These are the only 5 pairs of shoes you need in your wardrobe to go with every outfit.

The other day I was walking past a shoe store and spotted THE coolest pair of red patent leather flats.

They had silver buckles and very pointy toes and were, in a word, completely impractical. They were on sale — down to half price — making them even more tempting, and I had to physically prise my eyes away from the shoes and steer myself back towards Coles, where I was actually headed, to do my grocery shopping.

"No," I told myself. "You do not need red pointy buckle shoes. Where will you even wear them?"

I was right, of course. I have nowhere specific to wear them. They fill precisely no gaps in my wardrobe.

But what about the gap in my… heart?

Watch: Here's how the 'Wrong shoe' theory works. Post continues below. 

While a list of shoes you *need* should be practical by nature, with a cost of living crisis and all, we have to leave a little room for whimsy. For fun. So I refuse to make this list boring. I'm not going to be suggesting you buy some brown court shoes and plain white trainers and send you on your way.

Let's be realistic here — we don't just buy shoes because we need them. We buy them because we want them.

So here is my quite subjective, but hopefully helpful, list of the only five shoes you'll want in your wardrobe this year.

A stylish sneaker.

Somewhere along the way, we all collectively realised that sneakers are the answer to most of our outfit problems. Need a shoe you can walk all day in but still look cool? Sneakers! Need something that's trendy but won't date quickly? Sneakers! I could easily fill this list with 15 different sneakers you want, but that wouldn't be very smart or cost-effective, so let's drill it down a bit.

After a year of colourful statement styles, this year we'll see sporty kicks in retro shades of brown, burgundy and beige start to trend. A neutral suede sneaker will complement everything from your activewear to casual outfits and even some officewear, if you work in one of those offices that lets you wear jeans. There is no more *practical* shoe you'll buy this year — promise.

Converse Run Star Trainers, $140.

Image: Supplied.

Adidas Stadt, $139.99.

Image: Supplied.Alias Mae Presley, $249.95.

New Balance 327, $160.

Image: Supplied.

A fancy flat.

Flats is a pretty broad umbrella term, encompassing everything from ballerina styles to sandals and rubber slides. You see what I've done there? I've been sneaky. But for the purposes of this category, I'm talking about a statement flat shoe that could easily take you from day to evening, either via embellishment or elegant details like dainty straps or a pointed toe.

Let your eye guide you towards the style you like the most — you might be drawn to an Alaia-style mesh ballet flat, or prefer the Frenchy-chic feel of pointed patent flats. It's the pair you'll pick up when you need to elevate your outfit; be it jeans and a nice top, or a corporate look that needs a bit of dazzle. Stylist and content creator Fifi Milne, a frequent guest on Mamamia's fashion podcast Nothing to Wear, swears by white shoes for this purpose.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FiFi Milne | Personal shopper (@shopwithfifi)

Frankie4 Cole Bone Weave, $289.95.

Image: Supplied.

Marcs Tottie, $149.95.

Image: Supplied.

Bared Footwear Surfbird, $249.

Image: Supplied.

A chunky sandal.

Also in the flats category, but more on the casual side, you'll be surprised just how much you reach for a cool pair of chunky sandals when they're in your line-up. If you know, you know. I bought some padded black leather slides from Alias Mae and they've given me two years of continuous wear, with just about every outfit I can imagine — from floaty floral dresses right through to loungewear.

The secret is in the chunk: you need these flats to pack a bit of heft so they can add weight to your look. They're especially effective with summer 'fits like soft linen sets that need a bit of anchoring. Flatform thongs sit comfortably in this category, as do Birkenstocks — and if you're brave, you can even wear the latter in winter with a pair of thick socks (don't knock it 'til you try it.)

Therapy Vista Sandal Bone Satin, $79.95.

Image: Supplied.

Spurr Pia Chunky Sandals, $69.99.

Image: Supplied.

A great boot.

I'll leave the decision on heel height to you — some people like the extra inch or two, while others prefer a flat heel so they can kick about comfortably all day. Whether you opt for a classic pull-on pair like RM Williams or Blundstones, or go for a sleek, streamlined Chelsea boot, you definitely need this staple winter shoe in your closet. It's fun to give them a run outside of the cooler months, too. Boots look super cool styled with a long dress or smock, offsetting some of that daintiness. They have the same grounding effect as the chunky flats.

But hold space for a statement boot option, too — I bought a pair of white cowboy boots from Bared Footwear and they're one of my favourite accessories, never failing to elicit compliments and make my outfit look 1000 per cent more interesting.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tamara (Davis) Holland (@_tamaradavis_)

Windsor Smith Wonder Black Leather Boots, $179.95.

Image: Supplied.

Bared Footwear Nightingale, $369.

Image: Supplied.

A low heel.

Short heels have been trending for yonks now, but the good news is they're absolutely here to stay. So if you need a "high heel" in your artillery, feel free to keep them on the low side! As in, well south of six inches. The freshest style this year is a backless mule or kitten heel - I've been a convert for years, and actually wore a pair of chunky gold mules to my wedding in lieu of something strappy and painful.

In textured leather or satin, they're the ideal shoe to pair with those tailored pieces in your wardrobe like midi skirts, bermuda shorts, cropped trousers and trench coats. It's something to do with the flash of ankle; don't ask me to explain the logic!

Zara Leather Heeled Mules, $149.

Image: Supplied.

Billini Brody Leopard, $89.96.

Image: Supplied.

Feature image: Instagram @karinaenever in @baredfootwear; @_tamaradavis_ .