Does anyone else really struggle with slip-on/court shoes?

[TwelveLeggedWalk]

All my life I've had narrow heels (memories of hideous Clarks t-bar school shoes), which make it very challenging for me to wear smart shoes because I just walk straight out of them and look like I'm playing dressing-up!

I bought three identical pairs of ballet pumps from Kurt Geiger when I found a design with an elasticated back that actually stayed on my feet. Normally I have to stick to Mary-Jane or lace-up styles.

Recently I bought a pair of courts from Clarks which just about stay on my feet long enough for me to wear for a few hours, but the second pair are awful and were slip-sliding off my heels just walking into an office - very professional, not.

Heel grips never seem to work for me - they just push my feet further away from the heel of the shoe, I feel like I need something to push my feet back into them.

Anyone else have this problem and managed to solve it?

I struggle to keep courts on my feet too, although seem to have found a solution by sticking to M&S and Next and going down half a size.

What you said about needing something to push your feet back made me think of these Sizers from Amazon which I saw a few months ago whilst on the hunt for insoles.

Hmm, interesting - have you tried them? Amazon have a curious selection of 'invisible' straps to solve this problem, none of which look very invisible to me!

Might try the silicon grips again though - it was the bulky suede ones I didn't get on with.

Anyone else have this problem?

Nah, didn't try them, they just stuck in my mind as being a novel solution. The suede heel grips did the job for me- I don't trust those silicone ones, they look like they'd flop off at the first sign of wear!

Those 'invisible' straps are made of the same stuff as clear bra straps. Say no more....!

I have this problem, but more on one foot than the other because I'm a 6 to 6.5 on my right foot and a 7 to 7.5 on my left.

I must fess up that I recently bought one 6.5 and one 7 and took them through the self-check out

Dd has this problem. It's due to her high instep.

I have a secret trick, taken from an article by the queen of high heels, Sarah Jessica Parker. It works for me and I'm narrow heeled, and it pushes the foot into the right place.

A tampon. Unwrapped. Pushed into the toe of the shoe.

Just don't take your shoes off too vigorously!

I have this problem, so does my DM which she says is due to her high instep. I try to buy a half size or even a full size smaller on those types of shoes.

Wow, I have this problem and I've always avoided wearing courts or flats because of it.

I did have a really nice pair of very pointy flats in a size 3 (I'm a 3.5 ) and my toes could squash into the point so they stayed on but its not exactly comfortable.

I've never understood why they don't stay on, so its a narrow heel is it?

They're terrible for your feet because they don't hold on properly. I've wrecked mine by wearing courts and ballet pumps in my teens. My podiatrist said that shoes that come much higher up the feet are much better, so Mary Janes are probably the way to go, I'm afraid.

I use the gel insoles thT meant just for comfort but seem to make shoes stay on my feet.

I'm the same :-( Spent £10 on sizers and they're rubbish :-( So watching with interest for any other solutions!

I was advised to put in a half insole, which does seem to work to a certain extent, as the front of your foot is held more securely, so not so much slippage is possible. Think the tampon might work better though!

I switched to a mooncup thinking I'd never have to buy tampons again!

I have this problem, it drives me absolutely nuts! I'm ok with a low heel, but anything over about 2 inches just will not stay on my feet.

Have tried:
Both suede and gel heel grips
Half insoles (leather and gel - just about every kind you can buy)
Cotton wool balls in the toe of the shoes (imagine similar to tampax?)
Buying a half or even full size smaller shoes (hurt my feet but didn't stay on)

NOTHING works! It's so limiting having to find shoes with straps I'd love someone to come up with a solution...

This is funny reading this
I also have narrow feet so these shoes have always been absolutely out of the question which is annoying as there's some really flattering / hot designs.
I tried on one pair of court shoes with heel and couldn't believe my luck when they actually fitted when I put them on. However I obviously forgot to walk up and down in them in the shop bcos they flip flop off my feet. I took to cutting a kitchen washing up sponge in half and rolling the sponge in the back to fit around my foot. Didn't work for me as wasn't thick enough, but may for someone !

The tampon is so funny.
And the mooncup comment 😂

You neee to buy narrow fitting shoes. They are more expensive and it's hard to find non frumpy styles .

Hey @thenightsky want to be my freaky odd sized feet shoe buddy? I'm 6ish on the left and 7ish on the right. Also narrow heels!

I can't believe this thread has come up because I was going to start one about shoes myself!

I also have narrow heels (I assume) because despite being a 4.5 I have even bought courts in a 4 and they STILL flap off at the heel. And I was going to have a moan about even if the shoe fits well (around the toes and front half of the foot (forget about the heels for the moment)), I literally do not have one single pair of shoes that doesn't rub and hurt my feet. I've got ones with comfort insoles built in and nice quality - still hurt. Literally the only footwear that doesn't hurt my feet is ankle boots and slippers!

Throw in the re-emergence of my bloody toenail fungus, this recent hot and sunny weather has presented nothing but problems!

Realising that a boot-style is going to be 'better' than a shoe, I bought several pairs like this from JustFab:
www.justfab.co.uk/?action=shopping.serp&q=edita

And blow me, my toes were completely shredded after just one day's wear. So that didn't work either. Sadly they aren't real leather so you can't stretch them (can you?) - just being able to soften them would be something. Has anyone ever successfully stretched fake leather/fake suede shoes????

I might try out the spacer things which I've honestly never seen before - it's worth a try I think. Heel grips just don't work - they actually position your heel away from the back of the heel of the shoe which I actually find makes the flapping off even worse. Even flats give me problems - mostly they cut across the top of the main joint of my big toe and I can't wear them.

Oh and there's the Tailor's Bunion on my left foot which is also a pain to accommodate - any court or strappy sandal that is 'low cut' around the outer side of the foot I can't wear because it catches on that....

Jeez!

I've got triangle feet -very wide across the balls /bottom of the toes and then narrower than average at the heel. I have to buy wide fitting shoes to accommodate the widest part of my foot and then they're so loose around the heel (I also have high arches). Basically my shoes slip off at the heel all the time and I clack around like a five year old. A loafer style is my best bet for work shoes (I don't like brogues but lace-ups would probably work well). Ballerinas and court shoes give maximum clackety clack.

I have flat feet with no discernable arch and I have this problem. Chiropidist recommended that I stick to t-bar or laceup shoes. She was right, they are way more comfortable but, well, they are fugly. No two ways about it. Shoe shopping nowadays is a dispiriting trek round the shops to find the least-bad option. I have a large collection of courts and some 4-inch heels that are beautiful but will never be worn again. I'm not yet ready to let them go though!

Oh as regards shoes that rub and hurt your feet. A friend who goes on loads of city breaks and walks everywhere told me she slathered her feet in moisturiser or Vaseline to stop this happening. I thought it sounded a bit gross but worth a try, for e.g. my Hamble Oaks brogues which are fairly stiff leather. And it actually works. I do my heels and the top of the front of my foot and especially my bunions (yuck). I don't wear socks, just put in those odour eater insoles.

Court shoes are terrible for your feet.

Have they ever been in fashion for men any time in the past century? No. Because they're ridiculous, impractical and impossible to keep on properly.

And I've just realised that this is a zombie thread that I last commented on 3 years ago. Should have read beyond the first half a dozen messages!

Ah never mind - we needed to talk about it and it was good timing for me!!

Tisgrand my feet are wide across the bit above your big toe and yet narrow at the heel - you can't seem to address both problems effectively (or eve 11).

My feet are flat too.

It is true and I have to add this to the list of suitable and pain-free shoes that the one pair of daytime/work heels I own are my Clark's t-bar/Mary Jane style ones.

My other problem (if I didn't have enough to be going on with!) is I broke my right toe about 20 years ago and it's clearly got arthritis in it. I used to have less problem with platform proper high going out shoes but now I can barely wear a really high heel if the toe end is closed - I can only wear the ones where there's an open toe or my once broken toe is in agony.

Should just stay at home on the sofa I think...