This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
activation des oeuvres
sur le fond

Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

C'est la chaussure qui fait l'allure

English translation:

Shoes let you step out in style

Added to glossary by Sarah Bessioud
Mar 9, 2011 17:13
13 yrs ago
1 viewer *
French term

C'est la chaussure qui fait l'allure

French to English Art/Literary Textiles / Clothing / Fashion Shoes
A title on one of the pages for a shoe catalogue.

I've got it translated as:

The shoes make the outfit


But I feel like that loses all the poetry of the french. 'allure' definitely suggests much more.

Just wondering if anyone had some better suggestions?

Merci!
Proposed translations (English)
4 +7 Shoes let you step out in style
3 +2 Best foot forward
3 +2 Shoes to perfect/complete/complement/match your allure
4 +1 Shoes that make the outfit
4 Footwear for that finishing touch
4 it's the shoe that gives (the outfit) pizzazz
4 It's a shoe that's pleasing to the eye.
4 It's the shoe that makes the (wo)man.
3 It's the shoes that complete the look
3 The shoe is where it's at
3 no shoes, no look
3 Shoes add the final touch
3 Walk tall
3 The shoes are like the cherry on the cake for the/this outfit
3 A treat for the feet!
3 footwearing must be luring/tempting
3 walk talk
3 Go with the shoe
2 Shoes maketh the man
Change log

Mar 9, 2011 17:18: Travelin Ann changed "Term asked" from "\"C\'est la chaussure qui fait l\'allure\"" to "C\'est la chaussure qui fait l\'allure"

Mar 14, 2011 11:44: Sarah Bessioud Created KOG entry

Discussion

philgoddard Mar 10, 2011:
There was an article about buying shoes in my local paper yesterday. You might be able to use the headline: Sole Searching.
mhanbury (asker) Mar 10, 2011:
@Raffaella and Rachel It's an illustration of Don Quixote by Gustave Doré

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Quichotte

x
Rachel Fell Mar 10, 2011:
Yes, I wondered that too, as it looks an interesting picture.
R.C. (X) Mar 10, 2011:
will you let us know what is depicted in the black and white image on your profile please?
mhanbury (asker) Mar 10, 2011:
BTW Thanks to you all,

LOTS of great suggestions!
mhanbury (asker) Mar 10, 2011:
@MatthewLaSon Well you're perfectly entitled to your opinion.

But at the end of the day it's my translation and my head on the line if i mess it up. I like your suggestion, but it doesn't work here.
MatthewLaSon Mar 9, 2011:
@mhanbury Hello.

I would like to tell you that I totally disagree with your Asker's Note comment to me.
philgoddard Mar 9, 2011:
That's clever, except it implies that you have to be rich to buy them. it might be OK if they were very high-end shoes.
Colin Rowe Mar 9, 2011:
Ah! Shoes for the "well-heeled" in a manner of speaking!
mhanbury (asker) Mar 9, 2011:
so reasonably sharp i guess
mhanbury (asker) Mar 9, 2011:
High end fashion
polyglot45 Mar 9, 2011:
flat shoes or heels sharp shoes or classic ?
mhanbury (asker) Mar 9, 2011:
just women's
philgoddard Mar 9, 2011:
And is it men's or women's shoes, or both?
mhanbury (asker) Mar 9, 2011:
It's the heading on the page, but it works more as a slogan.

Basically i need it to be catchy, which it isn't at the moment.

I like Jo27's suggestion - it's almost there
philgoddard Mar 9, 2011:
Is it really a title (ie does it describe the content of that particular page?), or is it just a slogan? What does the page say that makes it different from any other?

Proposed translations

+7
18 mins
Selected

Shoes let you step out in style

May be a possible solution
Peer comment(s):
agree Colin Rowe : or "in fashion" / with Phil. I actually read it as if the "that" were already there.
7 mins
Thank you Colin
agree philgoddard : I think "shoes THAT let you..." would be better - this is a statement about the company's products, not shoes in general. Or you could leave out "shoes that let you" and just put "step out in style".
14 mins
Thanks Phil. I agree with you that THAT sounds better. I thought actually that I had included THAT. (It's been a long day!)
agree Barbara Carrara : I think 'style' is a must here. With Phil's 'Step Out in Style' truncation. And the alliteration works very well, too. Well done!
39 mins
Thank you Barbara
agree roneill : With Phil: "Step out in style".
51 mins
Thank you
agree Wendy Streitparth : Yes, with Phil, Barbara and roneill
2 hrs
Thank you Wendy
agree Sandra & Kenneth Grossman : Nice
13 hrs
Thank you Sangro
agree B D Finch : Just "step out in style".
15 hrs
Thank you BD
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Many thanks. Will let you know what the company eventually decide to go with."
3 mins
French term (edited): "C'est la chaussure qui fait l'allure"

It's the shoes that complete the look

Depending on context, this might work.
Something went wrong...
10 mins

Shoes maketh the man

Low confidence, because this phrase is politically incorrect since it excludes half the population.

Fine if it is gents' clothing and shoes you are talking about.

I do not have anything remotely poetic to offer if you need something for women's fashion.
Something went wrong...
11 mins

The shoe is where it's at

Hello,

This may be ok for a title.

I don't think you can do the rhyming in English here.





--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2011-03-09 17:26:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

CollegeFashionista.com is a fashion Web site for those who are ... Fashion Institute of Technology. TREND: Legwear is Where It's At! ...
www.collegefashionista.com/school/.../trend_legwear_is_wher...


In either high heeled or flat versions, the Oxford shoe is where it's at this ... boots or booties started creeping into the fashion mainstream last year, ...
vintageclothing.about.com/od/.../fall_winter_08_shoes.htm

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2011-03-09 17:27:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://vintageclothing.about.com/od/shoppingforvintage/tp/fa...
Note from asker:
It's for a high end fashion magazine, so not really sure it's quite the right tone...
Something went wrong...
19 mins

no shoes, no look

Another one for the collection: not poetic, no, but punchy instead?!
Note from asker:
haha have to agree with kashew
Peer comment(s):
neutral kashew : Bob Marleyish.
7 mins
Ah well! I was thinking of it more with a Carolina Herrera style voiceover than with the West Indian lilt!! But perfectly fair comment.
Something went wrong...
37 mins

Footwear for that finishing touch

Something went wrong...
39 mins
French term (edited): C\'est la chaussure qui fait l\'allure

Shoes add the final touch

It's a bit more generic, but might work - or even just "add the final touch"
Something went wrong...
28 mins

Walk tall

Shoes to die for
Shoes for every occasion
Statement shoes
Shoes for the perfect finishing touch
Let your feet make the statement

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2011-03-09 17:45:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

killer shoes !
Shoes that give your outfit zing/zip !

Shoes that lift an outfit

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2011-03-09 17:46:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

SHOES FOR THAT EXTRA TOUCH OF CLASS

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 40 mins (2011-03-09 17:53:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

FANCY FOOTWORK
Something went wrong...
+2
43 mins

Best foot forward

Obviously not a direct translation, but I've used this occasionally for straplines on shoe pages.
Peer comment(s):
agree Simon Mac : I like this - if it suits the asker's particular document, it would be good precisely because it doesn't sound like a translation
15 hrs
Thank you!
agree philgoddard
19 hrs
Thanks, Phil!
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr

Shoes to perfect/complete/complement/match your allure

Flatter the buyer!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-03-09 18:47:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Since this is about allure and not necessarily style....
Peer comment(s):
agree Rachel Fell : I like "Shoes to match your allure" best.\\Shoes that are sure to match your allure would sort of rhyme...
1 hr
Thanks, Rachel - so do I - compliments shoes and wearer./He, he!
agree Valeria Sciarrillo : Totally agree with Rachel! Good one, Helen :) I hope this is chosen!
15 hrs
Thanks, Valeria!! I sense a woman who likes her shoes!
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

it's the shoe that gives (the outfit) pizzazz


just another suggestion

Allure= Glamour

pizzazz /razzle-dazzle
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

The shoes are like the cherry on the cake for the/this outfit

I know it doesn't go with allure, but makes it sound like the shoes are "crème de la crème."
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

A treat for the feet!

Purely because it rhymes
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

It's a shoe that's pleasing to the eye.

I think "allure" requires that the translation refer to its attraction to onlookers.
Something went wrong...
+1
3 hrs

Shoes that make the outfit


"We were just both obsessed with shoes," Barbieri said. "I was in investment banking for three years and one day I walked in to a shoe shop and thought, 'There's nothing here I want'. We want to make shoes that we would want to wear. Fashion-forward, but not too trendy. I don't want to make shoes that match an outfit; like a plain black pump, plenty of labels do that. We want to design shoes that make the outfit; that are the heart of the outfit."
http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/110202-bionda-castana-shoe...

Why I love shoes!

I love them because it's the shoes that make the outfit as far as I'm concerned! I always take a pair of stilletos and build an outfit completely around the shoe. They come in so many wonderful styles and colors. My second reason I love shoes is because at 5'3" it gives me added and much needed height. 3rd reason they make my legs looks killer sexy! As far as I'm concerned shoes are the ultimate accessory!
—Sharinette

http://shoes.about.com/u/ua/shoequestions/why_do_women_love_...
Peer comment(s):
agree Heloise Harrap
27 mins
Hello, and thank you Heloise :-)
Something went wrong...
12 hrs
French term (edited): C\'est la chaussure qui fait l\'allure

It's the shoe that makes the (wo)man.

Since the shoes are for women...the word women without the brackets might sound good too..
Something went wrong...
22 mins

footwearing must be luring/tempting

please do not laugh

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2011-03-10 03:39:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

how about WALK TALK?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 hrs (2011-03-10 08:01:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I'll put it in a separate answer
Something went wrong...
14 hrs

walk talk

I like this one, too
Something went wrong...
1 day 5 hrs

Go with the shoe

I would say "GO WITH THE SHOE"! As in the French version, it's a play on words. I think they were making reference to the French expression, "L'habit ne fait pas le moine", which means that "one shouldn't judge by appearances". The antonym of this expression is, "L'habit fait l'homme", which in this case is replaced by, "C'est la chaussure qui fait l'allure". I think they wanted to say that we can judge someone by their shoe(s). So, "your shoe defines YOU (personality) and that YOU are (or YOU look like) what you wear; YOU go with your shoe" and 2) "your gait is determined by your shoe; you walk in a particular way (or you appear the way you do) because of your shoe". And finally on advertising level it can also means "C'est LA chaussure qui fait l'allure". So, "Go with the/THE shoe". I hope the explanation is clear... It's not an easy task to put one's ideas into words!
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search