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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want my feet to "do" summer shoes without the need for beige sockettes and the like?

34 replies

JaneHH · 13/05/2008 21:38

I am just dying to know, WHO gets through summer and wearing nice feminine sandals etc without the need for plasters / tights / beige sockettes (you know the type I mean)? Every time it gets hot I get so jealous of all those women walking around in leather shoes (or whatever) without so much as a pop sock to be seen.

Am I the only person in the world who rejects open toe sandals in the shop because I can't (gracefully) wear tights with them to stop them rubbing...? Or should I pop down to Clarks for some tan lace-ups, nice and comfy, right now?

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 13/05/2008 21:39

I think your feet have to get used to them?

I am the same, though, I can manage Birkies, and Crocs, but I don't really consider other sandals, because I know I'll come up in 7 billion blisters and be miserable.

KelaH · 13/05/2008 21:41

If you want to wear tights with open toe sandals, M&S do open toe tights which I have found a lifesaver!

Original poster
JaneHH · 13/05/2008 21:41

Oh that whole walking-round-the-house-in-socks-in-your-new-shoes... Do all these women in their leather shoes and no tights run marathons in new shoes to get them to stop hurting or something? Where do they get the time to run them in?

Birkenstocks are just bliss. Wish I could wear them to work haha

OP posts:
Original poster
JaneHH · 13/05/2008 21:42

aha... open toe tights... how do they work, though? Do you get a painful toe wedgey at the end of the day?

OP posts:
duomonstermum · 13/05/2008 21:44

as the proud owner of 70 pairs of shoes (i'll not count the boots...) the best way is to wear a pair of thick sports socks with the shoes for a few evenings to stretch them a bit. then rub vaseline into the bits that sill rub. failing that gel pads and blister plasters... i suffer for my hobby!!!

KelaH · 13/05/2008 21:45

They are really good - have two openings for toes - 1 for big toe and one for the rest, quite comfy. Only prob is you can't really wear them with strappy shoes as they show too much.

Original poster
JaneHH · 13/05/2008 21:45

Vaseline... good tip, thanks for that. But don't your feet get all hot and sweaty though? ()

OP posts:
Countingthegreyhairs · 13/05/2008 21:46

No advice to add but glad it's not just me JaneHH ....

I get through reels and reels of Micropore every summer ...

moondog · 13/05/2008 21:46

OMG Jane,you don't wear those hideous sockettes do you!?

Chequers · 13/05/2008 21:48

Message withdrawn

RubberDuck · 13/05/2008 21:48

Was exactly the same, then said sod it, went to a proper shoe shop and came out with a lovely soft pair of ecco sandals.

£60... (ouch)... but the only thing that's hurting now is my bank balance. And they've got proper soles so the amount of walking I do won't wear them out in a hurry. And it's not as if my feet are still growing, so they should last me a few years

Money well spent, imo.

duomonstermum · 13/05/2008 21:49

i usually have a small tin of foot spry to spritz when they get unbearable.

DirtySexyMummy · 13/05/2008 21:50

I have about 70 pairs of shoes, I love shoes.

I never wear any of these weirdy socks or plasters or anything. Your feet will get used to them.

Original poster
JaneHH · 13/05/2008 21:51

KelaH I'll be on the look-out for those toeless tights, thanks for that.

Micropore. Another top tip. Do you stick that to you or to the shoe?!

HAHAHA moondog... I mean those little bits of ?nylon? (something hideous anyway) which wrap (just) round your heel and (just) round your toes and hold your feet in a kind of clinch all day while you hope they don't spring off at one end and end up in a ball under your foot for the rest of the afternoon. Technically not visible under shoes but hey we all know better. But anything to avoid hot-foot-against-hot-shoe sensation.

OP posts:
Original poster
JaneHH · 13/05/2008 21:54

Ecco are comfy, definitely... only not really wearable to summer weddings, which is when it all starts to kick in for me... grrr

Any other weirdos out there who admit to wearing those sockette things? Please don't tell me I'm the only one buying up the stock in M&S.

OP posts:
Countingthegreyhairs · 13/05/2008 22:04

Hands up! Another wierdy here! LOL at ending up under ball of foot. Don't know why I bother but I hate that moist sliding foot sensation .. yuck ... triple yuck ...

Micropore sticks to you btw ....

Also, scholl do good range of transparent plasters with cushioning bubbles in them, that don't look too hideous ....

Oh the indignities of approaching old age ... it won't be long before I'm reaching for the sensible lace ups and the bunion cream .....

RubberDuck · 13/05/2008 22:06

Have you had another look at the ecco range - they've got more attractive in the last couple of years, imo. Almost fashionable

MummyToOneForNow · 13/05/2008 22:07

Ok, I admit to wearing the strange sockette things as I hate having bare feet in shoes. I found some cotton/lycra ones in Tesco which I thought might be ok but they just slip off my feet so its back to the M&S nylon ones...

Original poster
JaneHH · 13/05/2008 22:08

CTGH!!! lol!! Indeed triple yuck at the thought of sweaty foot against shiny inside of shoe. However, I am early 30's (and am also counting the grey hairs ) so still have some way to go before "approaching old age" (I hope...)

Right who else?

OP posts:
Original poster
JaneHH · 13/05/2008 22:11

gosh more posters in the time it took me to type that...

RD I agree ecco have got a lot better recently. My (other) problem is that I have rather large feet (size 9) so have to go off-piste when it comes to shoe shopping... (Yes, even these days - but that's a whole other thread)

Thank you for admitting that MTOFN. Safety in numbers and all that.

OP posts:
CoteDAzur · 14/05/2008 10:08

I'm afraid the answer is to buy better quality shoes with softer leather and better detailing that is made to be gentler on the feet.

Yes, unfortunately, these are more expensive.

I have about 15 pairs of shoes and they have all cost serious money, but it's worth it - they never hurt my feet (even when brand new), they look great, and they last forever.

Original poster
JaneHH · 14/05/2008 12:14

CoteDAzur I fear you may be right...

So you don't wear those little beige sockettes EVER?

OP posts:
VictorianSqualor · 14/05/2008 12:21

Erm, you do know that you don't walk further than the car to the door in nice shoes don't you?
Shoes aren't made for walking

misdee · 14/05/2008 12:25

i am currently 'breaking in' my new summer kangeroos. they were fine the first day. but now the backs of my heels are rubbing. they seem to sit up higher than my old shoes.

what do i do? i only have novelty plasters left.

cmotdibbler · 14/05/2008 12:47

I have this problem too - also my legs are so minging with bruises/thread veins/bright white, that I really need to wear tights - so the toeless ones work well. But I get rubbed to death, no matter how long I let them wear in - just have that sort of skin.

I even have some bands that go round your foot for use with mules. The Scholl party feet gel pads are good for stopping that slippery feeling, although imo do nothing for foot comfort. The only thing that helps the ball of foot blisters etc are the deeply unattractive stick on pads.