Do you ever wear shoes that don't fit?

[MalfordOfLondon]

There's a massive difference between "slightly too small" and "slightly too big" IMO.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Originally Posted by StephenStyle

There's a massive difference between "slightly too small" and "slightly too big" IMO.

Shoes that are too narrow or too small may cause irreversible foot damage if worn for long periods of time. This includes bunions.

 

[RatherAnOddball]

Agreed*. Slightly too small can become, after a few wearings and a few weeks with shoe trees in, perfectly form-fitting. But there's nothing to do about shoes that are slightly too big - unless you want to wear Christmas stockings with them.

* - With StephenStyle. Jay beat me to the reply.

 

[kuwisdelu]

Originally Posted by ranker

I'll be the first to admit that I often wear larger shoes than would fit me perfectly. Why? My feet are so small that it my feet disappear underneath my trousers. My feet are also wider than is normal which makes purchasing shoes an aggravating experience. You don't often see 8's in EEE's or F's. As a result for the sake of balancing my height against the size of how my feet appear and because of the abnormal width of my feet (wooo clublike feet!), I purchase shoes often larger than would be ideal for what constitutes a perfect fit.

So, bring on the flames about being a label whore or a complete sartorial ignoramus, but it just works for me.

+1

I usually wear a 8.5EEE. I can fit into an 8.5D if I give it time to stretch out, and it will feel fine. I would never wear any smaller than that, though. If nothing else is available, I can wear a 9D comfortably.

 

[bowtielover]

No, I am very particular about my shoes. I won't wear something to small that will be uncomfortable to my feet nor will I wear something too big that is sure to keep slipping off.

 

[Henry Boogers]

Originally Posted by emmanuel

I hope nobody says yes. I buy things because of quality and how they fit. I also admit that labels play a major role in considering my purchases but if you are buying things that dont even fit just because your getting a great deal on a label, then you sir, are the worst kind of brand whore.

I will say yes just so I can speak to this rather odd statement (though I almost always cave in and sell those shoes that don't fit me well).

You have made a major assumption here that people purchase things with a hope that they will fit properly because of what's inside of the shoe (label) but have you considered it may be the shoe itself rather than the label a person is interested in?

If I am lacking some brown suede monks and come across a pair at an attractive price and pull the trigger only to find they don't fit as well as I had hoped but I keep them in rotation out of pure stubbornness what am I then? What if I really like a particular shoe but the last just isn't right for my feet but my desire for the appearance of the shoe wins out over the issues with fit what then?

What a strange post.

To answer for myself - I have found that fit is playing a more and more important role in my shoe choices but there are a few pairs where the fit bothers me.

 

[Marcus Brody]

I have a few pairs of shoes that aren't perfect fits. They were often bought when I wasn't wearing the type of socks I'd generally wear with them and under/overestimated the difference the sock would make.

For instance, I have a pair of loafers that I bought intending to wear without socks, but didn't try them on that way. I overestimated the amount larger they'd fit without them and now I have a shoe that's probably half a size too small, though I did wear them a few times. I'm deciding on whether to try to stretch them or just give them to my brother. If I thought he'd wear them, I'd do the latter, but he isn't really the tassel loafer type.

On one or two other occasions I have shoes that are a tiny bit too big if I'm wearing thin socks, this has happened to me particularly with a pair of monkstraps as I can't lace them tighter to accomodate the difference in sock width. When I want to wear them with thin socks, I just slip one of those cheap, thin Dr. Scholls insoles into them (the thin foam/fabric ones, not the thicker gel ones) and the few millimeters that this adds mades them fit perfectly again.

 

[mr monty]

Correct fit? So many people don't know what good fitting dress shoes should feel like.
Most get shoes from self service stores or Dept stores with SA that sell everthing, but don't know about anything. I've heard many people say they can't wear dress shoes, because they hurt their feet. There are others that wear dress shoes and expect them to hurt. I wonder why?

 

[random-adam]

Don't know that I've ever owned shoes that DO fit. Right now the closest I have are some AEs in 14AAA and a pair of 49N Italian mountain biking shoes.

eBay men's shoes right now:
59 results found for 9 eee
1 result found for 14 aaa

I am Jack's complete lack of sympathy.

 

[HORNS]

Originally Posted by Jay Gatsby

Shoes that are too narrow or too small may cause irreversible foot damage if worn for long periods of time. This includes bunions.

Source, please.

 

[philosophe]

Originally Posted by origenesprit

How much room is supposed to be in the toe? I'm not sure I've EVER worn a pair that fits right- I appreciate BS's post, but I have shoes that fit in the heel but seem like they have a lot of room up front. But I've always been comfortable enough, I suppose, so I must be doing something right.

My feet are hard to fit--long and narrow. I visited Moulded Shoe in Manhattan recently (10 E 39th St). One of the partners took one look at my feet and pulled several pairs of specially made Aldens from his stockroom. Each felt like it was custom made for me.He then explained why each shoe was so much more comfortable than anything else I've ever worn. It's all in how the last matches your foot. You might consider checking out the shop.

 

[Dewey]

Originally Posted by CounterStrike

I wore these shoes that hurt pretty bad when I started wearing them, but I've been wearing them every day and now they don't hurt, but I feel like my pinky toes are messed up.
About five years ago, I would buy them and stretch them to fit. Then my pinky toe developed a thick, hard, nasty-looking nail. Doctor gave me the anti-fungal stuff -- did nothing. Finally I realized it was a response to the shoes. Sized up and six months later, the nail was all better. I think the stretch-to-fit advice is BS for this reason. Maybe there is something to it, but I doubt it.

Originally Posted by philosophe

My feet are hard to fit--long and narrow. I visited Moulded Shoe in Manhattan recently (10 E 39th St). One of the partners took one look at my feet and pulled several pairs of specially made Aldens from his stockroom. Each felt like it was custom made for me.He then explained why each shoe was so much more comfortable than anything else I've ever worn. It's all in how the last matches your foot. You might consider checking out the shop.
Not many shoe salesmen like this in the whole country. The last Alden dealer I visited was a moran who gave me very bad fitting advice. In Alden's defense, this guy probably sold four pairs of Aldens a year. Mainly his business today is very old people buying very squishy, marshmellow-like sneakers.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Originally Posted by HORNS

Source, please.
A lot of research on bunions. I had severe bunions on both feet at an early age, and went through surgery for both; one minor, one major and including breaking of metatarsal. The ordeal taught me about bunions, how they develop, and how to avoid them.

 

[HORNS]

Originally Posted by Jay Gatsby

A lot of research on bunions. I had severe bunions on both feet at an early age, and went through surgery for both; one minor, one major and including breaking of metatarsal. The ordeal taught me about bunions, how they develop, and how to avoid them.
Tight shoes do not cause bunions. Neither do high heel shoes. Don't believe everything that you hear. If you had bunions at an early age, you must have been wearing tight dress shoes coming out of the womb. The biggest contributor to the presence of bunions is heredity. I mean, you are the prime example of this - but you choose to think that its tight shoes. Sheesh.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Originally Posted by HORNS

Tight shoes do not cause bunions. Neither do high heel shoes. Don't believe everything that you hear. If you had bunions at an early age, you must have been wearing tight dress shoes coming out of the womb. The biggest contributor to the presence of bunions is heredity. I mean, you are the prime example of this - but you choose to think that its tight shoes. Sheesh.
Heredity is a major factor in bunion formation, due to stride and foot mechanics, but it is not in the least the only factor. Tight shoes, especially heels, while not the cause of bunions can greatly accelerate and exacerbate the bone deformation. Are you an angry man horns?