Hey everyone!
I happened upon this forum in my search for narrow shoes. Since I generally like fashion I thought I might as well join and see if anyone else had similar issues with finding clothes and shoes, and if maybe some people have had success.
I am a nearly-26 year old American college girl. I have very narrow heels. They are a AAA width, and my size is 7.5. I'm also very picky about style, and have a tiny budget with my $9.50 an hour job. As you can imagine, I just usually end up compromising and buying shoes that I think are "less ugly" than the rest when I need new shoes. It's pretty rare that I actually get to buy things that I think are stylish.
My narrow-footed mother seems to have less trouble, but she is an A width, is in her fifties, and is a kindergarten teacher who loves comfy shoes with flowers/fun designs. Unfortunately I prefer sleek, stylish, minimalist looks with just the right amount of embellishment and just the right cut. Since I never have the money for that, I pretty much never buy shoes. However, now that I'm getting nearer to finishing my degree I'm finding that I need professional looking shoes more often, and what I do have is much more appropriate for evening-wear. I also don't want to be on my feet all day in heels. So, has anyone with a similarly narrow heel who is under the age of 65 found some non-old lady looking shoes that actually fit? Or do you simply wear the B width and put up with walking around with blistered/bloodied heels all day? Am I just a wimp xD ?
I've tried putting in heel grips and using insoles, while wearing those little socks for flats in normal B-width flats, and I still got blisters and little cuts all over my feet. I seem to be able to do this with AA width shoes and it works out great, but anything bigger and it's a disaster. Stylish AA width shoes are also almost as difficult to find as AAA width, so that's an issue anyway. Other options have been to put an extra hole in a strappy shoe with a needle, but I haven't had much luck finding strappy heeled (or open heeled) flats that don't look frumpy or unprofessional.
I used to shop at Marmi's, but their styles are now much more geared to an older crowd. Once in awhile I have luck at Nordstrom's, but have to wait for the sales and hope my there are shoes in my size that aren't hideous. Even a large percentage of middle aged and older women seem to hate those ugly shoes, so I don't see why it's so difficult to find shoes that actually look good and fit properly.
As for things other than shoes, I am short. I have a very short inseam, about 27 inches, and I have wide hips disproportionate to the rest of my body. All of my fat goes to my hips, thighs, and belly. I have a hard time finding cute clothes. Once again, everything that fits me was designed for someone who is at least 20 years older than me. Argh! I'm not plus size either, I'm a size 6. I just have curvy hips/a large caboose xD. Apparently I'm just this super awkwardly shaped individual and I am cursed to look like either an old lady or a little girl dressing up in her mother's clothes, and I am doomed to hobble around in uncomfortable shoes, or old lady shoes forever, until the end of time.
So, other than visiting a tailor and paying way too much money for shoes and/or opting for the ugly old lady shoes, does anyone have any suggestions for me?
Any help is greatly appreciated, honestly!