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Original poster

Do all shoes hurt past a certain age?

97 replies

mumonahottinroof · 12/10/2016 21:14

Just ordered a pair of LK Bennett block heels with 25% off. I love them, but they bleeding pinch around the front of my toes, so they're going back. I am SURE 15 years ago I would have borne the pain for beauty's sake.

So do a) shoes hurt more as you get older or b) Does your tolerance for discomfort vanish? I could try to wear these in but I can't be bothered any more and if it doesn't work that's £200 down the drain.

Am 45, am I doomed to a lifetime of Hotter and M&S Footglove?

OP posts:
rightknockered · 15/10/2016 13:41

I have found that my feet have shrunk around half a size since taking up weight training, and wearing trainers more often as my everyday shoe. Ballet flats are very painful to wear, I prefer heels if wearing shoes.

sighbynight · 15/10/2016 17:32

I love this thread.

Beautifullymixed · 15/10/2016 19:02

I so agree with all that's been said.
I would never have guessed years ago that I would live by my mantra, comfy knickers and shoes Grin
I'm forty four, but can't be doing with anything that causes pain.

Doesn't have to be boring though. I'm a TA in a primary school, and wear my leopard print and zebra stripe converses (with insoles) and my nike juvenates. The kids love them!
I also wear havianas and shiny patent birkenstocks all summer, and gorgeous rubber soled knee high boots from next in winter.
Stylish footwear and my planter fasciitis has been banished for a couple of years now. It would take a miracle to get me into uncomfortable shoes or heels now.

LindyHemming · 15/10/2016 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

P1nkP0ppy · 15/10/2016 19:39

I'm another with feet refusing to let me wear whatever I like on them 😳
I have high arches, narrow feet with 'heel knobs' lifetime of bloody blisters when I buy new shoes unless they're Hotter 😱

More recently they feel as if the bones are coming through the soles. Very achy and painful, not to mention weird!
Heels are also out since I smashed my right ankle by completely dislocating my foot from my leg..............

I also blame it on years of nursing, despite wearing sensible footwear.

NavyandWhite · 15/10/2016 20:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JanetStWalker · 15/10/2016 21:01

My toes look like prawns, almost certain that's new Hmm

ageingrunner · 15/10/2016 21:07

I've never been able to wear uncomfortable shoes. I've always admired women who have the fortitude to put up with them. I always wear flat shoes, preferably trainers. My feet seem to be a size bigger than they used to be though 😳 I've just been googling arch-strengthening exercises to see if that'll make a difference

rightknockered · 15/10/2016 21:37

there are visible veins on my feet, the kind you get when your hot. I am not hot. My house is fecking freezing

rightknockered · 15/10/2016 21:37

you're

topsyturner · 15/10/2016 22:02

I'm living in my birks still .
But today's torrential rain storms are making me consider other forms of footwear .
But my birks are too comfy ...

Beautifullymixed · 15/10/2016 22:14

I know what you mean topsy about the birkenstocks. I gave mine up last week as my toes were cold in the playground Sad
I still keep them in the classroom though, in the cupboard, for 'ahem' hot moments, especially as the heating will start going on soon.

PosiePootlePerkins · 15/10/2016 22:21

But do you find yourself looking at a pair of comfy shoes and asking yourself 'Are they really ugly? Are they?' I seem to have lost all sense of style in my quest for comfy shoes, I genuinely don't seem to know what's acceptable and what isn't Hmm

PinkSwimGoggles · 15/10/2016 22:28

birkenstock also make shoes.
fugly laceups but very comfy.

PinkSwimGoggles · 15/10/2016 22:29

ecco and gabor somehow can make pretty and comfy shoes.

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 15/10/2016 22:32

My feet also seem to be shrinking. I was a 5 (sometimes 5.5) as a teenager. Now I'm down to a 3.

albertcampionscat · 15/10/2016 22:34

Merrells. God I love Merrells.

PickAChew · 15/10/2016 22:36

I've always had a low threshold of stupidity when it comes to shoe design, but now, thanks to hypermobile feet that have pretty much fallen apart, I need a nice wide toe box, preferably square, a shoe that doesn't slop around and nothing that finishes on a particular point at the back of my right heel, which rules out most shoes - needs to be a trainer with a cutaway back (so rules out a lot of the currently trendy Adidas, for example) or an ankle boot or higher with exactly the right amount of moulding. Add in the need for either inbuilt arch support, in exactly the right place, or the ability to add in some support insoles, plus a high instep and I'm pretty bloody demanding.

NicknameUsed · 15/10/2016 22:37

"But do you find yourself looking at a pair of comfy shoes and asking yourself 'Are they really ugly? Are they?' I seem to have lost all sense of style in my quest for comfy shoes, I genuinely don't seem to know what's acceptable and what isn't "

Same here. I am a massive Sketchers fan, but they are very much derided on here.

PickAChew · 15/10/2016 22:44

And those Eska boots are lovely, but no way could I wear them!

These are my latest purchase. I can't walk as fast in them as in trainers, but they're petty gorgeous (with the addition of some gel arch support inserts) and I can't stop staring at my feet and sniffing the lovely leather
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00TV31GRI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Shiningexample · 15/10/2016 22:46

I genuinely don't seem to know what's acceptable and what isn't
if your feet are knackered then thats you done for
thats my take, comfort and foot health are paramount
I have no problem finding flat comfortable shoes which to me are also aesthetically pleasing.
I dont much care what other people think of my footwear, no one has ventured a negative opinion that I can think of

as for admiring people who have the fortitude to tolerate painful footwear, I dont find it admirable, not remotely so, foolhardy,
but not my problem

Shiningexample · 15/10/2016 22:48

I think your boots look great PickAChew :)
thanks for sharingHalo

PickAChew · 15/10/2016 22:57

I've had some longer ones, the same brand, for a few years. The right ones (not all of that brand) feel like they were made especially for my feet!

biscuiteater · 15/10/2016 22:59

These are really comfortable, I think the most comfy shoes I have ever worn and they go with most outfits. www.pavers.co.uk/ital24000

PickAChew · 15/10/2016 23:09

Now, if i was going to pick those apart, biscuiteater for my particular feet, the soles which have a narrow base are a problem - i woud likely fall over in them or at the very list twist my ankle more than is acceptable. The toes are the same shape as birks, so would compress my little toes rather painfully (I just hang over the edge of birks, which is rather painful with that deep lip). I owuld also worry about whether or not i would be able to walk in them without them slipping and needing me to curl my toes.

Even within certain parameters, the definition of a good comfortable shoe is quite personal. Someone upthread mentioned Geox, but I haven't seen any women's Geox, ever, which is wide fitting - they all look extremely narrow.