Flats bottoms--shoes silly!

Patty

I want to talk about the flip side of flats or ballet slippers.
I need a new pair, I've basically walked out of the pair I wore last summer.
I need to know what you think of flats with those weird tear drop or not "heel shaped" heels (usually quite low)---I seem to have a strange fear of them. I always get the feeling they're gonna fall off or they will twist or somehow compromise the shoe. Have any of you had any probs with these? So many flats have iffy looking soles to begin with and I am picky but the heel is the deal breaker in most cases.

13 years ago

General

7 replies

Latest reply was from Elly

Elly

Veteran

PATTY! I've missed you : )

I can't do those weird tear-drop shaped heels on flats, which tend to be hard--- I can actually feel them through the sole of the shoe, since most often the actual sole on those type of flats is really unsubstantial and tends to be hard but flimsy (not rubbery or nice substantial leather) once you put my weight on them and break them in. I'm one of those people that walk on the outside of my feet, so that tends to push me "off" the side of the "doo-hickey" and then I'm not walking on the heel but the outer edge of the flimsy sole and the heel is poking me in the arch.

That said, I like supportive shoes or shoes that don't limit how your foot hits the ground at all. My feet can either be comfortably protected and supported above the substrate, or my feet have to be free to accommodate for terrain imperfections. I can deal with shoe confinement and gait changes OR having to protect my feet from nature with the way I walk, but not at the same time.

I do have fussy feet so your mileage may vary.

13 years ago

Patty

Veteran

Hiya back Elly!!! And thank you!

Yes that's what I'm saying!! I never thought about actually feeling the shape but yeah--I would totally feel that thru thin soles. My feet aren't so much fussy but I am easily bugged--"...things may appear larger than they actually are".

13 years ago

Meredith1953

Veteran

Not sure what types of shoes you are describing. Can you post a picture or a link to a picture?

13 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Can she draw a picture? You are talking to a highly gifted artist! I've missed you, too, Patty! I am afraid I have no answers about your shoes because I can't get ANY kind of ballet flats to stay on my feet and much as I love the look and would love to wear them, I can't. Or haven't been able to, yet. Still trying.

13 years ago

Patty

Veteran

I don't post because I usually hardly get any replies--it's frustrating--I hardly feel like it's worth asking questions or showing stuff. But it is the internet and this shouldn't bother me right?

Added--No worries people --this thread is dead.

13 years ago

velvetychocolate

Veteran

I'm also not that clear what you mean by a weird tear-drop heel on flats....

That said, I do know what it's like to be slightly afraid of certain shoe shapes.

Are you talking about low-ish heeled shoes where the bottom of the heel is smaller than the top part of the heel, yet the whole heel looks reasonably chunky enough to feel stable on? Like upside down triangle heels?

13 years ago

Elly

Veteran

I can't find a picture, but I think Patty means this:

You know how some ballet flats, instead of being completely flat on the bottom have a little like 1/4" or less lift on heel portion of the sole?

Sometimes it is the shape of a chunky block heel (i.e. the shape of the whole back 1/3 of the sole, just about an 1/8" thick).

Other times, it seems like there is just a piece of rubber or leather "stuck" onto the sole. A lot of times it doesn't cover the whole "heel" portion of the sole, but is shaped like a 2-D tear (like a pear-shaped diamond outline). The rounded bottom area of the "drop" is set back a little way from the back edge of the sole, and then the "drop" comes to a point near the arch.

Sometimes they are kinda oval shaped instead.

However, I think the main concern is that they don't seem particularly firmly attached to the soles of flats. Usually you don't see any stitching, and flats tend to have cheap- soles to begin with.

I think Patty was asking if anyone has had problems with the (apparently glued on?) extra "heel" piece popping off, peeling away from the shoes, or otherwise impacting comfort, function, or wear?

13 years ago

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