OK, this may seem like a really dumb question, but when you get new shoes, is it a given that there will be blisters and some discomfort initially, or do you expect to put them on and be perfect (or nearly) from the get go?

I'll be honest and say that until YLF, I honestly thought it was just par for the course... but now, I'm starting to wonder if its that I actually have fussier feet than I first thought and that's why every single pair of new shoes I buy end up leaving either blisters or rub marks initially - sometimes every wear. I also add those padded gel thingy's to anything with a heel over 2" or more to increase comfort.

I will admit that I have generally only bought cheaper shoes, so I'm starting to think that perhaps I do have fussy feet and need to invest in better quality shoes.

In the past, I actually wore a pair of shoes for an evening that rubbed so badly I ended up losing the entire toenail on my little toe as a result (obviously these shoes were never worn again and are no longer in my wardrobe!), and I find my little toes are always the first to rub/blister. So I'm suspecting my feet are slightly wider than average too... and of course, with cheaper shoes, width options don't exist.

So, please enlighten me - have I been torturing my poor feet for 31 years for no reason other than paying less for shoes, or is this fairly common and to be expected?

(this has been playing on my mind for a while, but the blog post this morning reminded me I wanted to ask!!)