Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with shoes

So, you really, really like shoes.

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:25:55 -0800

What does it mean when someone has a shoe fetish? What might turn them on? I am pretty sure that a man I know has a "thing" for women's shoes outside of the normal realm of male interest in such things. I find this alternately exciting and amusing, and would like to make things a little more lively in the shoe arena when I see this gentleman. Hey, I like shoes too!

But first, I need to understand just what is going on, never having really encountered this. I'd especially like to hear from those of you with first-hand (-foot?) experience. I am a woman, btw.

1. Why the attraction to the feet/shoes? It obviously goes beyond the aesthetic. Please explain this to me.

2. What might someone with this fetish find exciting? I understand that this will vary considerably, but I am looking for ideas and things to consider.

State of the sidewalks in DC?

yarrow — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:49:46 -0800

How slushy are the streets in downtown Washington DC right now? I'm heading down to DC for the day tomorrow and attending a somewhat dressy event in the evening, and trying to decide which shoes to wear. Because of the nature of the event & my transportation I won't be able to carry much in the way of a bag, so cannot change shoes at any point. My options are: black Clarks similar to these or black snow boots similar to these. I'll be wearing a black suit. I'll be walking a bit, but not much - for a few blocks around H & 11th and a few blocks around 18th & K. I'd prefer the Clarks in terms of appropriateness for the event and comfort, but am wondering how the sidewalks are. Any first hand accounts from today?

Help me locate a certain brand of intentionally gaudy shoes

white light — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:01:24 -0800

Help me find a particular brand of ugly shoes that my girlfriend showed me... in time for a Christmas gift miracle! What are some hipster shoe brands in the vein of Creative Recreation, Keep, and Zuriick? They have a small online store I'm trying to find! The following details are cloudy and may not be accurate... The company that makes the shoes is small and only makes women's. The particular styles she liked had asymmetrical swatches of various clashing patterns. One may have had different kinds of plaid, a different one may have had houndstooth, one floral, etc. They were intentionally gaudy. They were mid to hi-tops, with laces.

What kind of shoes are these?

travis08 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:40:49 -0800

What kind of shoes are these?

Boots, boots, who's gonna find my boots?

allymusiqua — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:10:43 -0800

I'm in love with a boot...help me find them! So, I recently found these boots on a website found Mod Cloth and I fell in love, ordered them, then got an email saying they were all out of stock and there's no way Mod Cloth would get another shipping. Also, they're made by small companies so once they're sold out, they're sold out.

I don't believe them. So Mefis, where can I find them? If not the exact pair, do you know of any stores/websites that would sell something similar (that aren't outrageously expensive?)

Down at the heels

fixedgear — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:22:54 -0800

Where can I get Rockport shoes resoled in or near Philadelphia, PA? I'd prefer to go local, no shipping, please.

SHOOOOOOOES

otherwordlyglow — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:35:17 -0800

What's the secret to finding affordable toddler shoes? I'm weary of spending $30-40 every 3 months for a pair of sneakers for my 18-month old. I can sometimes score at the local consignment shop but that's pretty hit-or-miss and I run up on this issue all the time now.

Are there some resources I'm unaware of? I'm looking at kidsurplus.com, Sierra Trading Post, Zappos, Endless, REI Outlet, Penney's, the deal-a-day sites, Target. I'm looking for a girl, prefer less glitter and butterflies, and no Dora/Disney/etc. Online or in-person (I'm in the SF Bay Area).

I really don't want to pay $168 for shoes.

GarotaDaCidade — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:53:13 -0800

Help me find less expensive shoes! Has anyone seen cheaper versions of shoes like these that I can order online?

Also, I don't know what these kinds of shoes are called, so giving me hints about some good search terms would also be super helpful.

Thanks!

Best Cobbler in Victoria BC?

Sustainable Chiles — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:11:23 -0800

Who is the best cobbler in Victoria BC? I have a pair of Black Spot Unswooshers that I like the look of, but are falling apart prematurely. The seam along the top of the toe is starting to come apart, and I'd like to have a cobbler fix them before the tear goes too far. Can anyone recommend a skilled Cobbler in Victoria BC? I'd like the repair to be as inconspicuous as possible.

looking for nice shoes to go with casual wear

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:48:31 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations on a pair of shoes that are "classy", but that look good with casual clothes (jeans and t-shirt, for example). The reason is that in Europe, many places seem to frown upon sneakers, even if they don't care about the rest of your clothing. I'd prefer something that's easily available in Western Europe, and in the £150-or-under range if possible. And even better if they're comfortable!

Someone recommended Campers, but I think that they are too similar to sneakers to really be what I'm looking for. Although I know almost nothing about about fashion, so any general advice on this problem is appreciated as well.

This is what consumerism does!

lhude sing cuccu — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:20:03 -0800

Where can I find these $10 shoes I found in Chicago, when I don't live there anymore? I bought some shoes from Ragstock in Chicago, back in oh, I'll say April. They were only $10 and are now falling apart. I don't live there anymore, so I can't go into a store and buy some. I used to work there, and I was fired/quit right before I was going to buy a second pair.
They don't sell them on their website, they might not sell them anymore at all, and I know if I call the store they'll never want to specially ship something to me. (I was one of those people who would never help a customer with such a thing).

This is what they look like. Mind you, I bought them without the black laces or all the marker all over them.

I've looked in walmart (your source for cheaply produced things), but even theirs are too fancy-looking. They're not reeboks either (which I've also seen, reeboks look like mom shoes these days).
Mine weren't made for comfort. They weren't made for durability. They have no brand name; no markings but "Made in China" on the inside. But I love them! Where can I find something similar??

Failing this, does anyone know a good cobbler in 19104?

SansPoint — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:06:40 -0800

Help me find a pair of decent, grown-up shoes to wear to work, that will last me more than six months. Preferably for less than $100 a pair. Maybe it's just my feet. A few months ago, I picked up a nice looking pair of brown leather Steve Madden shoes from a nearby shoe store. They were on sale for $65. They looked good and were comfortable, and figured they'd be a great option to replace my previous shoes (Rockports), wherein the soles had been worn down to the point where parts of the heel were even with the front sole. *Those* replaced a pair of shoes (Bill Blass) that had detached from the sole.

Anyway, those nice Steve Maddens? They've fallen apart. The leather on the outside edge of BOTH shoes has detached from the sole--looking like it's been ripped, not just popped.

So, in eighteen months, I've gone through three pairs of not-cheap shoes. I just want a pair that won't fall apart that fast. I really don't know where to go here.

Am I underpricing my shoes? I really don't have the ability to drop $2-300 on shoes. I need to eat, after all. What can I do?

(Pertinent Info: I'm a size 11, and normal-ish width. I manage to wear Chuck Taylors, which run narrow, with no discomfort or falling-apart issues. I've had my two pairs of Chucks for over a year.)

Why do male porn stars wear socks and shoes?

skylar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:27:01 -0800

Why do male porn actors so often wear socks and shoes while otherwise naked in adult movies? It's true that high heels are prevalent among the females but at least one could argue there's some aesthetic point to that. The guys' choice of footwear, meanwhile, is nearly always awful. Is there a practical or cultural reason for the men wearing socks, shoes and sometimes hats and sunglasses?

Help me find these grey boots elsewhere. Or other disressed leather boots!

barnone — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:57:18 -0800

I've fallen head-over-heels in love with these gray boots from the Sundance catalogue. I love the color, the heel, the shape, and the overall style. They feel very me. But they're almost $300 when you include their exorbitant shipping fees. Ouch. Any suggestions on other similar boots or how to find these elsewhere? I'm totally willing to pay for great shoes. But these just feel overpriced with some kind of "Sundance Premium" when similar boots on Zappos and Endless go for $150-$200. And the Sundance shipping policies are really bothersome - the shipping for these boots is $21.95. If the sizing is wrong, I'll be out quite a bit of money.

Apparently they're not exclusive to Sundance. Have you ever seen these boots elsewhere? Or can you recommend really similar boots? Not just Blundstone pull-ons, but similar in material and shape? So many options seem to have the pointy-toed cowboy shape or the more formal squared-off toe. I like that these look somewhat distressed but also a bit stylish.
- I've tried these Frye Jaden Chelsea -- they are also my style, but a bit more heft/presence than I'm used to. The toe is also much pointier than it looks in those photos.
- The Engineer style of boots that seem to be ubiquitous right now are also another option, but these grey boots seem to fit into my aesthetic a bit more.
- I'm a (dykey/boyish) woman so I'm into both women's and men's shoes, but a very masculine shoe profile looks a bit out of place when paired with my everyday attire.

Any suggestions for similar boots under $150 or $200? Or do you know how to find these non-exclusive boots?

Admittedly I am kind of picky and if this is my only option, I'll probably wait for a sale or bite the bullet. But if you have any other leads, I would be incredibly grateful.

Looking for a few good shoes

bitteroldman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:58:55 -0800

What makes a shoe a good shoe? I have 2 pairs of dress shoes at home which look exactly the same, except for the quality of the leather (and the shoe laces). The cheaper pair cost me 80$; the more expensive pair cost be $250.

Did I get ripped off for the more expensive shoe or is there another difference between the shoes that aren't so obvious, that make the expensive shoe a "better shoe"

What makes a good shoe a good shoe anyways? What do I need to look for when shoe shopping.

FWIW, i'm more concerned about "good shoes" from the standpoint of "better for my feet" as opposed to "durable" or "long lasting"

Which kind of Nike shoes are these?

fac21 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:53:12 -0800

Can you tell me which model / style of Nike shoes these are? (Ignore the boot in the front, I'm referring to the Nike shoes behind the boot.) This photo was taken just a few days ago, so I'm assuming these are reasonably new Nikes.

Slippers!

nam3d — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:02:16 -0800

My slippers are soon to thrown out with the rubbish, but before I rush out and buy some new ones I have few requirements. They need to be warm, comfy and not kill me when I'm walking downstairs. Also they should have some grip on the sole so I can safely walk in the garden without slipping when it's wet.

P.S. I'll accept all recommendations (however wacky) so if you think slipper socks (e.g.) are what I need let me know.

Search for winter booties.

blackcatcuriouser — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:21:52 -0800

Have you seen this shoe? I have been looking for shoes like these and finally found them at Zara in New York City. They are pictured here:

They are comfy, leather, with a cone heel that does not exceed 2.5 inches, round toe, nice silhouette/shape, under $100. They are basically everything I want - except the color. They are only available in chocolate brown. I want a shoe/bootie like this in black or grey. I've searched the websites for Steve Madden, Zappos, Piperlime, Endless, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie. Nothing. What are some other good fashionable shoe websites? Better yet - are there other shoes like these out there?!

Help!

how to pack shoes for shipment

anya32 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:42:02 -0800

how do i pack my shoes for cross-country shipment? i'm moving and need to pack about 10 pairs of shoes. unfortunately i no longer have the boxes. any suggestions on how to keep them safe from the dreaded "squish" and "smoosh"?

What's the winter version of the work flat?

sciapod — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:23:52 -0800

Can you help a gal transition from summer flats to a more winter-appropriate work shoe? Winter's coming to Minnesota, and the flats I wear every day to work are no longer going to cut it: my toes are starting to get cold, and the shoes look dorky when worn with socks. It's time to transition to a more appropriate shoe for the weather, and I'm stuck.

I usually wear dress slacks (like this) or dark bootcut jeans to work, so I'm looking for footwear that I can wear with both trousers and jeans. Ideally, I'd like a shoe or boot with little or no heel, as my pants are hemmed for flats.

So, what sort of footwear do you fashionable ladies wear during the wintertime? Do I go for a boot? Most women's boots I see seem to be high-heeled or appear to be designed to go over skinny jeans or tights, not under dress slacks. Should I be looking into boot alternatives? Perhaps a fashionable loafer that can be worn with socks? I'm lost.

Suggestions welcome! And thank you.

Awesome shoes that don't make my knee hurt! Please!?!

roxiesmom — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:50:23 -0800

Best shoes for a P.E. teacher with a bad knee. I am a P.E. and am on my feet all day (obviously, lol). I have had 3 knee surgeries on my left knee, one for a torn ACL, the second was for torn Meniscus (have no Meniscus on Lateral side of my knee), and the last for to remove my Medial Meniscus and repair my ACL again.

This makes things difficult in finding shoes, I need shoes that are not going to hurt my knee and not make my feet hurt. It seems as though I can find some that do not hurt my knee but never some that do not make my feet hurt.

Since I am a P.E. teacher the shoes need to be sporty shoes (tennis shoes). Any suggestions on the best brand/style of shoes that would be good for my bad knee. I have already tried to expensive Dr. Scholl's insert at Wal-Mart and they make my knee hurt. I currently have Adidas brand Micro-bounce shoes.

I have no insurance so I can't go to a foot doctor or anything like that. But I should have insurance within the next year if that matters.

So many shoes, so little space!

gilsonal — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:25:33 -0800

Organizing fans: Help me figure out what to do with my shoes in my miniature entryway/kitchen this winter! My apartment opens right into my kitchen; the stove is right next to the door. This means that I don't have a nice hall closet or anyplace to put my shoes. In the summer it wasn't a problem since i would wear sandals every day, but come winter I have more shoe options (two kinds of boots, tennis shoes, etc) and therefore more shoes cluttering a small place.

I had a shoe rack but that takes up floor space I'd rather avoid using. It just made the area cluttered. I've only got about two square feet of floor space that wouldn't result in tripping or being unable to open the door. Something that went on the door or wall would be ideal, but I'm not sure a traditional over-the-door shoe rack would fit over my outside door, or if it would result in a compression of weather stripping and therefore more drafts. To give you an idea of the space I'm working in, this is what my entryway looks like:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11691760@N00/4007252406/

Does anybody have any great tricks/suggestions?

Will the cheese in my fridge outlast a pair of Pumas?

blueberry — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:28:31 -0800

Am I expecting too much from a pair of Puma sneakers? I recently got some brown and yellow Pumas and liked them. However, a couple of days ago—about 7 weeks to the day since getting them—enough of the tread is gone that a hole has formed in the air-filled "cell" heel. Now I get that squishy "fsshhh" sound each time I put my left foot down.

This is my first pair of Pumas (and I was planning on buying more in the future), but are they not for everyday use or something? Should I have only been wearing these indoors on carpet? I'm a student, so I walk between classes and around downtown a bit, but it's not like I've been cross-training on broken glass.

Fellow Puma-wearers—especially those Pumas with the air-filled "cell" heel (this not my shoe, but you can see a similar example here)—do you usually get more than 7 weeks from your Pumas? Or was this pair just perhaps defective?

Interesting Men's Shoes

OmieWise — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:07:13 -0800

Can you recommend interesting men's shoe makers? I really (really!) like a lot of Cydwoq shoes, and some Fluevog's. I dislike shoes styled after athletic shoes or old track spikes. I'm most interested in learning about high style, relatively unusual shoes. They can be dress or casual. Because Camper has moved their line to mostly mimic track shoes, there are very few models I like anymore. I'm not a fan of simple, Mephisto, or Born.

(No offense intended, these brands just get trotted out a lot when people talk about men's shoes.)

I've read the other questions on AskMe related to this topic.

Thanks.

Shoe restoration in NYC

sonofslim — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:45:50 -0800

Where can I get a much-worn and much-loved pair of suede sneakers cleaned/restored in NYC? They're pretty soiled but not damaged. The model has been discontinued and can't be found online, and this pair needs some end-of-life care.