Hopeless with shoes and have huge feet, please help!

[ragz134]

I have never been a shoe person, I have big feet and find shoe shopping incredibly frustrating and ordering online rarely works out well. I am totally clueless when it comes to matching footwear with outfits and have clothes I can't wear because I don't have shoes.

I currently wear winter boots (flat, brown snow type), black ankle boots or Birkenstock sandals. I have a pair of posh brown knee highs but they are a bit high for day to day wear.

I know that having size 9 feet means I can't buy shoes in many places. I am happy to not have 30 cheaper pairs and just own a handful of decent, quality shoes. So I suppose I'm after a capsule shoe wardrobe?

The area I am most stuck with is shoes to wear with dresses. I wore Birkenstocks the last few summers as they are the only comfortably sandals I have ever owned! Not very sexy though and certainly not going to cut it for parties! I struggle with what colour shoes to look for to go with things, ideally I'd have a go-to pair of nice sandals that I can wear with my (mostly blue/teal/brown/black) dresses.

Does anyone have a capsule shoe collection and can advise on key staples?
Could someone suggest a style/colour of sandals that is most versatile?
How do you deal with big feet and shoes? Any good shops?

I had a quick look around at a few different styles, and I quite like the Long Tall Sally Bella Tassel block heel sandals (sorry I can't link atm). I think black is OK with most colours, as is tan and nude. They look nice enough to wear to a party, but they don't scream party so you could wear them in the daytime too.

Some of the others on there are quite nice too, I like the Cole studded leather tan ones, the Lanna Double cross black suede, the Lulu knot ones, the Maddy peep toe and even the Bailey block heel ones would probably be quite comfortable as a block heel is a lot easier to walk in than a thinner heel (really sorry for not linking these!!)

I think shoes are one thing you shouldn't scrimp on, buy leather or suede and look after them, and they should last you well. I'd much rather have four great pairs of shoes than a hundred OK pairs. You can only wear one pair at a time!

Thank you for that, I will have a look at long tall Sally.

In terms of 'capsule' shoe wardrobe for spring/ summer I would want a pair of daytime sandals (flat-ish, leather, super comfortable) and a pair of dressier shoes for holidays, meals out etc (leather or suede, similar to those I suggested from LTS).

I would also want a pair of pumps/ trainers like Converse/ vans and a pair of boots for cooler days (Chelsea boot, probably tan leather).

I have size 6 so I know nothing of the torture of shopping for big feet (but I do have toes like nik naks so I have to shop for shoes that hide them, we all have our crosses to bare!)

Simply be and fashion world,you will get every shoe,boot,sandals that are in fashion up to I belive size 11 for ladies

Lands end do a size 9, I have a few pairs of the bungee ballet flats to wear with jeans and casual skirts.
Next also do a size 9 as standard unlike other places that say size 42 is a 9. I have a couple of pairs of Clarks Hamble oaks, a brogue, that goes well with 7/8ths trousers.
I'm also on the lookout for a flattish sandal that will go with dresses and skirts for the summer that aren't birkenstocks.

Thanks for all the tips. I will check out those stores mentioned. I can't do heels over 1" as I'm taller than DH already... And I wobble in them! Same goes for pointy heels, I feel unstable in them... and they don't work on grass!

These go with lots of outfits and come in various colours www.clarks.co.uk/c/Hamble-Oak/p/20346713

For sandals, perhaps evans?