Ask Angie: best way to try on shoes?

stringy

What's the best way to try on shoes in shops? Do I need to do something extra when I get home to ensure I've made the right decision? Or am I just being *too* picky?

I think I must be doing something wrong. I have been trying for about a year to buy comfortable, casual shoes for everyday wear. I'd like some ballet flats or sandals in particular.

I try on the shoes in the store, starting with whatever seems closest to my size and going up or down from there. I walk around in them for a bit in the store, and try to avoid busy times when I won't be able to focus because there's too many people around.

When I find some that seem to fit well, I buy them. The next day I plan an outfit around the new shoes, wear them feeling very cute, then within an hour or so I've got blisters and red marks all over my feet. Or find that they're too small (I never seem to end up with any too large).

Is there something more I should be doing to test them in store? Or should I be breaking them in somehow? I'm feeling very stupid and frustrated. How come I can figure out exactly what's wrong when I'm at home (within minutes, usually) but can't manage it before I make the purchase?

Lately I haven't bought any new shoes even though I need them, just because I don't trust my own opinion anymore. I've labelled this as an Ask Angie, but I'd love to hear from anyone who reckons they've got a good system.

16 years ago

General

10 replies

Latest reply was from stringy

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Angie's away to Europe visiting her family at the moment Stringy. I have to break in most of my shoes to some extent. I try to wear new shoes for no longer than two hours on the first outing and build up from there.

Also do you wear socks or tights when trying in store and then go barefoot once at home?

16 years ago

stringy

Veteran

Oh of course she is! How silly of me, I was just reading her Amsterdam post! I just didn't put 2 and 2 together.

I tend to be barefoot both for trying on and wearing. A few 2-hour sessions seems quite reasonable, is that usual do you think? I'm finding that I've got marks with just a half hour of wearing, or with a short walk (say, two blocks and back, to get to the post office near my house).

16 years ago

Queen Mum

Veteran

stringy- I HATE to end up with shoes that are not comfy. Since you seem to have this problem often, I'd wear them in the house for atleast an hour or more to test them out.
I have a hard time with ballet flats because my feet sweat. could that be the problem? your feet start to sweat and then you get blisters? I pretty much avoid ballet flats for that reason (although I do have one pair, but I wouldn;t wear them on a day I have alot of walking to do.)

16 years ago

chellebrate

Active Member

I'll leave your question up to the experts.

I have a hard time with ballet flats, too. That said, I have several pairs and do wear them often. I use bandaids the first wear or two, because they often rub. It seems after that, however, they stretch or mold to my foot and become much more comfortable.

The couple pair of pumps or heels I've bought fit in the store. They feel fine at home in the morning. I get to work and am walking to my classroom and my heel starts slipping. So I'll be interested in the responses to your question to see if there's something I'm not doing as well.

16 years ago

JuliaInGermany

Active Member

Stringy, I once had a job in a shoe shop and picked up some tipps there.

Over the course of the day your feet may swell a little bit. That's why it's best to go shoe shopping in the late afternoon. If you try on shoes in the morning you might think they fit ok and then in the afternoon they become too tight.

I would recommend that you always try a bigger size shoe. So if you think you found the right size, go up half a size or one size and try that, too. It's always better to buy a larger size than too small. By the way: If your toes touch the front of the shoe, it's too small.

You might want to try wearing a bigger size and then use thin insoles. You can get them in leather or terrycloth, which is very nice in summer when you're barfoot. There are also half insoles that you slip only into the front part of the shoe. Always try them at the shop so you don't end up buying a shoe and an insole that you can't wear.

While trying shoes on, I often make the mistake to walk slowly and just a few metres. Try to walk like you do on the street: take long steps and walk with your usual speed. That way you'll get a feeling how the shoes will fit in everyday life.

If you tend to get red marks on your feet, try to soften the leather at that point. You can simply knead and stretch it carefully with your thumbs for some minutes. I find that it makes a big difference. I don't know if you can do that with other materials but for leather it works fine.

Whether or not you need to break in new shoes depends on the shoe, on your feet and on the size, I'd say. So, if you end up with hurting feet, I would always break your shoes in at home before wearing them outside.

Chelle, for slipping heels there are small kind of cushions that you can stick into the back of the shoe that might help. You can see them here: http://www.preissuchmaschine.d.....alter.html They are very inexpensive so you might like to try them (though they don't work for me somehow). Or you might try a half insole either for the front of the shoe (only if it is wide enough) or for the heel. They make your feet sit "higher" and that might prevent your heels from slipping.

16 years ago

Maya

Veteran

I always have this problem, then realized it's just the type of shoes I'm shopping for that don't work for me. I can't wear shoes that don't have some sort of strap to hold my foot in.

PM, thank you for that detailed list! It was very eye-opening for me. My toes HAVE to hit the front of the shoe, otherwise the shoes do not stay on my foot. When I go to a bigger, more comfortable size, my foot slides forward and I end up with a gap in the back while my toes are crushed in the front. I used those heel cushions for years, but all they really did was make my shoes feel too small by filing in the space at the heel. I need something that fills in the space at the toe. Mary jane straps are the best solution for me because they hold my foot in place and keep my feet from sliding forward. I wish I could wear cute open shoes without straps but I have come to accept defeat!

I often see these women walking around with huge gaps at the heels and I have no idea how they do it. They must be clenching their toes to keep their shoes on, which leads to hammertoes and claw toes. Not something I want to risk.

I do have one pair of flats that are almost comfortable. They don't pinch my toes like most shoes do, but they aren't deep enough. Ballet flats all seem to rub in the same spot on my bony feet (what I call the bunion bone...I don't know exactly what it is, but it's the bone just bellow the big toe that would form a bunion if you had bunions). My bones are very prominent so I get a lot of chafing there. If you have certain "hot spots" on your feet, you might look into getting your shoes stretched there, or adding a moleskin to cut down on the blisters.

16 years ago

medusa

Veteran

Stringy, I don't have good advice about what to do in the store, but I do wear new shoes a lot at home before wearing them out of the house - that way I can make sure they still feel OK after I've walked around for a while. Then I can still return them if they don't work.

16 years ago

Maya

Veteran

I don't find that walking around at home really helps me. Am I the only one? I just walk so differently at home than I do outside. I can't really walk fast for extended periods of time in my house. Perhaps if I lived in a mansion! It's very frustrating. They should make a cover for the soles of your shoes that protect them while you test drive them outside.

I'm thinking of wearing new shoes to the mall. It's a big place where I can do a lot of walking indoors without scuffing them up beyond reason.

16 years ago

stringy

Veteran

Thanks so much everyone for the advice, especially pregnantmom. I've got one pair that I think wearing around the house will help break them in a bit, they're leather and should stretch a bit, yes? And another where putting bandaids on might help.

I saw some little gel pads in the chemist today, they're meant to be stuck on the shoe in spots that rub against you. Has anyone tried these? They seem like they're meant to replace bandaids.

Mostly I'm puzzled that I managed to buy a cute pair of ballet flats without noticing that my big toes scrunch up in them! I'm sure I checked to see where the end of my toes were, how can I have failed to realise the problem? I'm not the world's most observant person, but that's ridiculous

Unfortunately I've lost the receipt for that pair (still got the others) so if I can't stretch the leather out a bit they're a lost cause I'm afraid.

16 years ago

stringy

Veteran

Oh, and I never seem to have a problem with dressy shoes: I gravitate towards strappy kitten heels and can find a decent pair in about 5 minutes of looking. I guess those are easier to get a good fit, since it's just the length to worry about and an ankle strap (if there is one) can be adjusted to the right size.

16 years ago

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