My Feet are Philistines

Thistle

My feet refuse to find Aquatalia or Paul Green (yeah, PAUL GREEN) comfortable. Let's not even talk about anything made by Rebecca Minkoff.

Offer them a pair of Munros or Clarks, and they're happy as clams.

*shakes heads as she packages up a beautiful pair of amazingly well made Aquatalias to return*

5 years ago

Dressing

21 replies

Latest reply was from DonnaF

delurked

Veteran

Last year I tried those same brands to no success. I was having foot discomfort so I started looking higher. Instead I had more success looking lower. I was surprised too, but the results didn’t lie.

5 years ago

cindysmith

Veteran

Right now, I'm mad at my feet for much the same. So many beautiful shoes just went into the donate pile. (((hugs)))

5 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I'm not sure if I should be sorry or happy for you!

It does reinforce that price is only one part of the equation.

5 years ago

Joyce B

Veteran

I think it depends on the last that they used for the shoe. Some models work and some don’t. Keep in mind that you are shopping for Fall when your feet will not be swollen like in Summer so the shoes will fit much looser even with thin socks on. This is not meant to dissuade you from returning, it is just to point out the difficulty in shopping for shoes off season. The same thing goes when shopping for Summer shoes in early Spring.
The good side is that the shoes that work for you have a much better price point .

5 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I've had the same experience Thistle - shoes and bras for me seem to be better in the mid-range I guess. I have had success with UGG, some Clarks, Teva sandals, Lucky booties, and Sofft slip on sneaks in particular.

5 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

So so true! And not just shoes. My body loves old navy cuts and shuns higher price points.

5 years ago

Anonymous

I feel your pain.

5 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

Thanks, guys. Good to know I'm not alone.

After breaking my foot and being diagnosed with plantar facitis, I was trying higher price points thinking they'd be better. And once you see the quality, and pet the suede or leather at these price points...

But, it's all about comfort for me. So whatever makes my feet happy!

5 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I am convinced it is not about price point, it is about who cuts for your particular shape — whether it’s foot or body! I’ve tried and worn shoes all over the price spectrum, and some cheap shoes work great because they just FIT, while other brands (like Birks or Clark’s or a lot of “comfort” brands) do not work for me because they are meant for wider or more high volume or more arched feet. I’m a big fan of shopping the full range of offerings to find brands that work. If they end up being a bargain, so much the better!

5 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It's all in the last. Some brands work for some and some for others.

5 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

"All in the last"

I am taking that to mean some type of foot model, not in the last pair of shoes made.

5 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

The last is the mold that is used to form the shoe. So you want/need to find brands that uses a mold close to the shape of your foot.

5 years ago

LaPed

Veteran

Yep, same. PG and Aquatalia are both too low-volume for me, especially with boots, which I want to be able to wear with warm winter socks. Blondos run large/wide IME, so those might be worth a look for you.

I find it much easier to shop for shoes in person -- much easier to judge which ones are worth trying. I found a pair of Ecco boots locally that are super comfy, when that is usually a brand that runs too narrow for me.

5 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

What LaPed said about IRL shopping.
I wish all the shoe depts were arranged like DSW so I could just plonk in my foot, and go Yep! , or “ next!” But without online shopping I’d never have been able to find some of my wardrobe workhorses. High return rate, though.

5 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

I have a pair of PG sandals that work, but so far the closed toe shoes and boots don't, although I see that they now have larger sizes in some of their flats. Aquatalia don't work either--just aren't comfortable.

Stuart Weizmann used to be my best shoes, but since they sold out to I think Jones New York (I think) I haven't found much I can wear comfortably.

Thank goodness for Munro and Clarks.

5 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

This is one of the reasons online shopping does not work for me. My feet are extremely hard to please. They are happy in certain brands and get very upset when I try something new.

5 years ago

Greyscale

Veteran

Same. Paul Green only rarely works for me - my feet are generally too wide. But when they work, the extra quality does make them more comfortable for me (the stiff shank / sole is good for my particular foot issues).

It seems that the more refined the shoe, the less likely it is to fit me well, since the high-end brands often design for a more feminine, delicate foot shape.

I'm realizing how lucky I am that the floor models are usually my size. It makes it easy to wander around a shoe section and try on everything.

5 years ago

Bijou

Veteran

It is the shoes, not you. We all have fit issues with different garments. My feet are long and narrow, so often Paul Greens don’t fit me for the opposite reason. I just get annoyed that more manufacturers don’t cater for varying widths.

5 years ago

Anonymous

Hmmmm. I ordered the Paul Green this NAS. I thought Angie had suggested they could work for a wider foot. Perhaps I read what I wanted to see. I do admit to having trepidation as I was ordering medium width when I knew full well that wide width worked for me much more often. My mistake.

5 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thistle, your feet are unique and fabulous.

BTW, have you tried going up half a size in a PG shoe? They work very well for clients with wider feet that way (German sizing can be tricky....)

5 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

The Paul Greens I've tried have all been too narrow. Never tried Aquatalia because I don't wear tall boots. I've also concluded that Munros are too high volume for my feet. Or something. They don't really work for my feet.

The $22 Topshop slides below fit me perfectly and offer just the right amount of support and don't slide off. The downside is that they are PVC and not leather. I would pay almost anything to get the same exact thing in leather.

Debating whether to keep the Josef Seibels because they are SO UGLY and clunky. But comfy. They would replace another pair of similarly styled shoes that are oddly wrinkly. I think the Seibels are perennials, so I'm not in a big rush. What I need/want are flats that are a bit more delicate and refined.

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5 years ago

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