Do you expect new shoes to be comfortable when new or that they will "wear in"?

[absoluteziro]

I have size UK8 feet (EU42) and have struggled to buy shoes all my life, because many ranges only go up to a 41 and, even if they do go up to a 42, they are sometimes too narrow, with no option to trade up to a 43. Back in the days when I used to visit shoe shops, sales assistants often said the shoes would soften and become more comfortable over time. Sometimes this worked, especially with leather, after the initial few blisters. These days I buy shoes online and have the same dilemma, though it's not always easy to tell whether the shoes are made of real leather or whether the ubiquitous faux leather will stretch in the same way.

Do you assume shoes wil stretch or expect them to be comfortable from new?

I would never wear shoes that started off uncomfortable to 'wear them in'.

Similar sized feet to you - am probably 7.5 wide. Very wide really. I’ve learned through bitter experience that unless they’re really comfortable when I first put them on, they’re going to rub and be annoying. The shoes I wear are the ones that fit well from the start. They’ll always stretch a bit anyway on account of my boat like feet - and I always buy nice leather ones to accommodate this - but they are comfortable from the start. Unless I absolutely have to buy something in an emergency (broken favourites, attending a wedding the next day, have to make do type thing).

I think assistants say they’ll improve over time because they don’t have anything that will fit better and they want to make a sale. It’s really hard to buy online too - often it’s the softness of the shoe as well as the fit that helps and you can’t tell this easily online. I suggest keep high standards and send them back if they don’t feel good. You can wear them around the house in socks for an hour and see how they feel.

I’m similar in sizing - usually an 8.5 or 9 (although don’t have the height to go with the size as I’m only 5ft6!). I can’t wear uncomfortable shoes - I only buy shoes with leather uppers (it should say on the online listing if they are), and I mainly buy from Gabor or Ecco, both brands sell models up to a size 9.

I'm a smaller size (6/39) but have extremely narrow feet. I have the same problem, I'm yet to find a pair that didn't hurt initially. I tend to go for pairs that only hurt a bit, in places where I know I can soften the leather, then manually soften it with a knife. I dream of hand- tailored shoes!

I buy ones that start off comfortable. Skechers tend to be good in that regard. Come in half sizes, wide fit, narrow fit, everything. They're expensive but I end up wearing them ALL the time. I wear them to death.

Try being a narrow size 9.

I would never wear shoes that started off uncomfortable to 'wear them in'.

Same here @ofwarren. I have found out the hard way that this never works for me. I won't buy shoes online because I need to try a ridiculous number of pairs before I find any that are comfortable.

I generally find it is the less "fashionable" ranges that work for me - Pavers. Rieker, Skechers.

I have never, ever bought a pair of shoes that were comfortable from the off.

Some are worse than others, but I always expect blisters from new shoes.

I have wide, flat feet, though they're a normal size (6), and the nails on my big toes angle upwards, so can rub on the top of the shoe.

I'm also a wide 42 and had the same problem. Then I started buying barefoot shoes and they're comfy from the start, they have so much more room for my feet. They're no good if you want heels, but for trainers, sandals, and flats they're great.

They need to be comfortable.

Good shoes should be comfortable from the start.

I have sensitive feet and I know I struggle a bit with new sandals because of not wearing socks. This is only for a week or so though and plasters sort it. I find going for a size bigger and wearing socks is usually a good option.

I'm past the point of putting up with uncomfortable shoes for more than a very short time now. I'm at an age where comfort well outranks style. 😂

I've seen several social events posts about people spending £££s on DMs and now needing advice on how to make them bearable to wear. That makes my mind boggle.

I'm a 39 so can't comment on the size but I'm very wide across the toes and have always found

embassylondon.co.uk

to be comfortable from the off.

Should also add most sizes go up to a 9 or beyond and there's a sale on.

This is exactly me.
I spent my youth trying to wear in shoes and I'm just not doing it any more.
Pavers and Sketchers all the way.
I've never tried Rieker so I'll have a look.

I’d expect new shoes to be comfortable while trying on but to still need “wearing in” before they are comfortable for a full day’s wear.

I have wide feet and leather does stretch - you can pay the shoe menders for this service for about £4.

I know which shoes are more likely to rub.

I second Sketchers really comfy front he start. I have new boots I’m avoiding!

I have never been a big shoe person. Historically until about late 1980s , and then the advent of online shopping, even finding shoes in my size 8s was extremely difficult - you basically had to take what was on offer.
I always ended up with blisters on my heels and toes. I have narrow but high ankle joint, and extremely long toes - standard shoe lasts cut in all the wrong places, with the narrowing of the she heel cutting into still a wide part of my heel .

I found in more recent years brands like Ecco, sketchers and other orthopaedic shoes much better - like someone realised that women with bigger feet don’t just have longer feet but the whole proportions are different

but any non casual shoe or boot I know to arm myself in blister plasters until they are worn in - takes about a dozen wears to do that.

i last bought a pair of shoes 3 years ago. I bought some new slippers earlier this year. I repair shoes and treat them well so they last - some of my shoes are 20 years old. I just hate the whole process of buying new shoes.

I hate it too. By the time I was eleven I was in a size 8 and I remember going into 14 shoe shops in my city in one day with my mum, to try and find a new pair of school shoes.

I just don't understand how, when Europeans are getting taller, why more footwear isn't made in larger sizes for a female fit. I mountaineer regularly, but because I'm now in a size 9 the only boots I can wear (techy, crampon-ready boots) are mens boots. They don't fit me because although I have a men's length of foot, my total foot volume is a lot less so my feet rattle around the boot unless I wear about three pairs of socks. I was told that apparently nearly all footwear is still made using shoe lasts created in Italy decades ago.

Ive taken size 7.5 since I was teenager in the 6y0p's. Nightmare trying to get the size in those days, nowadays people generally seem to have bigger feet. I need a wide because of dreadful bunions ! I find the heel sometimes hurts because that is very rigid which d0es soften,, but if they are not wide enough when I try them Idont buy

I'm all for comfortable from the start, tried Dr martens a few times and they all defeated me. I only have 2 pairs I wear these days, some fly boots that are 3 years old and some art trainers that are like I'm not wearing shoes at all, life's too short for painful shoes.

I won’t/ can’t wear shoes that are too narrow any more. I stick to “barefoot” brands as mentioned by a PP - for me, Vivo’s, Leguano (a German brand) or Xero Shoes (US). They all have “foot shaped” shoes that have a wide toe box so your toes can spread and function properly, thinner flexible soles, and shoes that attach properly to your feet with straps (for sandals) or laces - no rubbing or shuffling. They all have women’s ranges that take into account that women’s feet are differently shaped to men’s - even in larger sizes we tend to have narrower heels.
I used to wear narrow shoes and high heels and ended up with a Morton’s Neuroma; post surgery to fix it, I never went back. My feet were 5.5 U.K. but are now 6 - 6.5 - your bones spread out once you give them room.

I wish I’d known / taken notice of this in my twenties.

You can find shoes for all occasions, even boots, the only thing I still occasionally struggle with is shoes to go with nice dresses for formal occasions, and have settled on gold flip flop type sandals that let my toes be free. (No heels. Ever. Again.)