what type of footwear do you have the most trouble finding? - YouLookFab Forum

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what type of footwear do you have the most trouble finding?

always trying

Veteran

I think I may have a unique problem in finding boots and booties. I have read and I sympathize with all of you on here with the shoe falling off problem, the bunion problems, the skinny ankles, calf width, etc. . I have given up on finding slip on sneakers as they all fall off my feet, sometimes get lucky with flats and pumps that stay on. I have 4 pairs of booties that are fine, and two pairs of tall boots that work for me, but none of these were the ones I really wanted. I have tried all price ranges ,and styles, but my problem with the heels llifting up occurs in mostly the ones I really like best, so I end up with second choices. now I want nude, lite beige or very lite grey booties with about a 2 1/2 inch heel and not finding them. Has to be on line order that has free returns in case they slip up and down in the heel when I walk.

Guess I should feel lucky that I can put on almost any athletic shoe, flat oxford, sneaker, and loads of sandals and they feel just fine. So I can get the colors and styles I want in these types of shoes. These are what I mostly wear too so have too many of these type of shoes!!

Shopping

33 replies

Latest reply was from Staysfit

Anonymous

Sandals because my feet are wide and I have trouble finding open toe shoes that are wide enough.

Emily

Veteran

Knee high boots. They're always one of too tall or too big at the ankles. I've been wanting a cognac pair for years.

Anonymous

Sandals, I think, but for opposite reasons to Sterling as I have very shallow feet at the front. I always have to have the sandals adjustable with buckles on the straps or laces as my cage sandals have got.

old chic

My problem is the opposite of Emily's. Knee high boots never make it up to my knees. Although I am only 5'8", I have disproportionately long legs. Have to go to over-the-knee styles to get the height of boot I want.
I also have a problem with pumps and flats slipping off my heels unless they are uncomfortably tight. Fortunately, I love ankle straps.

Krissy

I've got narrow feet and I find them so difficult buy for! haha. So often I've bought ill fitting ballet flats and ended up throwing them out. The shoes just fall off or I give myself foot cramps by trying to scrunch up my toes to keep them on my feet!

Walkinthepark

Casual, slip-ons are next to impossible for me to find. I have a wide forefoot and narrow heel. I also wear orthotics which raise my arch. Most slip-ons slip off! If they do stay on they squish my toes which then cause my toes to tingle and cramp.

Anonymous

Pumps and flats slip off my feet, laces hurt the tops of my feet (I have a high instep), I need a certain amount of arch support, and I have bunions and osteoarthritis pain to deal with.

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

Same as Sterling - sandals have to have a lot of foot coverage to keep my feet from spilling over the sides. No single skinny strap shoes for me. I also have large calves, but it's easier lately to find tall boots that fit (online anyway).

K.M.

Veteran

Flats are hard for me to find. I have bunions, but the bunion is worse on my right foot, so the foot is wider; but the rest of my feet are thin and bony. So if something feels OK in the toe box, it falls off my heels; if it doesn't fall off, it hurts my bunions. And sometimes it works on one foot but not the other. Plus totally flat shoes with no arch support make my feet hurt.
This also makes it hard to find pumps.

Daria

I'm still in search of riding boots that would fit my narrow calves. Other than that, I presumably have pretty standard feet and have no issues finding footware.

shiny

Veteran

I find thong sandals to be extremely painful to wear. The only exception has been Jcrew metallic thongs, because the leather is very thin and quite soft, but even then I can only wear them long enough to walk a bit on the beach and back.

You've heard me all complain for years about tall boots - must be 13 inches tall and no more, and 13 inches in the calves. I did finally find two new pairs this year, yeah! Persistence pays, or (in this case) sheer luck. But yes, they aren't quite my "ideals" - they are not bad though, and pretty darn close.

Booties are a struggle for me as well. In this case, it's usually my ankles. I hate the FPE, but also the shaft can't be too high either. I tried on a zillion pairs this year and did manage to find a pair, Erich Michael, that is so freaking comfortable I added a second pair (different style and color) in the same brand. I am the Queen of duplication when I find a shoe that works! I will snap up every color option.

I struggle with heels that have a strap around the ankle, because a lot of them hit too high on the ankle - above my ankle, not at it. I really like this style when I can find it, as it helps to keep the shoe on my feet.

Pumps - standard pumps -- are at the moment my biggest gap. Something has happened lately and I find all but one pair in my closet unbearable to wear. It's not the heel height (no more than 3"), it's more my toes feeling all cramped and achy.

Slip on's - I got the pointy toed Trouve's someone here recommended. Those fit great, and don't make me look like I have clompy clown feet. They will also be comfortable without socks, once all this snow melts.

Ballet flats are hit or miss, but I'm off of them lately so that's okay.

Flat oxfords - the Jcrew monk straps are quite comfortable.

Part of my recent foot finickiness is that I have developed some sort of issue with the soft pad between two of my toes on my left foot. It started months ago, and it comes and goes. I think it first started because of pinchy pointy toed high heels, but not sure. I'm now finding a lot of shoes will exacerbate this tremendously.... with just one step, I'll be in pain. Lots and lots of booties were discarded because of this issue. Not sure what is up with that, or when it'll go away.

Style Fan

Veteran

My first priority is comfort. My feet have a lot of problems. Then I want shoes and boots that look good. This is where I get into problems. I tend to fall back on my old reliable brands. Boring. I have been lucky with Fryes, Birkies, El Natualista, Trippen, etc. But I would like to branch out.

Walkinthepark

Shiny - Google neuroma. What you are describing is what I suffered with for a long time. I finally went to a podiatrist and that's what his diagnosis was. Orthotics have helped tremendously, however, they do limit the type of shoes I can wear. I don't care, though, because my feet are happy now

rachylou

Veteran

Definitely tall boots. I have toothpicks for legs.

Joy

Veteran

Ditto Rachylou. My 12 inch calves swim in even 14 inch circumference boots. They also need to be flat and no more than 15 inches high. I now have black but would love to find a light grey. That will probably never happen.
Another shoe challenge is that the top of my feet are sensitive and most tie shoes don't work as well as many slip on high vamp. It seems a weird problem to have but painful if there is any pressure on top as I walk.
Ankle straps. I have skinny ankles and straps that hit at the right spot are hard to find

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

All of them - with my size 12 feet ANY type of shoe is a pain to find and I have to get what is available and not what I really want. The story of my life!
If we are talking about specific fit issues on top of it then:
- tall boots. I don't have narrow calves by any standard (15.5") but most of tall boots are gaping on the top. I think it may be because they are too tall for my lower legs. I am tall and my legs are not short but it seems that they increase the shaft length with sizes going up so when it comes to size 12 they are too tall?
- narrow toe anything. I have wider toe box but the rest of my foot is average in width. If the toes are pointy or even almond they are often pinching my toes. If I go to wide width then they are too wide all over - but sometimes still pinching.
- ballet flats. I cannot make them work for my wide forefoot and they do not look good. I finally gave up on them all together.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I always took my ease of finding shoes for granted until I started spending time on YLF! I never truly understood how many women have such problems finding comfortable shoes that fit. I'm lucky to have average sized feet that are slightly on the narrow and low-volume side, so many closed shoes work for me with the addition of insoles or even just socks.

However, pumps are difficult for me, as are low-vamped flats. My heels are narrow, and I tend to walk right out of these style unless they have ankle straps. I can't tell you how many pairs of pumps I've tried on, only to have them flop off my heels the moment I take a step. Fortunately, my life is casual and I have little need for pumps or dressy flats.

Lately I've had trouble finding tall boots that work on me too. I have long legs for my height, and my calves are just big enough to make the fits snug. A little stretching can do the trick, but since most tall boots reach well short of my knees, often they end right where my calf is largest, resulting in a weird calf muffin-top effect. Not a good look, trust me. And the over-the-knee boots I've tried really only come halfway up my kneecaps. Again, not a good look. Oh well, I will simply stick with the ones I have for now!

Fortunately, I'm a really easy fit in booties and sandals, and those are my most-worn styles.

Staysfit

Veteran

Inexpensive footwear ! (I couldn't resist saying that as a true shoe fiend)

unfrumped

Veteran

Sandals that cover bunion area.

Shoes that look good with nude hose at work in summer-- something not high but not frumpy- schoolmarm. A few loafer styles and ballet- types worked last year. Paler colorss.
Shootie that has chunky medium heel (1 1/2-2") and fits close the the foot without gaping.
" Summer bootie".

ElleH

Veteran

Nearly all footwear is problematic for me. They are nearly all uncomfortable. Birkenstock Gizeh is comfortable as are flip flops and wide sandals. Closed shoes hurt. Boots, booties, ankle straps & laces keep shoes on my feet. I can't wear ballet flats, pumps, slip on sneakers, anything that doesn't tie or strap to the foot, unless it is a boot that can slip off my heel without slipping off my foot. Sam Edelman Louie comes in light colours & has about 2 1/2 inch heel. It will slip on your heel a little but all boots do on me. I think they're supposed to of maybe that is just pull on boots.

minigrrl

Same here. Nearly all footwear hurts my feet. I have a high instep and short, wide feet (a shoe salesman told me the other day that I have tiny feet for my height - thanks buddy, grrr). I get blisters from almost everything. I have many many pairs of shoes. Most of which I can't wear. I try stretching them (I have shoe and boot stretchers) and wearing them around the house for days but the minute I walk any distance in them, I'm bound to get a blister. I wear thongs (flip flops) a lot! If I had to choose one style which I absolutely cannot wear, it's ballet flats. They look awful and always fall off my heels. So sad!!

SandiC

I have problems with tall boots( calves big) and then when I find some with the right calf width, the arches or the lasts aren't so great. Also, I think one of my feet are definitely shaped differently. Or either the companies I love have changed manufacturers.

Shoes are a major pain for me. And to complicate things, I get used to one pair and wear them to death or have to buy two pair.

And I'd love some cute flats(have had the hardest time with those)

But I did find one Black bootie that works. And this is saying a lot because I'm use to tough shoes like Teva.

Here's the boot if anyone is interested. They are light weight, but the bottoms are supportive. The leather version of these are hard and take a while to break in. So I stick with these fabric version(easy to wipe off and clean) For me, they are addictive because they are light weight and can be worn almost the whole year.
http://www.zappos.com/ecco-abe.....lack-black

jacquie

Minigrrl if you are having to stretch your shoes, you're buying them too small! Maybe that shoe salesman just didn't have the shoe in your real size and was selling you what he had: a smaller size.
Also, if you truly have a high instep, thongs are the last thing you should feel comfortable in. They offer absolutely no support, which high arches require.

Diana

Veteran

Pumps. I have narrow heels so they almost all fall off when I walk. Plus I have bony feet with no fat pads so I get horrid ball-of-foot pain and pinching and rubbing on my toes, especially when I can't wear socks with them. I also have flat feet and rotten balance and can't walk in heels higher than 2.5".

(I currently don't own any true, heeled pumps. I have some slingback strappy sandals and a pair of pointy kitten heels which I wear in lieu of real pumps.)

catseye

Veteran

Same here. Haven't owned a pair of pumps in the last twenty years. Cannot find them.
Most shoes don't work for me. Booties are the easiest for me. I did managed to get two pairs that are great this year.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Court shoes (pumps) without any kind of restraining strap. My heels slip out. Also, ballet flats -- same problem, heels slip out.

lisaflex

Veteran

for pointy toedballet style flats try sperry...i got a pair that fit like a dream

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I think Diana and I were separated at birth. I could have written that post myself. I prefer prehensile to bony.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Sperry -- good to know. Thanks for the tip, Lisaflex. Mind you, I don't really gravitate to dainty flats (they don't go with my style, and they don't make me any taller!), but if I'm every seized with the urge to buy some, I'll try Sperry.

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