the other side. They are similar in overall style to pumps, except that the heel of the foot is open and exposed instead of being completely enclosed inside the back of the shoe.

As for the rest of the shoe, slingbacks are available in many different styles with many different embellishments. Generally speaking, most slingbacks add a bit of flair to traditional women's dress shoes without going completely overboard into the realm of too dressy or too sexy for normal daily wear. Women can still wear slingbacks to their places of employment as long as they choose neutral colors, such as brown, gray, beige, black, or white, and simple styles that are not covered in glitzy adornments. On the other hand, some slingbacks use their strappy style to further add to a glamorous look that is designed specifically for evening wear.

Styles of Slingbacks
Although the strap running behind the foot gives all slingbacks a particular look, other characteristics of these shoes can vary a great deal. They may have high heels, low heels, or even wedge heels. They may be open or closed at the toes or sit on two-inch platforms. The following chart outlines many of the different styles available as a slingback shoe:

Preventing Slingbacks from Slipping
Slingback straps can either buckle at the ankle, or they may have strong elastic embedded in the straps at the back of the foot. The most common complaint the women have about slingback shoes is that the straps can sometimes slip off the back of their foot, which makes the shoes difficult to walk in and wear. Slingbacks with buckles on their straps have this problem less often, but slingbacks with elastic straps may eventually start to stretch out and cause the wearer problems.

Before buying slingback shoes, women should always make certain that they have the best fit for both of their feet. Sizing will be particularly important for this type of shoe. It is probably not a wise idea to buy slingbacks that are even a little too large for the feet unless they have buckle straps with numerous notches for tightening. If the shoes are a little too large and this is the reason for the slippage, women can insert a half insole insert into the shoes at the balls of the feet in order to keep their feet from sliding forward.

If the perfect slingback has developed a slipping issue, it may still be possible to adjust the shoe for continued wear. If the straps slip off immediately after putting the shoes on, they are stretched out and will either have to be replaced or doctored. It may be possible to find a shoe repair shop that can replace the straps. If not, women can buy self-adhesive, rubber strap inserts, such as Gel Strappies or Strappy Strips, from many online and traditional shoe stores. These strips are simply attached to the loose part of the shoe strap to narrow the gap and provide a tighter fit.