Style v Comfort

[papa kot]

You have issues with your feet. You have cash. You should have shoes made specifically for YOUR feet. Go bespoke.

Thread in one. As a person who struggles with finding comfortable shoes, I second this opinion. Ever wear casual shoes and adjust your wardrobe accordingly or go bespoke.

 

[Dandy Wonka]

Cleverley is the only bespoke option and the delay is an issue.

I use those contraptions often but I am never in a place long enough to go back for fittings.

 

[chogall]

Cleverley is the only bespoke option and the delay is an issue.

I use those contraptions often but I am never in a place long enough to go back for fittings.

You will always have to wait for bespoke articles to be made. Or could get some expedited services under certain conditions or titles.

 

[Dandy Wonka]

If I was sold on Cleverley I would wait the nine months or whatever. But the only pair I have from them are very uncomfortable.

I go to Paris usually once a year. That's a long time between fittings.

 

[chogall]

Don't mistaken RTW fit with bespoke; they are completely different animals.

Seems like Singapore or Hong Kong will be the best destination for you to get bespoke shoes.

 

[Journeyman]

As Chogall said, RTW fit should not be compared with bespoke fit - with a bespoke shoe, you are getting a shoe that is made specifically to fit your foot. With a RTW shoe, you are getting a pair of shoes that are made to approximately fit thousands of feet.

Anyway, if you're interested in Cleverley, you could always have a first fitting in London when you're over in Europe, then hopefully have your "try on" fitting in Melbourne in March or whenever they're back in the first half of next year, and then receive your finished shoes after that.

If you're happy with the first pair, then you can place an order for a second pair and that should, presumably, be easier as they'll already have your last in their storeroom.

 

[DWFII]



As Chogall said, RTW fit should not be compared with bespoke fit - with a bespoke shoe, you are getting a shoe that is made specifically to fit your foot. With a RTW shoe, you are getting a pair of shoes that are made to approximately fit thousands of feet. 

Or a fantasy foot.

The hard facts are, that some feet will never be comfortable (or "more comfortable" which seems to be the OP's stated goal) regardless of whether the shoes are RTW or bespoke. IOW, some feet are just not going to be comfortable no matter what you do and from there it's all a matter of degree.

A bespoke maker will measure your foot, record data as to how wide the heel seat is, the treadline is, look at the footprint, measure the heel to ball measurement, long heel, etc.. But those are just statistics. At a certain point, something of the maker has to enter into the process. Interpretation of that data, if nothing else.

In the world of RTW, a manufacturer earns status by how shiny the shoes are when they are boxed. By how eye catching the shoes are in terms of what are, at bottom, cosmetics. And by how well the brand is publicized.

A bespoke maker earns his reputation one pair at a time--by how well he has interpreted the customer's foot and the requirements of that foot. It's a whole new ball game with every foot and sometimes even the best get it wrong--hence the use of fitter's models.

The point is that it is foolish to think that bespoke is a magic wand. Sometimes it is, sometimes not so much. Usually it is an improvement, esp. if a person has difficult feet to fit. But mostly, it's a process--a learning process...for the customer as well as for the maker.

 

[Dandy Wonka]

Thanks gents.

 

[Prince of Paisley]

The other option not discussed yet is of course keeping your current shoes and just having foot surgery so they fit better.

"The idea would be to refine my big toe and to plane my instep so that I can finally wear my Acras!"

 

[Journeyman]

Shouldn't that be "Arcas", as in Corthay?

 

[Prince of Paisley]

It's the Frenhc spelling.

 

[RSS]

As Journeyman, papa kot, and several others including yours truly have suggested, bespoke -- NOT ready-to-wear -- is the answer. Just bite the bullet and do it. It's time.

Bespoke, bespoke, bespoke ... you'll never go back.

 

[Dandy Wonka]



As Journeyman, papa kot, and several others including yours truly have suggested, bespoke -- NOT ready-to-wear -- is the answer. Just bite the bullet and do it. It's time.

Bespoke, bespoke, bespoke ... you'll never go back.

I agree.

But the options for bespoke are limited to one maker I don't particularly like and the time is a massive turn off.

 

[RSS]

Then you must accept the strong possibility that you will never be happy with the fit of your shoes. Given your decision, that's really all I have to add to this thread at this point.

Best of luck.