Friday, April 23, 2010

At Least I Don't Have Twelve Toes

I'm willing to spend a little on shoes because if I don't, my feet put up a fuss. (I'll cut corners in just about any area but this one.) But I'm about to give up. I've been looking and walking and shopping and walking and walking and my dogs are sore! (and I don't mean Boz).

Help! I need shoes. Not just any shoes. My feet are very particular.

I want fashionable shoes I can wear for hours. You know, walking shoes. Running shoes won't cut it. Any suggestions? We're in the LA metropolitan area. It's the 21st century. How hard can this be?

Today I found the perfect store: Kenneth Cole at the corner of Colorado Blvd. and De Lacey Avenue in Old Town. After visiting a virtually empty department store the other day (which shall remain nameless) where several clerks in the shoe department couldn't find time to help me, this shop was a relief. Well-made shoes, decent prices and friendly, attentive service.

The only problem was the size seven and a half was too small and the eight was too big. Apparently I wear a size seven and three quarters shoe. Which doesn't exist. My feet are more particular than I thought.

Of course I was disappointed. But at last I have a clue to my foot problems.

19 comments:

Cafe Pasadena said...

Is it Fashionable, or, Comfortable that you seek the most?

Can't recall the name, but if it's comfort, there's a place at the se corner of Colorado & Rosemead Blvds.

Maybe another commenter will have a better memory.

Unknown said...

Here are the least fashionable shoes you can get, but they are cool in their own right:

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/indexNA.cfm

Sahildeki Ev said...

I do,too have always problems of finding the right shoe but summer is coming and thanks god who invented the flip flops :))

Petrea Burchard said...

I seek them equally, Cafe.
Over at Colorado and Rosemead, hm, there's a Big 5, and there used to be an electronics store, but that's all I remember specifically. That's a major corner so I know there's more. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep my eyes open next time I'm there.

Ah, yes, Cliff. Not to disparage, but I don't think they're quite my style! A little too casual.

I'll bet flip flops go back to ancient times, Aysegul. The world's first shoe.

TheChieftess said...

Shoes...the bane of my existence...in High School I was a 10 1/2 narrow (one of the perks of being one of the tallest girls in school)...did you know that most shoes back then were only made up to a size 10 narrow and after that they were wide? I once drove to 5 different shopping centers before a sales person told me that!!! I soon learned that Nordstrom's was the only store that consistently carried my size, in both comfort and style...Nowadays, my feet have actually grown, and I can wear a wider shoe as well...I still have to venture to the men's side of the store for running shoes, cowboy boots and the like...And like Aysegul, I adore flipflops...wear them year round, and have a basket overflowing with many, many pairs!!! So good luck Petrea...my sympathies are with you!!!

Gina said...

I too am a 7 and 3/4. Perhaps there's a market there...

I have a similar problem with footwear as well. I don't like tennis shoes and flip flops - I am just not a casual girl. I have a pair of Aerosole (there's a shop at Paseo) patent leather flats that I can walk up to 2 miles at once in comfortably. Over that distance I like my crocs - they are not the standard crocs, but more dressy ones. I have these:

http://www.crocs.com/crocs-olivia/10335,default,pd.html?cid=66G&cgid=women-footwear

Croc sizing is a bit odd, however, I wear a 7 and it fits me perfectly.

Katie said...

Good luck! I'm surprised you didn't name this post "Search for the Holy Grail". I too am looking for the perfect pair of size 10 shoes in which I can walk 5+ miles/day in Paris, cost no more than $100, are extremely fashionable and are reasonably waterproof. I'm not sure they exist thought. These pretty pointy pumps are nice to look at, but I doubt I could walk more than a few blocks without my dogs barking. Do let us know if you find the perfect pair!

West Coast Grrlie Blather said...

Lucha's comfort footwear in South Pas, Walk This Way in Montrose, or Nordstrom's.

Petrea Burchard said...

I'm not the only one! Why is that so comforting?

Katie, raise your limit to $150 and you may have better luck.

WCGB, thanks for your suggestions. I'll try them all.

Anonymous said...

You know who not to ask for shoe advice.

Cafe Pasadena said...

Just cuz I don't need to wear shoes on my Paws doesn't mean a wise old dog can't give a lady from Pasadena shoe advice.

Petrea Burchard said...

But Hiker, you walk everywhere!

Thanks, Cafe. And one of my Facebook friends gave me the name of that place at Rosemead, too. It's SAS.

LPB said...

Prober's Shoes
215 E Main St
Alhambra

carries the same lines as Lucha's and SAS, plus more, and they're all in stock

Amy said...

I have yet to find the perfect match of comfort and stylish myself. Then again, I don't look as hard as I should since I work in an office where I can wear flip-flops. :)

TheChieftess said...

I'm astounded...an office where you can wear flip flops???

Dina said...

Good luck. No sandals?

Petrea Burchard said...

Thank you! I have my walking papers, if not my walking shoes. Yet. Now I know a few places to go. Sandals are good, Dina, if not for all occasions or all weather. I think I may have found some of those I can walk in, though flip flops don't work for me.

Kim said...

Don't know which department store you tried and had no attention in, but Nordstrom started out as a shoe store why back when and shoes are still one of their biggest focuses. They cary a fairly wide selection of comfort shoes that don't tend to look like your elderly 4th grade teacher's orthopedic shoes. :-). There are so many shoe makers catering to this demographic, you will have success soon, I'm sure. In northern Cal and up here there are whole shoe stores specializing in in walking shoes. Some are called things like the Walk Shop or Walkabout. I don't know if there is a chain. . .but you can find really cute and comfortable European, South American and American shoes in all kinds of styles. Best of luck, and we want pictures when you find THE pair.

Petrea Burchard said...

We have the Walking Company, Kim, but I didn't find anything there I liked this year. However, you're the second person to recommend Nordstrom so that's next on my list.