Shoes, shoes, shoes
Lois -- Saturday, May 17, 2003 -- 07:54:38 PMFrom Rockport to Birkenstock to Prada to Ferragamo to no-name Walmart: all categories of shoe discussion.
This thread is tagged: shopping, shoes(All users will see what tags exist for a thread. Please tag carefully!)
This is the type of shoe I want:
One that is good for walking five miles at a stretch and which also works perfectly with professional office attire. Failing that, I'll keep the walking requirements, but go for one that is suitable with business casual office attire. My feet are about size 10 and wide.
Somehow I always end up frustrated when I go shoe shopping.
I love cheap, trendy shoes. Love. Them. I love Target shoes, Payless shoes (although I just very recently realized that Payless stores smell really gross), and any cheapie shoe store in the mall.
Don't get me wrong, I love trolling chi-chi department store shoe departments and looking at the more expensive brand names. Sometimes I buy more expensive shoes too, especially when it's sneakers or boots. But for everything else? Old Navy flip flop aisle is right up my alley.
I get a thrill when I buy a pair of shoes for under 20 bucks and it makes my week when I get a pair for under 15.
Lois, Doc Martens with a good, padded insert might be exactly what you're looking for. Docs have always been really good on my feet, including my arches and of course, they last forever and a day. They have some styles that can look pretty good and professional too.
Those do sound good. I was wondering why I had never seen Doc Martens when shopping, since everyone always talks about them. So I went to the site and I used the store locator, and no stores anywhere near me have them apparently. I can take a trip across the border to Washington state to get them (ups the cost a bit, obviously).
I haven't bought a pair of shoes in 3 years, and those were Tevas and hiking boots. Last pair of sneakers was 3.5 years ago, and they have a lot of holes.
Lois, I bought the Born Mary Janes here:
And I did approx 10 miles in them at one time.
Uphill both ways
I'd like some more in additional colors. Red is topping my list.
Lime, in Vancouver, BC.
I like the Mary Janes. If they were wide enough, I might get them just for something a bit more dressy.
Oddly enough, what I am currently most happy with in terms of comfort is a pair of sneakers my daughter (age almost 12) has cast off. Yes, she has big feet also - about the same as me.
I have 2 pairs of Merrells that have changed my life. I have a size 10 wide foot and I have never been able to put on a pair of shoes, walk out of the store and be comfortable. I always went through blisters, bandaids, pain and suffering until I broke either the shoes or my feet in. And then the shoes would fall apart a week later and I'd have to start all over. I think there are a lot more comfortable shoes in size ten then there used to be.
But about the Merrells, I have a pair of Mary Janes that are fine with skirts and comfy as all get out, and the Jungle Mocs below which I wear with pants and are also fine. I can walk miles in either of them without the slightest twinge.
Lois, you might consider Aerosoles. I only have had their sandals and those are very comfortable. Or a pair of Rockports. Edit: Duh, I forgot Aldo. Pricey by my standards, but more finished-looking.
My feet are narrow at the heel, smallish, and tremendously wide at the toes. No shoes that are short enough are wide enough. I spend as much time as I can barefoot, or in sandals/sneakers/hiking boots. I hate shoe shopping more than anything.
I used to love cheap, trendy shoes too. I had cutesy 80s pumps in every color that came down the pike, with bows and dots and cutouts and all that. Alas, my feet rebelled and demanded natural materials and decent fit, or else. So I seldom shoe-shop any more. I need silver shoes for my sister's wedding, and I'm putting it off.
Today SpongeAl begged for a pair of MaryKate and Ashley sandals, and I bought them, because they were so cheap. They're sort of red white and blue with a little plastic thong with little jewels. Cheesy, but she was in heaven.
Brigit: I have the best silver sandals. Let me find a picture.
These but in silver:
they are surprisingly not painful. With a good vibrant nail polish they rock. And they aren't as high a heel height as they appear in the picture.
Lois,
Are your feet wide? Mine are a wide 10, and I got these
when I was pregnant and not in the mood to wear my beautiful but feet-killing shoes. They're by Birkenstock and quite comfy.