Earthies Shoes and Flat Feet - Has anyone tried em? - YouLookFab Forum

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Earthies Shoes and Flat Feet - Has anyone tried em?

MsLuna

Veteran

I've been reading some raves about Earthies in BarkingDogShoes for a while, and I really REALLY REALLY want to try them. However, I'm in Canada so BOO! I have to have them shipped over here to try!

http://www.earthiesusa.com/default.aspx

Anyway - I have flat feet and fallen arches. But I love heels. LOVE LOVE LOVE heels. Every outfit I compose has a need for edgy sleek heels, but alas - my feet hate me

Is there anyone with flat feet who has tried this brand? I read some reviews and apparently some flat-footers think the arch support is too high while others swear by it.

Thoughts?

Shopping

17 replies

Latest reply was from MsLuna

Meredith1953

Veteran

Haven't tried them. Some of them look cute!

DonnaF

Veteran

Have you tried other high arch shoes like Danskos, and how did you feel about them? I have pretty flat feet/over pronate, and I really like high arches. They take the stress off the place where my bunions are. Of course, YMMV. I only had Earth Shoes (pre-Earthie days) like 35-40 years ago and they worked for me.

MsLuna

Veteran

@DonnaF Yup! I tried Danskos but the only thing that works is the Sausalito collection - the ones with the soft footbed. I wish they had something in chicer and higher heels. I tried the Rio collection with the 3 inch heel, and while it is fine on my arches, my ball of feet were in a world of pain.

Naots work amazingly on me too but I find most aren't to my taste in shoes. Ugh. I guess I have to give up stylish shoes at this point

Anonymous

Are those made by the same company as earth shoes? if so, i have a pair of snowboots by them. The design is different from any other shoe Ive owned. It feels as if the front of you foot stands higher than your heel. Its an adjustment but im not one with fussy feet.

DonnaF

Veteran

I have the Buffy bootie in Dansko's Bristol collection. The footbed is softer than the Pro's, but still not terribly soft. The heel is high enough to give me PPL woes in some Petite pants/jeans despite my short legs. But since you mentioned collections, I'm wondering if another shoe in the same collection would give me a similar fit. . .I'll have to try the Bennett which has a sleeker look but the same slightly awkward shaped heel.

I tried the Rylan boot mentioned on BarkingDog. Super comfy despite the heel. I concluded that I am really not a boot wearer, much less a cowboy/moto boot wearer, so I returned them.

I think I was mistaken re the Earthies. The trunk show stuff looks gorgeous but I could never wear anything with a narrow toe box. The best I can hope for in shoes is borderline frumpy vs. fashionable. Sigh.

Kate

Veteran

Try the Sanita brand of shoes and boots. They have a wonderful footbed that is heaven for those of us with flat feet. I should know—I'm a member of the FF tribe.

DonnaF

Veteran

Katie; I hadn't ever thought of Danskos in terms of *collections* because Zappos and Endless aren't organized that way. . .You, umm, inspired me to spend $160 LOL and order the Bennetts to see if they fit like the Buffys. Too bad I can't get the sale price on Endless due to my size.

Fussy feet are so-o-o annoying, aren't they? I hate being kept awake at night due to foot pain. At any rate, they keep my shoe population down. I cringe at how many pairs I might have if I had easy feet!

MsLuna

Veteran

@Zapotee Yes! Same company as Earth shoes! They had snow shoes? Awww... That would've been nice considering I'm here in Canada!

@DonnaF I have the Rachel (same collection as the Rylan) in two colours. I also have another one (I forgot the name). I found that they hurt my forefoot (I don't have bunions but my forefoot is wide due to flat feet). It must be that I need a size bigger so that I have more room there, but when I tried Danskos a size up in the past, they slide off my feet.

LOL! Donna, I'm a bad influence that way Generally with shoe families (this applies to Dansko, Naot and Fluevogs), they have the same base but different style. I like it that way since I know which shoes would fit me best!

And YES!!! Fussy feet are a PAIN!!! LITERALLY! I don't get nightly foot pain though - mainly when I'm WALKING! If I had not-so-fussy feet, I'd have two closets of shoes. (or more).

@Kate Which Sanita families or styles do you recommend? I've seen the ones with the wooden sole and I am not sure I can wear them because of my flat feet

Carole

Veteran

They have some really cute styles and seems like it would be worth checking out. Sadly I can't wear anything over 2 inches, 1 1/2 is better. I'm tall so that doesn't help either.

MsLuna

Veteran

Carole, neither can I. I have a 2.5 inch limit, but I think I have to wear even LESS than that!! Grrrr!!! I just really do not feel like myself when I'm not wearing heels

Kate

Veteran

MsKK, the only Sanita footwear I have is the Trinette tall boot. It has a 3-1/4" inch wooden heel. All I can say is I spent 8 hours on those heels walking all over NYC this past December and my feet felt fine.

And if they work for me and my pancake flat feet, they might work for you too.

I tried the Sanita brand originally because I found out that they were the company that actually made the clogs Dansko sold—and I loved my Dansko clogs. I noticed a decline in the way my Danskos were fitting a few years ago. Made sense when I discovered recently that Dansko had severed its relationship with Sanita around the same time and started to manufacture its own shoes rather than contract out the work.

Onlineshoes.com has a slew of Sanitas; I saw several adorable non-clog options. This vendor offers free shipping and 365 day returns. I particularly liked the Marianne and Vela sandals.

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Kate

Veteran

Some of the Fluevog styles are also great for those of us with foot issues. I have 5 pairs of them myself, and they are the most comfortable footwear I own. The Operetta family is particularly good—2" to 2.5" heels with great stability, a comfortable footbed and roomy toebox. Not to mention inexpressibly good looking! As a matter of fact, I'm wearing my golden Operetta Mirellas as I write this.

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MsLuna

Veteran

@Kate I should try out the Sanitas then! My concern is definitely ball of foot pain with these high heels, but if your flat feet survived 8 hours in them, that's a good recommendation. I also have a pair of Fluevog Operettas! The black sandal/bootie with cutouts!!! It's my favourite pair of shoes! I found that I had to put Foot Petal cushions on them though because my feet slid around. Aside from that, it was great!

So jealous! They ran out of those golden ones in my size I've been eying those for a while now!

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I tried one pair and *really* didnt like how my heel felt far lower than the rest of my foot...but I have fibro in both feet, arthritis and 4 screws in my left ankle, so that may have caused some of the discomfort...I gotta check out those Fleuvogs! It's SO hard to find cute shoes with roomy toe boxes.

Kate

Veteran

MsKK, because of my flat feet, I routinely put foot petals in all my shoes and boots.What a Godsend they are! I've found that by positioning the FP's tip toes cushions all the way to the very front of the shoe, it hits that sweet spot on my foot just where it needs extra cushioning.

Kate

Veteran

BTW, I had to look up the Fluevog sandal/bootie with the cutouts—Gorgeous! If I had unlimited funds, I could happily be the Imelda Marcos of Fluevogs!

MsLuna

Veteran

@Kate I'm going to try positioning the Foot Petal at the very top of the shoe then! Currently there is a half an inch space between the top of the shoe and the Foot Petal. I must try this then!

I would be the Imelda Marcos of Fluevogs too! I love how funky they are! I have one of the ones from the Miracles family. They're gorgeous but they made me cry in pain when I wore them to a wedding Do you have any other Fluevog families you recommend for flat feet?

Oh with the Dansko Rachel's I was wearing earlier today - I was getting massive amounts of arch pain so I had to cut my shoe-window-shopping short. I also have high instep (tall feet) so the top of my toes are hitting the top of my shoes and they were pinching. Yikes!

I did try out some heeled Doc Martens today though (Darcie). I hesitated for a year about buying them but I think I'll give it a chance. I can probably make it work for my personal style. I wish they had taller ones though!