Shoes

[velvetpage]

There is a myth out there that a properly-dressed, stylish young woman should have a very large shoe wardrobe. In fact, most women my age, if they are at all style-conscious, have at least ten and often more than thirty pair of shoes. They have shoes of different colours and styles to go with different outfits. In fact, they buy a new pair of shoes to go with the cool $10 t-shirt they just bought. This afternoon, this trend is very depressing.

I just came back from the old-lady shoe store (so called by my sisters, in reference to the fact that my grandmother shops there religiously.) They measured my foot, because feet often grow after pregnancy and I haven't bought a really good pair of shoes since Elizabeth. Accordingly, I have my foot measured. It comes in at one full size SMALLER than I was previously wearing.

Oh, think I. This is interesting. It explains why most of my shoes slip at the heel, anyhow. Well, let's try on the smaller size and see what happens.

So I try on the six and a half. I can't get my foot into it - the bridge is too narrow. I try the seven. I can get it on, but it's crunching my baby toe. The heel, however, is slipping again. I try the seven and a half (the same size I was wearing most of the time before.) It slips worse, and still crunches my toe.

Now, this store carries the widest shoes that are available at most stores - a D. This is what I have been trying on. None of them fit right. Some of them come close, but none of them are worth spending $115 on, because they are certain to cause me serious baby-toe problems. I leave without purchasing anything.

I try Payless, where I normally buy my fun shoes. Their wide width shoes don't fit, either - not even the "good enough" fit that I look for in fun shoes. Not in any size.

Bottom line - I need to go to a store that sells specialty width shoes, and spend well over $100, to get something that other people can get for about half that price. Since my shoe budget has never been that large, I will buy one good pair of walking shoes, and that's probably it. I will be unable to wear skirts to work because my shoe wardrobe does not include a dressy shoe that will leave me able to walk at the end of the day. I will continue to hobble to church in shoes that don't fit but look really nice and seriously impractical.

And I will curse the fate which bequeathed me a Page foot. (Nana Page never shopped at a regular shoe store, for exactly the same reason. My dad has to buy wide widths, too. But I'm the only one in my generation to be cursed this way.)

Comments

[etherlad.livejournal.com]

Have you tried K Shoes of England? My mom buys hers there, and she's got wide feet.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Yep. Not quite as wide as mine, apparently. Not a single store in the mall goes wider than a D width.

I did find a pair, for $170, at Miller's downtown. They specialize in wide widths. The shoes look like something my nana would have worn, and I really don't like them style-wise, but they fit the way they're supposed to, which to my mind is worth it. Now to save up enough to buy a pair of dress shoes there. . .

[anidada.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you'll probably have to start shopping at the specialty shops. *sigh* I wish I knew of a place that actually had decent-fitting-but-cheap shoes, then we could both go there and shop until we dropped.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

The ones I got fit like a dream, and cost me the moon and the stars. I can only afford one pair at a time, and I'm going to have to start frequenting shoe repair places to get my money's worth. THat's another relic of my grandmother that I never thought I'd do. Oh, well. Comfort above all.

[anidada.livejournal.com]

That's the main thing, definitely -- and you have the hope that these shoes will last for a good long while. Your feet will thank you for it, no doubt. :)

My parents sold shoes for 18 years, and Dad always says "if you don't take care of your feet, your whole body will suffer", which makes sense. I have duck feet (widish toes compared to my ridiculously narrow heels), and need to wear orthotics, so I've resigned myself to wearing my running shoes with everything, including skirts, until I can figure out what One Pair I can afford to get as a replacement. :P Where'd you find your shoes, if you don't mind my asking?

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

A specialty shop in downtown Hamilton called Miller's. It's on James between Cannon and Wilson. While perusing the selection, the lowest price I saw was $79.99. If you decide to spend the money at some point, let me know and we'll shop together. I'm going to ask my relatives for gift certificates to there for Christmas, so I can get a dressy pair of shoes that fit. In the meantime, ugly old-lady shoes are the way to go!

[redstorm.livejournal.com]

People have that many shoes?!?!?

I have 2 identical pairs of trainers (worn) and one nice-ish pair of short black boots for work/occasions.
Plus for larp, 1 pair hiking boots, 1 pair larp boots.

I really only ever wear one pair regularily.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

One of my sisters, at last count, had thirty-four pair that fit and were worn on a semi-regular basis. From her comes the story of buying a new pair of shoes to wear with the $10 t-shirt. My other sister has about twenty pair, none of which I would even attempt to get on my feet. My mother has around ten pair.

I have the leather old-lady shoes I just bought, a cheap but decent-fitting pair of runners, two horribly-uncomfortable pair of dressy sandals, one pair of "everyday" sandals which my doctor told me to throw out because they were doing horrible things to the bones in my feet, and last year's winter boots which will be worn again this year. Six pair, four of them clearly seasonal. Only one pair of the six fits right.

[jadecat.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I know some people who would LIKE to have that many pairs of shoes. I think I may have about 20 pairs or so- however the vast majority were only worn a few times- or are at least 5 years old. I tend to find a pair that I really like and wear them to death. :) Although I do have a fondness for black boots and have many styles of them.

For width though- yeah, i'veben 'blessed' with wide feet to. Makes shopping fun- as you obviously well know. My sister usually ends up shopping at Ethan Allan (I think that's the name) that has all sorts of sizes- and usually aren't too terribly pricey. When she was teaching elementary school I know that comfortable shoes were a must. Me, well, I sit behind a desk all day- comfort isn't too much of an issue. Well, some days. ;)

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

I found a spot downtown that has a wide size range, but they are definitely pricey. And I do the same thing, wearing one pair to death, so "fun" shoes aren't nearly as big a deal fit-wise. Still, I need to be able to walk on them. Oh, well. We all have things we have to spend money on. For me, it's shoe quality.
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