My mistake last year was these Delman bootie/sandal things with a 3/1/2 inch heel - I don't know what I was thinking. Well, actually, I do - I fell in love with the contrasting ankle strap.

My rebellious feet have decided that, other than Birks and sneakers, the only shoes they will wear are Stuart Weitzmans with a 2-1/2 inch or lower heel. This development is wreaking havoc with my budget - and leading to my spending a lot of time searching for SWs at discount outlets and on Ebay. (Though right now I can only bookmark, because Shopping Fast.)

My shoe mistake was running shoes. I bought asics kayanos on Amazon because they've worked for me in the past and were cheaper than in a running store. Then I broke some bones and didn't wear them for months. When I did go for my first run after that injury, something about them was killing my knees and shins. The footbed feels different. It usually serves me better to go get fitted at a running store.

Hmm...I rarely make shoe mistakes but last year I made several.
1. Sofft 'Wendy' booties -- I didn't need these but they were on clearance ($34.99) and fit well. I haven't worn them yet because I have other black booties that I like better. The combination of the laces and the buckles .... Sale goggles.
2. Target 'Terri' wedge booties -- uncomfortable and just not for me. They too were on sale, fortunately....or unfortunately. They seemed ok in the shoe aisle ... I should have left them there.
3. Frye 'Veronica' slouch boots. These may or may not have been a mistake. They need to be broken in and I don't seem to have that kind of patience any more. They are beautiful and I love them but I need to wear them enough for them to mold to the contours of my feet. If I don't wear them this winter I'll probably sell them or put them up on SE.

Oh my. I immediately thought of the Paul Green booties I bought last fall. I love them, but-- Some shoes don't come in a size larger than 10 1/2 US size. My true size is 10 1/2, but at times I need an 11.

These booties are still on my shelf, so today I decided to try them again. I had a dentist appointment and not too much walking. They are snug, but since they are suede I figure they would stretch. The problem is they don't have enough cushioning and are too snug to add Dr. Scholl's shoe liners and still be comfortable.

I think this was the first time I wore them out of the house. I think if I persist they will work out for social occasions, but not for walking a distance.

Probably these. They're too big and inserts don't work. Not sure what to try next. I do love the look of them and otherwise they're comfortable.

I bought sandals last year with open toes. I don't have an issue with open toes shoes but they are rarely on my radar. These I thought would be versatile - three separate strips- white, black and cognac on the stacked heel. And they are comfortable but a bit loose on top as I have low volume feet. Worn may twice. May be they look a bit heavy on my skinny feet or something else is off to my eye. I'm admitting a mistake but will give them another chance comes summer.
COS black flats - hurt my feet, wear them in the office and hope they will stretch. See, admitting is easy, accepting and letting it go not so much.

Well I'm not sure about my Ecco high tops. I'm worried they might make me look stumpy. I might post a WIW about it. The colour, quality, and comfort are outstanding though.

I also bought some converse that are very uncomfortable! Wow! So uncomfortable!

No mistakes from me in 2016. I only bought 3 pairs of shoes in total - 2 pairs of running shoes and some nude Mary Janes.

However I was learning from the mistakes of 2015 with the nudes (an online purchase that was way too big and not worth the reverse postage to return).

Also the 2 pairs of dressier sandals that I bought cheaply i.e., $20 each, at the end of 2015 and have worn since have 1) broken or 2) (see find) are about to break. While I hoped to get 2 summers from them and I nearly did (first day of autumn technically was yesterday) I have decided that going forward I'll buy higher end for dress sandals, and hope that has rewards in durability and comfort. I still have some buttery soft sandals bought in my first years on YLF. They are too high to wear often, but that level of comfort with a lower chunkier heel is what I'll look for in the summer of 17/18.

I am happy to report I haven't made any shoe mistake this year! (then again, didn't buy any lol).

I have made so many shoe mistakes it's not a joke anymore. I too have bunion and fussy feet issues, but my worse must be a pair of red flat (heel-less, really) side zipped Ara's Jenny booties. The combination of absolutely no elevation, high top, round toe and high vamp makes my leg especially stumpy and I don't know what came over me but when I got them I was convinced it was an absolutely good idea. Every Spring and every Fall I try them on with hopes. Yet they remain intact, unworn. I have to admit the style - very European looking - is just not dainty me.

What counts as a mistake? I made more mistakes in 2015 than 2016, but I bought a lot more footwear that year.

I rarely wear the silver and gold shoes below, especially not the gold because I mostly wear silver elsewhere. It is mostly due to lack of comfort when my feet swell up. I think I am a bit lazy when it comes to tying laces, and laced shoes tend to fit me a bit better than buckles. I almost never wear any of my pairs of booties, some of which are laced so fit better than non-laced.

The coral shoes below arrived today. Gotta decided if they are comfy enough to keep and whether they are for a fantasy life/fantasy me. Would the laces deter me? The block heel is super stable and comfy. I need something when clogs are just.too.clunky.

Oh dear. Does over indulgence count as a mistake? I definitely overdid it at the Zara sale but at some point they were the equivalent of $15 - and Zara shoes tend to fit me really well. I really need to look carefully because I will unabashedly admit I cannot remember all the shoes that have come through my closet this year.

It has been fun reading this thread. I have not made fit mistakes this year but probably bought too many shoes. My least worn pair are navy kitten heel pumps with a sling back. I bought them for my growing collection of navy, including two dresses. I just have not been reaching for them but for something else instead. I think the problem is that they are nothing special...just kind of boring. Maybe they will get more wear this spring/summer.

Probably these Frye Melanie mules. I love the gray/taupe color and I wore that type of closed toe flat mule a lot around the turn of the millennium, but I probably should have sized down in these. They don't stay on my feet that great, so I didn't tend to wear them last summer when I needed to walk any distance...which is basically always. Gonna give them the old college try again this spring because they are pretty shoes and useful for my wardrobe.

Not working hard enough to find what I really needed. I really need a pair of comfortable black or gray

leather

shoes or booties. But at this point I may just wait for next fall/winter.

Buying a pair of faux suede 4 inch black heels even though they were 2 sizes too small and then trying to wear them. Pretty big mistake!

My biggest mistake was having to wear an orthopedic boot!!!!!!!

My biggest shoe mistake was letting my husband come to work with me one day - I keep half of my shoes at work, as I commute in flats. I think seeing the big pile in my office gave him a small shock, lol!

My biggest shoe mistake of 2016 was this pair of boots. In theory, these should have been workhorses... yet in my current style journey they are not refined or pretty enough. I seem to want to wear more streamlined shoes than these now and this has been reflected in my more recent purchases. These boots were perfect for my style 2-3 years ago, but my tastes have changed, which has resulted in these rather fab boots to languish rarely worn.

Wow, I have loved reading all these contributions!

Lots of us have learned from past mistakes, which is inspiring.

Lots of us are still making many mistakes, which is comforting in a "you are not alone" sort of way.

And lots of us are somewhere in the middle of that journey.

Biggest mistake was the blue/grey reikers. I thought they were cute and they are reasonably comfortable, but they are quite clunky in appearance. Sand gets into the perforations easily which is not good for a sporty look I want to wear outdoors. Also they have a sock liner that my feet stick to a bit in warmer weather which is a bit unpleasant. Like clothing, I tend to go for color and pattern and not think enough about fit and silhouette.

The grey sneakers feel great but I just don't feel great in them. I did buy up a bit to make sure I could fit real socks so they look big on my feet but it's more than that and I'm not quite sure what it is. Maybe again a bit too clunky, the lacing hardware is almost industrial in feel.

I ordered these in 2 sizes and as ususl had to decide how comfy to get my R foot which is bigger and bunioned.
I sized up, but then could never get the fit right in the heel despite several types of inserts and " fixers". They just don't feel or fit right, too boat- like, and don't look the same in the larger size. But, I wore them a couple of times.
So I had to let them go.

We're all in this together, YLFers. Been there, I promise -- you are not alone.

I was thinking to myself about my shoe purchases from last year, and feeling all smug that I didn't make any mistake, when I scrolled through my pinterest feed and saw this one pair of black ballet flats. silly me! Technically, this may not be my fault, but anyway. I wore them only a few times last year, and they were very comfy. Then one day, I got caught in a torrential downpour and was completely drenched, including shoes. When the shoes dried (in front of an electric heater as I was in a hurry, and now realize was a big mistake), they were at least one full size too big, and they never regained their original shape/size. so there you go, not a purchase mistake per se, but a costly shoe mistake.
Oh, and if anyone has an idea, I'd be happy to hear, otherwise I'll just donate them.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/91127592439966756/

Loved reading and looking at these and I am sure I have learned nothing at all and I am not remorseful. Perhaps it is a good thing that I am not buying from the Bay this year (political). That store is the source of my best shoe deals. So automatically this means I won't be buying as many and won't be able to make as many mistakes! So why does that make me sad?

I cheaped out and bought a pair of sneakers from Easy Spirit for walking. I've bought other E.S. footweat for work/casual, and they've provided enough support and comfort for my somewhat fussy feet. But the walking shoes haven't been supportive enough, and now I'm having knee pain. The sneakers have been demoted to gardening shoes, and I'm back to high-quality, pricey shoes for my exercise walking.

Ok, I just got a slap in the face... as I was boasting above that I hadn't made any mistake (yet!) in 2017, that very day, walking with hubby in a mall I fell for a pair of flat heel half-calf lace-up FAUX leather booties... and I regret it now.
It was 60$ on sale, and they looked so good, and I thought here is the moment to buy boots, at the end of the season... I tried them on and they fit, and the SA told me they looked good, and I figured, 60 bucks, it's a good deal for footwear, and because they are flat, my bunion won't complain...
ok, my bunion doesn't complain but... I do! I hate the feeling of faux leather, they crack around as I move, like plastic, not to mention they are flimsy, not warm, cheap looking. Lesson learned. Yet again.

KD -- it's a process. Lifelong, it seems.

I got back to this thread via Jill58's Sofft Wendy booties, as I was reading her boots thread. So could you all report back, 6 months later, if you did or did not wear the shoes you mentioned through your spring and summer? I'm curious.

These Naya sandals wound up being a huge mistake. They were so comfortable when I got them. Then the great septic system debacle happened, and I now suffer from sciatica. These sandals aggravate it like nobody's business. They had to go.

I don't think I have made any shoe mistakes the last year.

A couple of years ago, I noticed that my feet size had changed a little with age, so since then I have bought shoes that are slightly larger than those I used to buy. And I have promised myself that I'll will never again wear shoes which feel uncomfortable.

In the last year, I got rid of several pairs which either were too small or just looked worn out. I evaluate my shoe wardrobe at the beginning of each new season (= 4 times a year). And sometimes, I even shop months in advance if I see items I know I need, for instance as replacements of worn out items. Three weeks ago, I saw, and tried on, a roomy pair of lined winter boots which I liked so much that I decided to buy them immediately, though I would probably not need them before late November (but by then, these darlings may be sold out). In the meantime, I have been invited to join a friend for a special trip to a very beautiful but cold place, so lucky me am now packing my new winter boots and other warm stuff--we will leave in two days.