Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Can we talk about shoes and how much my feet hurt?

I know - I keep getting diverted from my plan to blog about my wardrobe plan for the fall and my colour story.  This has been a problem my whole life - just too much going on in the old noggin!

But....

My feet hurt now!

And this post was born the moment I started to walk to the Coldplay concert Sunday night and had to turn back after only 1/2 block because my feet were already in such agony.

Remember these pretty Arche shoes?  Okay - maybe you can't see them, but I bought them a few years ago for a god-awful price.  They are  "French Walking Shoes".  I like to call them "Shoes that Marie Antoinette should have taken with her to the guillotine.."

 



I could have worn the one truly comfortable pair of Arche shoes I own, white leather ballets, which I am sporting below whilst I traipse around Beacon Hill:

God - I look like someone who just jumped the boat in the 17th century!  Truly, I was cold, it was starting to rain and my feet hurt... Either than or I am ready for the casting call for Les Miserables....
But those shoes would not have matched my outfit and as you know by now, I wanted to look good for Coldplay.  So we turned back and I put on the butterfly sandals (shown above) that I have sported in quite a few posts to date.  These van eli sandals are FLAT.  and really, they are simple and they let the old dogs spread.

The conundrum:

I have flat feet.  I need more support.  I hate shoes that look like they are sensible shoes.  I feel I am giving up so much already to stick to shoes under 3"!  Do I sound whiny?????

BUT... I cannot walk more than about 2 blocks even in 3" shoes.  Impossible.  Pathetic.  Painful.  I become obsessed with the pain and the agony and become quite fretful.

So I have several "categories" of shoes:

1) Shoes for my office - pretty, not sexy, but can't leave the building.  If there is a fire, someone will have carry me out.
Edrice High Heels (Red)
2) Shoes that I "walk out" in - these are my flats - ballets, loafers, that I put on to run errands at lunch.  In the fall, this is a happy time, as I have some low heeled boots. 


3) party shoes.  These used to be very high.  Now I find I cannot even stand in them!

Image 1 of Chinese Laundry Harvest Moon Sequin Heeled Shoe

So, when I arrived back this week, I visited a sensible shoe store.  I was very afraid.  I have seen sensible shoes and they are not me.  Or I am not them.   Whichever it is, I felt this could be the end.  Sure I had a coat now that could see me out, but was I now to be damned to the "sensible shoes" club?  Would I be wearing naturalizer shoes with a very round toe?  How long could it be before I let me hems out and moved to the polyester pants phase of life?  (okay that is another post for another day!)

With great trepidation, I arrived.  Sure, much of the stock was exactly as I had feared.  I will not cast aspersions on any specific brand here, lest I offend one of my fair readers.  But you can get my jist here..

But then - I spied a different kind of sensible shoes.  Sensible shoes with spunk!  I discovered the Fugitive brand, a french company which specializes in pretty shoes that are comfortable.  Many of you may be aware of them.  I am more than aware that I am late to the sartorial party! 

You can visit their website here.  They sell all over North America.

I tried on one pair and I felt like I was wearing slippers, but not in the crocs way - the way that shoes used to feel on me before I got into my 40s...





Pale Grey.  Kid leather.  Comfort personified!

And then I saw these little gold beauties:




I wore them to work today.  My feet did not hurt once and I received many compliments (now I must temper this with the truth - most people where I work do not wear nice shoes, so really, you kind of have to take that with a grain of salt).

I do not know if you will like these shoes.  I love them.  When I got to Paris in a few weeks I will find the fall collection.  My feet are happiness personified.

Oh yes, I also bought a pair of party shoes in Maine from Nine West to replace my high heeled ones that no longer work:




Less than 3" and I could stand in them.  I feigned cocktail party banter with the sales clerk, who was remarkably unimpressed...

I feel that these shoes pass the elegant test, but i am open to comments!

As for how I dressed today..




J Crew 1035 Fine Cotton Blazer in Beechwood, Esprit black sheath dress, new glamorous sensible shoes...

My feet still hurt some.  I recognize the road to recovery will be long and interrupted by completely nonsensical shoe purchases.  But I am trying!

And Dani - I could not find a Chie Mihara in Boston - they are like a holy grail to me now!











17 comments:

  1. I have never heard of Fugitive brand shoes but I am taking note! I have nice high arches and happy feet, but high shoes hurt my bad knee so I am no better off. I really like the pale grey pair. Thanks for sharing. Hey maybe someone should start a blog about pain-free fashion :D

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  2. P.S. I am sorry that your feet hurt!

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  3. I love your new shoes. Maybe the Chie's wouldn't work for you anyway (ajc finds them painful, we all have different feet!) I think you may have found your brand!

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    1. Thanks Dani - I am still searching for Chies to try on! I may find some in Paris! I could always order a pair and return them to try on for size, but that is an expensive way to do business (although I have certainly done this with J Crew!)

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  4. I'm exactly the same, in winter I wear Marks and Spencers fuddy duddy but comfy "Footglove" boots, and I'm selling all of my 4 inch heels and making 2 to three inches my maximum, I never ever wear heels during the day and have to wear padded inserts even on a low heel at night. My feet have been like this since I was a child.
    I love the new shoes too.

    Jules B sell a lot of Chie Maharas but you might have tax and all of that to contend with and would probably want to try on first.

    PS. next year I am going to save for Adirondack chairs!

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    1. I will check out Jules B! I have had feet problems since a child too! DO you think it's our genetic stock or body types???? :-)

      Do they not sell these kinds of chairs in Scotland? They are on sale all over the place here right now - we paid $120 CDN each for ours - maybe around £80? They come in flat boxes, all ready for shipping. I can check how much it is to ship that weight if you want me to do so for you next year when summer finally returns to Scotland!!!

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  5. I love your new shoes, WMM! I'm glad you have found a brand that is comfortable and works for you...no fun to wear shoes that hurt your feet all the time!

    I also have flat feet, and the older I get the more difficult I am finding it to wear heels. As in just the past year it has become more difficult, and I have resorted to wearing flat sandals most of the time. Luckily my boots have nice wedge heels that aren't too high, plus they are all very comfortable, so once fall arrives I will be breaking them out again...can't wait! :)

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    1. I have always thought I should live in Florida year round for the sandals!!!!! and later the MUMUS! OK - that might not fit in my style plans, but boy, would be comfortable!

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  6. Have never heard of Fugitive brand but will see if I can find them in a retail store, maybe Chicago? Would like to try some on. I totally "get" your fear of frumpy shoes; want stylish, comfy arch support and not over $175.00. Is that possible?

    Have had some luck with the brand Fidji. They sell a few styles to try on at Nordstroms and many on line retailers like endless.com sell quite a few styles...they are great for going out or for work but def. not walking all over Chicago and wanting to look stylish shoes.Where are those?????

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    1. Hi Anon!

      I will keep an eye out for these. I bet Chicago would have the Fugitive brand - I think their website notes where they sell - for sure they had Canada listed. My mother gave up to sensible shoes in her 50s. I am battling on!

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  7. I put the transparent gel "cookies" in most of my shoes, not the full insert but just a little cushion that goes right under the arch. And - on the advice of an orthopedic surgeon (sports medicine), I don't wear flat she's. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but it's made an amazing difference to my life. These are sold in drugstores, on the web, and for fun you could get some in the Monoprix in Paris.

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  8. Thanks Fred! I will look for these this weekend! I agree that a small heel is better if you can find one that works. I have worn both of these shoes this week and they felt awesome!

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  9. I cannot find the Fugitive brand at all in the US..am I looking in the wrong place? I googled the brand, no luck...ckd. Endless and Zappos and neither site carries them, any suggestions?

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    1. Anonymous,

      have found a few sources:

      http://www.canadianfootwear.com/browse;cat,86823;Fugitive

      WILL KEEP LOOKING!

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  10. Anonymous - let me dig and I will post back tomorrow later in the day!

    Just started vacation - yippee!

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