Dress Shoes for the Feet Impaired

[whomewhat]

Without purchasing true bespoke shoes, which I am leaning towards in the very near future, my ability to purchase a dress shoe is based 95% on fit and only 5% on a particular make/style I might like. I have horribly flat feet (I use orthotics), have had problems with acute plantar fascitis (surgical intervention), bone spurs (surgical intervention), nerve tumors (surgical intervention), entrapped nerves (surgical intervention), and even Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, which is exactly like carpal tunnel, only in the ankles.

All that in mind, I recently purchased a pair of J.M. Westons because they were advertised/represented to be my exact size. I do like the style - double sole split tie (598 Last), and I also love the color, but it was in an exotic skin (crocodile) that makes it a lot more out there than my normally extremely conservative style. I am anxiously awaiting their arrival in the hopes that the fit will be what I expect it to be so that I am not forced to, once again, sell them. I have purchased so many different shoes in different sizes that I am very confident I have finally found the size to match the maker that will work for me.

If these do not work out, and I have every expectation they will, then I am planning on getting a pair of bespoke Lobbs, which I may do anyway just to see if they can overcome all of my issues with wearing dress shoes. I would love to hear from similarly situated members who have found unique solutions to this problem that I may have overlooked.

At a minimum, I am hopeful that the shoes will go well wtih my Kiton crocodile belt.

 

[Coel Hen]

Greetings,

I am sorry to hear of your foot struggle.

Last month I was diagnosed with supination of the feet, bone spurs in both heels, high arch, and prescribed the need for steroid shots in the short term and orthotic inserts on a permanent basis. It had been a long time coming, and I was completely in the dark, as it manifested itself very rapidly. Still, I was in the dark, having been knowledgeable only of a high instep, thinking everything else was normal.

My question to you is whether you have spoken with Lobb about either having the custom orthotic built into the shoe or having it made with "extra room" to allow it to fit into the shoe for removable orthotics?

In either case, good luck in your venture and I look forward to hearing from you how this solution works in further posts.

Sincerely yours,

CH

 

[philosophe]

Where are you located? If you're around NYC, Moulded Shoe (see mouldedshoe.com) might be a great resource for you.

 

[a tailor]

have you tried "DREW" they are made to take orthotics.

 

[Jerry52]

Alden has a special orthopedic line not stocked by every dealer. PW Minor makes an orthopedic line, but with much less fashion than Alden. Mephisto shoes are supposedly extremely comfortable- look for a recent thread on here about Mephisto. Good luck.

 

[whomewhat]

Originally Posted by Jerry52

Mephisto shoes are supposedly extremely comfortable- look for a recent thread on here about Mephisto. Good luck.

I was one of those who responded to the Mephisto thread. I own quite a few Mephistos for casual wear as they are extremely comfortable, at least for my feet, and they were highly recommended by my foot surgeon. They do not exactly go with a nice Kiton suit, however, and that is where the problem lies.

These days I do not have a need to wear dress shoes for long periods of time, but with my feet even short periods with a dress shoe that is supposed to be my size just does not work. Believe it or not the most comfortable dress shoe I have, or better, shoe that I use as a dress shoe, is a pair of ankle boots by Prada! I have worn those for up to 4 hours without any problems, but that is the upper limit of my tolerance, even with those.

My main question is relating to custom-made high end shoes so that I am not forced to give up on the styles I like. If I had a pair of Lobbs custom made, no orthotics, just perfectly made for my feet, would that at least help somewhat? I know it would not be a perfect solution, but if it would give me four hours in a pair of dress shoes then that would be enough. I wanted to know from those who have purchased custom made Lobbs, for instance, if their really is that much of a difference in fit or is it nominal? If the difference is real and noticeable then it would be worth the cost.

 

[norcaltransplant]

Who--
Bespoke dress shoes, even though they are specifically designed to accomodate the contours of your feet, will probably not provide much relief considering the extent of your medical problems. Although Mephistos may not be the most attractive option to pair with your Kiton suits, they are the most functional because they provide the most arch support and the cushion the pressure points. IMO, your best bet would be to order the shoes once you are fitted for orthotics and accomodate for the inserts.