I have a narrow heel (in relation to my instep) and a sensitive upper foot. I've found that low-vamp styles that slip on are the hardest to fit. What has worked for me is a tailored loafer--my fave is a pointy-toed number with a kitten heel, not a moccasin--and an oxford with a medium heel of 2 1/2 inches. Oxfords have been a godsend, since they lace up and anchor the foot, and have the high vamp too.

Size 5 1/2 is often hard to find in stores, but zappos is good for research, and Nordstrom's is good with customer service in smaller sizes. All of us with touchy feet have to look and look and try and try. You'll find something that works for you.

Thanks Garmenta - I hadn't even though of those styles and will look into them! I guess it is nice to know I am not the only one with these foot issues

Unfortunately as I live in Australia I am not sure if I could get shoes from Zappos (I should look into that too )

Sorry the HPs didn't work for you Anne!! I don't have those issues, but then again I have giant, clumpy feet (my Varsities are 9.5)

Anne I just posted it from the other thread, but I have bought from zappos before. I have ordererd a few things from different stores and got them sent from http://shopaholiques.com/services.aspx. It's exciting getting stuff in the mail!!!

Interestingly, zappos *used* to post internationally but don't seem to anymore! (cost was $65 to Australia per order - hefty!!!!)

One thing I have decided from this experience is to just try on something I like the look of ( I never tried these on). Chances are that it won't work on my feet so then I can just stop thinking about it!

Bumping

Anne, I don't really know what the solution is but I sympathize greatly with shoe disappointment! I don't know why so many women love shoe shopping, it's about as painful as it gets for me.

It needs to be the precise style of shoe, Anne. Something that looks similar will not yield the same results.

If your toes are rubbing against the shoe, the toe box is too small and the leather is too hard. You need to stretch the area that’s rubbing from a shoe that’s really good to start off with. Do you have wide feet?

Angie it isn't my toes rubbing; it is the top of my foot at the toe "end" - where the binding is. The style is called varsity Russo and is what Tam said were 10 hour shoes for her! I haven't seen the exact one you posted in Aus

Oh and yes I have wide feet (at least at the ball end). Also very high arches

Anne i don't know what advice to give here. I have no idea if my feet are wide/narrow/normal. These Varisity's continue to work for me, although maybe it is just different strokes for different folks. I was wearing them for 18 hours straight yesterday (on my feet most of the time).

I hope you find another comfier pair soon though!!

Don't worry Tam, I am glad they are working for you!

Anne, I am new to this forum, but I want to say I share your shoe woes! I am also a size 5.5 with extremely high arches and a narrow heel. I cannot wear any of the ballet styles because they do not stay on my feet (same with pumps)! All of my shoes are either maryjanes or boots. I am sorry to say that the shape of our feet makes shoes with no straps or low vamps almost impossible to wear. I also read on a podiatrist's website once that the reason shoes fall off our feet is because the inside side (the part that runs along the inside of the foot, where the arch is) falls below the arch, thus not supporting the foot. The only solution is to find a shoe that is cut higher in that part, so it touches the arch. I have yet to find a shoe like that other than a boot or bootie.

I have had some luck with the Ecco "Bullion" maryjanes as an alternative to ballet flats and the "Durango" maryjane with a higher wedge heel. Another thing I have done is I have had the shoe repair person attach an elastic strap along the arch portion of ballet flats (similar to how a ballet slipper works) to keep my foot from slipping out.

I don't know if you also have the problem of painful calluses under the ball of the foot and the inability to wear high heels? I find that heels higher than 2 inches cause a lot of pain in the ball of foot area. I also have a hard time balancing on heels that are not a wedge or at least chunky. Moreover, is it hard to find heels under 2-inches that have a strap. I spend a lot of time on Zappos in search of shoe possibilities, but it sounds like that is not an option for you. Some of the "comfort" shoe makers have begun to make cuter shoes these days, but they still lag in terms of selection. Ecco, Clark's, and Aquatalia are brands with which I have had some success.

Don't give up on your search! Think of our shoe problems as a good excuse to spend more time shoe shopping!

Audrey,
I almost missed this, SO glad I didn't.

Thankyou so much for coming out of lurkdom to share tell me I'm not alone!!
Wow! We do have so much in common with our feet.

BTW how tall are you? ( I am five foot four)

Thanks for the specific style references. I have been busy searching and Ecco is sold in Australia, so I'll have to check them out.

Although I don't think I have that problem with calluses, I do find it difficult to wear heels higher than 2 inches and not chunky or wedged.

Your solution of getting an elastic strap inserted is very interesting.

I'll definitely be checking out the other brands you mentioned.

With regard to being 5.5. I am hoping that this might not always be the case, since up til now the shoes I have been able to wear have been size 6.

For everyone else, in terms of leg lengthening; if I can manage to find a shoe that is nude or beige or metallic does this help to counteract a strap if I end up with a mary-jane style?

Anne,
I am also five foot four. We do have a lot in common!
I also used to be able to wear a size 6, but lately I have been fitting into 5.5 better. It depends on the brand, usually. Though I wonder whether there is "vanity sizing" going on with shoes too? I thought one's feet grew with age, not shrunk! But with shoes that take orthodics, I still go up to a size 6, and even sometimes a 6.5 for boots.
If you find a nude or beige shoe with a strap, please let me know! I have been searching forever for one that is not too high in the heel.

I have narrower heels, high arch, but wider toward the front of the foot. I had really good luck with a Stuart Weitzman ballet flat that I wore all last fall and winter. A little pricey but the price per wearing beat out the less expensive shoes that just sit in my closet.

Anne, are you Oz size 6 or US size 6?

Thanks Ladies
Audry - I will certainly let you know!
Thanks luvtoshop!

Angie I thought our shoes sizes were the same? I meant oz size 6 (or poss 5.5)

Hi Ladies, I have a narrow heel and wide toes, so ballet flats and similar styles ALWAYS slip off of my heels. I have had some luck with the ballet flats that have the elastic heels and have found them at various price points.

Don't give up! I do feel your pain, I have a tough time with shoes too!

I am bumping this for Angie - I wondered is Angie had something to add after her question about shoe size.

Anne, if your sizes in OZ are UK based, they will not be the same as Euro or American.

For example, I take a Euro 37, an American 6.5, and a UK 4.5.

I just don't know. I thought they were the same but my online research is telling me contradictory stuff.

I can tell you that 6 is the lowest mainstream size in Aus.