Could you get custom boots made?
It is 30 degree C above in my part of the world or about 83 F in the land down under in the state of Queensland, in Australia. Sunny with a gentle sea breeze most days. This is the average for this time of the year .The humidity is bit on the high side. Anyone want to come and visit me.
You too can get around in spongy comfy thongs and have sweaty feet from the heat. All I have got to fit my feet into is these ugly Crocs brand of thongs and sort of sandle back type shoe. They are made like soft orthotics with their moulded soles and little soft bumps to help massage the soles of my feet. I am sure they have gone out of fashion they have lasted me three seasons now. Thats was probably why they were selling them off on Special when I brought them and two for the price of one.
I am not sure what I will buy when they wear out. I wear the thongs every day in the warmer weather about 5 months of the year. I have nothing else that will fit my feet comfortably. I have so much trouble walking on my wretched feet. so now I hardly leave home.
I mostly have to wear my ugly thongs out when I do have to go out. The only pair in my size on special happened to be in hot pink and lime green, I wasn't too fussy at the time and I only thought I would use them to go to the beach. I brought them in desperation one day when I could still go out shopping and I could hardly walk on my feet in the shoes I had on. I brought these ugly thongs to get my poor sore feet home. These colours may be alright for a younger person but I am now in my mid sixties. Thank goodness I live in this warm climate and people dress very casually because of the warm climate..
My ugly thongs look so hideous when I am in a dress or a skirt. Sometimes I have no choice after rummaging around in a big plastic box full of shoes trying so many of them on in hope that I can find something else to put on my feet. I give up and go back to my ugly thongs. I other pair of Croc shoe type sandal I use for winter or cooler weather. Bright blue with air holes in them made out of the same type of rubbery spongy material and with an over rounded shape in the front . So ulgy but the soft spongy material to walk on helps to cushion my feet. It is the best I have found so far. They look like some type of gardening shoe but I can't do gardening any more.
My toes are so deformed that they now point outwards instead of forward with one of my little toes now hanging over the edge of most sandals.
I paid good money to get orthotics and and good leather flat shoes to fit them in. A month later I couldn't get my fit into them. I have sandles with velcro straps that adjust depending on how much swelling I have and how much my feet hurt.
The next time I put them on my feet it is like putting someone else's shoes on, they no longer fit the shape of my feet. I do feel that my feet must be constantly changing their shape.
I go out and hope no one will notice my ugly shoes and whenever I can hide them under a chair or table I do. Well I pretend to myself that people rarely look down because they need to look ahead. The advantage about getting older is no one seems to care what I look like anymore.
Oh, I saw your subject and had to post. I confess I did not read all the posts. Those of you who know me know how I love my shoes, guess you could call it an obession - agree guys? I am so looking for the best and most comfortable pair I can wear, but they have to be stylist too. Worst person ever here to talk about shoes, love them, need them, want them. Sigh, nothing better than a great pair of shoes - unless you throw a purse in as well.. OK so I know I am no help and I probably need help, just saw the subject and started to need shoes. Sorry, leaving here now, hope others will help you better than me!
Over the past 6 yrs I've switched from Dansko (which worked GREAT for years), to Birkenstocks, to Haflinger felt clogs for winter (Seattle area, no snow, just cold and damp). When my plantar fascitis flares up I wear my LL Bean mocs, they are cushiony and supportive. My husband just bought me sheepskin slippers for Christmas, they are SO fuzzy and warm, with a nonslip sole. I've been wearing them when my feet are stiff, and the warmth helps keep them more limber. He got them at REI.
Unfortunately my feet problems change every few years, and I accumulate more expensive shoes. Sigh.
I wear boots all the time as a medic.
Yea I hate it when my achilles starts acting up.
Check into Converse I never have a problem with their High Tops.
Rest of time I wear Rockies and they do well
You made me laugh, though! hahahah
MAT said:
Oh, I saw your subject and had to post. I confess I did not read all the posts. Those of you who know me know how I love my shoes, guess you could call it an obession - agree guys? I am so looking for the best and most comfortable pair I can wear, but they have to be stylist too. Worst person ever here to talk about shoes, love them, need them, want them. Sigh, nothing better than a great pair of shoes - unless you throw a purse in as well.. OK so I know I am no help and I probably need help, just saw the subject and started to need shoes. Sorry, leaving here now, hope others will help you better than me!
I have ankle and tendon problems and I am so bl**dy minded I still persevere with some shoes. The pain eases after the first hour I find...
… your feet go numb! LOL, Gwynneth, what we women will do in the name of fashion!!
GwynnethP said:
I have ankle and tendon problems and I am so bl**dy minded I still persevere with some shoes. The pain eases after the first hour I find...
Numb is good! It's when the feeling floods back in that there's a problem!
Don’t think for a minute you’re unique in your obsessive love of shoes! If you’re looking for a brand that is fashionable, comfortable and orthotic-friendly, check out Munro American. They are very pricey, but heck, you’re only going to buy one pair. Right? 
MAT said:
Oh, I saw your subject and had to post. I confess I did not read all the posts. Those of you who know me know how I love my shoes, guess you could call it an obession - agree guys? I am so looking for the best and most comfortable pair I can wear, but they have to be stylist too. Worst person ever here to talk about shoes, love them, need them, want them. Sigh, nothing better than a great pair of shoes - unless you throw a purse in as well.. OK so I know I am no help and I probably need help, just saw the subject and started to need shoes. Sorry, leaving here now, hope others will help you better than me!
Thanks, I will check them out now!
I am looking up Munro right now! I just bought a pair of Dansko. Since they started making some of their styles with a memory foam foot bed over a really ridged high arch support I am going crazy. I bought a red shoe that is a very modern looking Mary Jane. The strap velcroes over the arch so I can adjust it. And it has little flowers in the leather along the arch! So cute!
Between my feet, toe swelling, and ankles I’ve been in slippers only for a few months now. I’ve tried many kinds of sneakers and shoes with no luck. I finally ordered a set of converse chucks a size too big and they are almost as comfortable as slippers and tied actually give me a bit of ankle support without causing pain. Everyone’s pain is different but just keep trying and you’ll find something that works.
Much to my husband's chagrin, I've been living in Crocs for some time now. He thinks they're really ugly and stupid. Of course, I'm wearing the clunky looking ones, because those are the ones that are wide enough to not hurt my feet. I've also found that not wearing shoes around the house makes my feet worse.
I had a question about the Klogs though, are they hot and sweaty? I saw there are sandal ones, but just the basic Klogs?
I wore nothing but crocs (yes, the clunky ones) from January until September, and I was sooooo sick of them. DH, bless his heart, made no comment.
I was afraid of the Klogs being hot and sweaty, but they’re not bad at all. I ordered the wide and they were fine in September, but by Christmas I guess one foot had swollen a bit and I was getting pressure on the top of it, so I took the thick, cushy insoles out and replaced them with thinner, drugstore ones. Problem solved, but I do miss the lovely spongy springy insoles. I hope my foot swelling subsides so that I can have the plush insoles back.
That’s the other advantage of Klogs: insoles are removable, washable and apparently you can order new ones when they wear out.
BTW, Stoney, the best rated model for people with cranky feet seems to be Naples, which is the one I got. I will be getting another pair, maybe in a colour, probably in the spring.
Stoney said:
Much to my husband’s chagrin, I’ve been living in Crocs for some time now. He thinks they’re really ugly and stupid. Of course, I’m wearing the clunky looking ones, because those are the ones that are wide enough to not hurt my feet. I’ve also found that not wearing shoes around the house makes my feet worse.
I had a question about the Klogs though, are they hot and sweaty? I saw there are sandal ones, but just the basic Klogs?
I'm so glad that I'm not the only one that is having trouble and upset about not being able to wear fashionable shoes )334 views of this discussion at this writing). Thanks for posting this discussion PinkCamoChick! I was at Ross yesterday and looked away quickly when I passed the shoe section - I didn't want to be mourning for shoes in public :-)
Frances, not at all! Shoes are items of beauty. I’ve always bought good quality sensible shoes, with the occasional fashion splurge. Those days are so over, and your choice of “mourning” describes it perfectly. I know I should say “so what, who cares, this is minor compared to the other stuff”. But sometimes it’s the little things like this which really bother me.
For sure, Frances...I have lots of "from the past" shoes that I love. They are just waiting for me to wear them, and sadly, I can't. :( The pain just is not worth it. You are not alone!!!!
It's clear with deluge of responses to this discussion, that we need a shoe support group :-)
Shoes are frustrating. For about a year, I switched to splurging on hair ornaments (barrettes, bobby pins with bling, etc). Now I'm back to obsessing about shoes (but not buying this time, knowing how few work for me). I think we do need a shoe support group!