Shoes! It seems silly, but I am serious

[celloyogi]

I have several pairs of Born shoes and love them. My mom, who has two of the "most interesting feet" her foot surgeon has seen in his 30yrs of experience, also loves Born. Born makes a lot of loafers/ballet flats and they are very supportive and durable. Generally not inexpensive, but I have a few pairs that have lasted 6+ years with heavy usage (several times a week).

The other brands I've had a lot of luck with are Keen and Merrell. Neither (to my knowledge) make "fancy" shoes but they have very nice casual shoes, boots, sandals, etc. Again, not inexpensive but very well made, comfortable, durable.

After years of buying new inexpensive shoes every few months to try and find something that wouldn't hurt her feet, my mom finally took my advice and bought two pairs of expensive shoes that she knew were comfortable and high-quality and would last a very long time.

[Kippy]

Our daughter's wedding is next month and I have a long dress, so I decided to just get flats that I can walk in. But I may take my flipflops along too. No more heels, (I'm below 5 feet but too bad!) but well-made flats with enough width, but not too much, help me balance a bit. I also look for shoes that curve up in the front for the footdrop.

Clarks are good. I know how you feel about the lack of glitz for us, but I figure that as long as I can still walk, that's okay.

[HereIam]

I am almost always in Keds or in Clark slides. But, when I have a dressy occasion, instead of going stylish, I've gone funky and it works. Crocs makes a line of ladies flats (not their flip flops, which are suicide) that come in a few different styles and colors. They add some serious funk and interest to a dressy outfit, are comfy and because they are relatively thin soled, help my feet feel the ground better. If I'm in my wheelchair, they are just a cute little addition.

[Twiggs]

Shoes to Fit

I have found that ballet slippers work and you can use your insert. They come in a varity of color. They are danity and look really smart with a sun dress or an evening gown. You can even add to them. They are not expensive. Try a pair and see if you like them. They just slip right on. I hope this solves your problem as I was a 9in heel wear myself and sometime still can get away with it, but not very often. Good luck I hope this helps Blessed Be Twiggs

[lisadee]

Oxfords?

Sturdy lace-up, classic, and in-sole friendly:

http://www.forzieri.com/usa/product_...=goo&listid=1x

[DianeD]

Ooooh....shoes!

I hate shoe shopping. Now days, unlike in my youth, it's so hard to take my shoes off in the store and try others on.

I did get a wonderful catalog for quite some time which had all kinds of shoes in it. Everything.

I'm thinking that your problem is with support? Orthontics shouldn't take up so much space that you can't fit them into your shoes.

So assuming they will fit into something aside from tennis shoes I think you just need to find something pretty with support.

At this moment the name of the catalog has slipped my mind (or what is left of it).

I'm going to try to remember the name of it and I will come back here and put it on this thread. I do know you can purchase the shoes and if they do not fit send them back.

Do you think you could find an alternative for wearing a cocktail dress? That does make it harder to find something as most shoes for that type of dress are going to be skimpy. I'd go for some palazzo style pants with a lovely tunic top. Something flowing.

If you do have to wear tennis shoes why not make sure they are glitzy. You wouldn't be the first and not the last to have to wear more supportive shoes.

Think outside the box and remember that you are doing this with the intention of enjoying your evening out, not being a fashionista.

Good Luck.

Diane

[Justsayyes]

My MIL was getting this shoe catalog, footsmart. Lots of shoes with comfort in mind, many of the brands we have talked about Born, Clarks, etc.

http://www.footsmart.com/

[Tawanda]

It can still be done with a lot of concentration!

I just realized something about myself, looking at your post. I never wore high heels, nor did I have the desire to wear high-heels, until M.S. told me I couldn't! Like a rebellious child, now I want to wear high heels because I can't! Let's face it...they're sexy and we look great in them! It's too bad the wedges this year don't work for you. Maybe you are psyching yourself out, try to think, "heel, toe, heel, toe, heel, toe" as you walk. Sounds silly, but it works (as long as you don't chew gum!).

[trinailges]

RE: The Ladies' Room

I can relate. I lov, lov, lov my shoes. And walking like a lady. Well those days are a memory. MS has change all that. I now dress up with what is termed ballarena slippers. I hate it but thats what it has come down to. I have found blk. patton leather, wht, and fun prints even @ Pay less. J.C. Penneys,ect. I hate it too. But.......what do ya do? good luck

[MyGirlsMom]

Comfy Shoes

Yes, I can no longer wear heels either....if the heel is higher than the toe. I do wear Dansk with the strap and I find them still quite comfortable.

One shoe you might want to check out....I just got my REI catalog in the mail and saw two really cute shoes. On was Teva Westwater 2 shoes (they can get wet!) and the other was Jambu Dune Sandals. The latter has leather straps, foam cushioning and flexy EVA outsoles. I told my husband that they looked so cute I may need to go see how comfy they are!

Hope that helps!

[kebsa]

as i mentioned in my other post in this thread, i have been able to find places where i can buy shoes that are acceptable to me, even so they are not the really fashionable shoes i would have worn yrs ago (that makes me sound old!). When i was younger i used to buy a lot of shoes but now i definately do not skimp on cost but do not buy them as often- instead i have transfered to collecting handbags ( you guys say purse i think) instead'

my other issue with shoes these days is that as i am also an amputee, one shoe is destined to the garbage straight away- i know someplaces have sites where poeple can trade extra shoes but not here so its straight into the bin they go- such a pity, it would be great to have a shoe buddy, someone with the same size and taste inshoes as me but missing the opposite leg so we could buy the same styles and share!!

[Kimba22]

How I miss pretty shoes. I have a positive Babinski reflex, so can't hold shoes on my feet. (You ever wonder why the neuro scrapes the bottom of your foot? This is what he/ she is checking for ... not suposed to have this reflex where your toes go up instead of down after age 2). I noticed a few years before I was dx I was not able to hold slides on my feet walking up an incline, and then I felt like I teetered when I wore high heels for my baby's baptism, to which my stupid PCP responded I shouldn't be wearing those types of shoes anymore (at 30??? I wasn't an old lady!!!). Turns out this is a red flag a neurogenerative disease is going on!

Anyways, I have to wear very flat shoes with very thin soles (so I can "sort of" feel the ground). They have to be secure on my feet, or else I will step out of them. No heels, no wedges, no slip ons, no backless shoes, no cute ballet flats, not even slippers stay on. I usually wear flat, low profile Sketchers tennis shoes (a girl who never liked to wear tennis shoes unless I was excercising). I have to be careful how thick the sole is, even if the shoe is flat, because I can barely feel the bottom of my feet or the floor.

I found a pair of black patent Mary Jane Sketchers (with a wider strap across the center top of my foot) to wear for my bf's fancy wedding at a country club outside Washington D.C. I wore them with a black pair of chiffon slacks and an ivory, pearl beaded chiffon blouse. The shoes weren't the "perfect" touch, but much more attractive than falling down!!! (There was enough of that, her elderly aunt passed out in the front row from a diabetic insulin problem ... right before the bride was to walk down the isle! EMS was called and they revived her, but took her out on a stretcher! TG she was ok, but sure scared everyone )

I miss the pretty dresses, non-elastic waist pants, wearing different jewelry (can't feel with my fingers anymore to put it on by myself), playing with my hairstyle, even pantyhose ... lol) I realized all the fluff and stuff doesn't really matter in the big picture of life, anyway ... people are just glad to see me and I'm even happier I was able to get out that day to see them.

I don't need to impress anyone anymore, and I just do the best I can.

[bluegiraffe]

Yep; shoes are tough for me. Have all the challenges many have raised, along with not easily being able to put shoes on or off even and my feet have become swollen due to immobility.

Recently bought some Crocs that are wider (I wear a 6.5 normally) and easy to slip on/off with a back strap.

Am looking a a pair of Merrell ballet flats to buy a bit larger in the hopes they will be a bit dresser.

Also find the UGGS work good in the winter.

A lot more effort but there are so options with many styles thank goodness.

If anyone has other ideas would love to hear them

[Temagami]

Not dressy, but comfy and help with gait

Just picked up a pair of Tevas- the kind with the velcro strap and it´s a sandal. Oh my, great sensory input, massages the feet and my gait is better.

[ABrill3448]

Wedgies

All your posts have given me such a laugh after such a lousy day. I have to vouch for wedgies for a special occasion like a wedding or baptism at least for photos, then ballerina flats for the rest of the day. I am lucky I guess to work as a nurse where we all wear heavy duty sneakers to work. I agree though falling flat on your face is less attractive than the heels..Love all your posts!