Shoe recs needed

[blamebrampton]

The world is depressing, I am turning to shopping in a bid to up my girlie cred. But I need help. I was raised by men and lesbians. From a grooming perspective, this is akin to being raised by wolves.

I have manky feet. To begin with, they're duck feet. Little heels and broad chimpanzee-like toes from a childhood of frequent barefootness. And then there's the mangling. After ballet as a young lass my toes are horrid. Which was bad enough in itself, but then I shattered one of my feet in a huge cycling accident, so now my already high instep is even higher on one side thanks to the rebuild.

All of this means that I find it very hard to find comfy shoes that fit. And possibly even look good. I can live with look ordinary if the comfort factor is high enough, as I can distract people from my shoes without too much effort. But I desperately need some more brands to choose from.

Currently my shoe wardrobe is Birkenstocks, Doc Martens, ethical Converse rip-offs, Brooks trainers and riding boots. It is the shoe wardrobe of a sexually unfussy teenager who spends her weekends at Pony Club, Goth Club or anti-apartheid rallies. I was that teenager, but a lot of my flist wasn't born then.

So, you lot shop like fiends. Any recommendations? Size 36 or 37, wide fitting preferred, fit a high instep, can be walked in for long distances by even the gimpiest, some connection to looking like a grown-up woman shoe appreciated. And able to be resoled, because I will walk through them before the uppers go.

Many thanks for any suggestions!

Still avoiding the Olympics, but a dear friend had a very worthwhile rant to me today when the Australian broadcaster cut the last 20 minutes of the women's hockey, a sport in which the Australian team is one of the top three in the world and a game in which they were winning, to show the men's water polo team losing. "Because god forbid women's sport be taken seriously! Unless it's an Aussie swimmer!" she ranted. And the male water polo players weren't even hot.

PS Happy Birthday EEYORE! (I have the memory of an idiot fish)

Comments

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

My latest find: Trippen. Really funky, REALLY comfy. It's the first ever shoes with 5 cm heels I've been able to wear -- no pain, no discomfort, soft like gloves. And they fit my high instep! Which happens, like, never :)

This site sells some of Trippen shoes.

These are mine. Seriously, I couldn't believe a pair of funky shoes could be so comfy. I spent the layout round-the-clock in them and never noticed I wasn't wearing slippers.

Only IMO, one needs trying shoes on when buying them.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Ooh! They ARE lovely!

It's getting to the point where I am prepared to travel with almost empty suitcases and come home with shoes that fit. There is more to life than Birkenstocks!

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

Birkenstocks don't suit me. I don't feel comfy in them at all 'cos I have long toes, and they are of uneven length. If their sandals fit my instep, they never fit toes, and vice versa.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

They are a bit toe-squishy. I always end up with them in a size too large for that reason, but they are generally comfy on my feet aside from that. If I was a shoe designer, I would have a range that dealt with Feet as They Are and there would be options for the long-toed and high-instepped, etc.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

They have stockists in Sydney! I am There! (well, in 9 hours when the shops open ...)

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

Well, I hope they feel comfy for you. Not every pair of their shoes fit me, but those that did, did marvellously. Poor shop assistant though. I tried on, like, 30 pairs.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

HA! But worth it! I doubt there will be that many in the range here, and they will probably be very expensive, but there is also a shop in Florence, so I can just wait until November if it comes to that.

[painless-j.livejournal.com]

I bought mine in Antwerp. The shop was smallish. And no, they weren't cheap. About 170 Euro. But worth it, as for me.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Alas! They were lying about stocking them in Sydney. Though I discovered a new designer I can't afford: Alistair Trung, lovely clothes!