Calling all those slim of ankle and foot -where do you buy your shoes?

[ProperLavs]

I can't seem to ever find a pair open open flats that fit me. If the length is right my feet still lift out as my ankles are so narrow. The only a slew I can wear have to have straps that hold my feet in. My ankle boots have to be lace up and fly boots are the only ones narrow enough to be comfortable.
I would dearly love a pair of moccasin type shoes that I could wear. I've tried heel grips but they keep coming off. I've tried insoles but my high arches make that really uncomfortable.
Is there any brand that caters for the narrow of foot and looks fashionable?

My Mum has very narrow feet, she buys a lot of Italian shoes. But I think you just have to accept some styles won't fit. I've got wide feet but narrow heels and ankles and fall out of lots of loafers, my Fitflop were OK though so might be worth a try.

Russel and Bromley

No help I know, but I have the same feet as you. Can't wear ballerinas, loafers etc., and chelsea boots look like short wellies on me. Brogues would be OK except I'm size 8 and not especially tall and I seem to look like I'm wearing my Dad's shoes!

I have slim size 9 feet and have given up on wearing much other than converse. Long Tall Sally do long narrow shoes if you are a big size and don't mind the prices.

James Inglis mail order

I have skinny feet and ankles and find Rieker fit well

Converse fit me like a dream. I have a pair of Rieker sandals which I have worn constantly for 2 summers and adore. I haven't tried the shoes though. Thanks for all the suggestions and glad to know I am not alone !

I'm a skinny size 3 (just my feet!) and I buy a lot of ballet flats in New Look. Lots of pairs don't fit but plenty do, more than any other shop I've tried.

I'm size 7, with a ridiculously high instep and narrow feet and find Reiker are good as are Gabor. I'm resigned to not wearing pumps, moccasin styles etc as end up clenching my toes to keep them on.
Sometimes gel insoles or heel risers help.

I have fairly narrow feet but Finery were too narrow for me, so maybe them!

I have the same thing
Jones is good and I fit size 3 there and that's often massively reduced so def try there.

Special Feetures - they are wonderful. Its mainly mail order but they have a shop in Romsey in Hampshire www.narrowfitshoes.com . I visited their old shop in Thames Ditton once and they were so helpful. They keep a file for you, detailing what you have ordered and any returns etc. Sometimes I ring and say I like shoe X , and they will advise that as I returned shoe Y as being too wide, this one proably won't fit either. Also I am a AA in some brands and a B in other , and they have been known to send me one fitting but put the other to one side in case I want to swap them. I just ring and either ask them to send the others or tell them I don't need them. Fantastic customer service. They are always interested in feed back. we have discussed the fit of shoes I purchased a couple of years ago and how they have worn!
I didn't find them until I was in my 50's . They have revolutionised my shoe wearing life.
Funny thing, I have a couple of pairs of M&S boots purchased in an outlet store- obviously too narrow for most people.
I use James Inglis as well.

I had the most awful experience with special feetures Daisy.
I visited their shop in Thames Ditton years ago- maybe when they'd been running for 3-4 years then. At that point I'd already ordered from them - some I'd kept, some I hadn't.

I still found it hard to get a good fit by mail order (I'm between a A and B fitting) as you describe. I possibly kept half of everything I ordered - paying postage both ways as you do.

Can you believe that after a few returns they refused to have me as a customer? They said it wasn't worth their while to deal with so many returns.

I was very disappointed because I'd bought several pairs over the years - not as if everything was sent back.

I don't know if it's the same people who own it now - I'm going back 20 years or so- but they were very unpleasant at the time.

Maybe things have changed for the better.

I am another with narrow ankles and instep problems and fitflop and Clarke's for general day to day wear.
I have two pairs of irregular choice which I use for dressy occasions.
Last week I was told that my left hip is the problem with mum foot. Podiatrist said to continue to wear fitflop as these best for my feet .
Nice to know I was doing something right. So would defiantly suggest fitflop.

I'm resigned to not wearing pumps, moccasin styles etc as end up clenching my toes to keep them on.
^^ this Then I get cramps in my feet.

I had a really comfy pair of ballet flats from new look one year-wore them to death. Next year went to get the same shoe- they were in stock- none of them fitted

OP is it worth sizing up and putting a cushioned insole in?

I don't do it because I feel it's weird to make my feet look bigger but I have thought about it.

Every time someone says "in step" I think of the Frankmusik song.

wanders off singing

Wouldn't going up a size just make it worse?

Wow Polly - we almost seemto be talking about different firms. I have sent several pairs back but I do take their advice if they think something won't be suitable for me and I give detailed feedback when I return shoes.
I have always found them helpful when I ring - been using them for about 7or 8 years.
And they found me ballet pumps that fit- called Maple by Roz Hommerson- sadly discontinued

It was a long time ago Daisy- maybe 1990 -ish and I think the then owners must have sold up (they were in their late 40s or early 50s at the time I think.) The current website says nothing about the owners, whereas the old website actually named them (as the founders.)

I was not impressed at the time, especially considering I'd travelled for a fitting and met them! (And spent hundreds of pounds on shoes I'd kept!)

I now find I can wear some Clarks, Dune (seem narrowish), Geox traines, and in winter I'm in boots all the time. For some reason, high heels which I hardly ever wear, come up narrower. I tend to put inner soles into ballet pumps but haven't found them really comfortable anyway for lots of walking.

I have the same problem. My heels are so much narrower than the widest part of my foot that most loafers, ballet pumps and court shoes are like flip flops on me.

I am a fan of Sketchers and Rieker and find them very comfortable.

Continental shoes all the way!
Ecco, Gabor, Rieker and Tamaris are good. Shoon usually have quite a lot of choice.

I can wear some Clarks, if the straps are adjustable enough. Heel grips in nearly all shoes as well.

Might try New Look, I would really love some ballet flats that stay on my foot!

I have got a wonderful pair of DM boots, but I need to wear them with insoles and heel grips.

sorry OP I should have said half size if you can get it

It's just you said about the "same" pumps, they obviously haven't made them to the same spec and an insole will elevate your foot in the bed of the shoe which might work better.

I've only tried it in a shoe shop and I didn't buy them but it was what the shop assistant suggested. She might just have been desperate for a sale, I dunno.

I do use insoles sometimes to get a tighter fit. With my high instep it's always going to be a balance between slipping heels without insoles and cramped toes but non slipping heels with insoles.
Boot time is nearly upon us so I won't have that issue . I have a couple of pairs of lace up brogue shoe boots from office which fit like dream , so I'll live in those and my fly boots. Mind you some fly come up a bit roomy so I wear 2 pairs if socks and an insole. I would so love a pair of shoes that fit.
Now I finally understand why , for my entire adult life, I have only ever worn boots or sandals!
The Rieker are brilliant though.

I think it depends partly on your instep. I have high arches and only a fairly narrow foot but a very low instep (no volume on top of foot; it's just flat like a hand). Apparently this means I have a low "volume" foot. My DH has a much thinner looking foot than I do, but a high instep (his foot looks more like a boot). Anyway: my foot type seems to create a lot of problems for flats (I can't keep them on), but in boots and lace-ups I don't need a specially narrow shoe. Is the top of your foot flat or deep?

For flats, Spanish brands seem good -- Sabrinas, Camper, also some pairs from Zara (you can search under "leather" on their website). Some of the Russell and Bromley brands like Stuart Weitzman (though I don't find their own brand very narrow). Some Geox shoes.

Personally, my own favourite by far is Cole Haan, who also make extremely comfortable flat shoes with Nike air technology. You can order from the US on Amazon or directly from their website, though obviously is a bit annoying to get the sizing right. I am a UK 7 / 40 and take a 9, or a 9 1/2 if I get the extra narrow fitting (but most styles only have one width).

Women's shoes in the US actually seem to be narrower in general than here. The standard fitting there is a B, and I think here it is a C.

PS do you find that you tend to buy shoes too small? I was buying smaller and smaller shoes to keep them on (e.g. a 6 at M&S or even a 5 1/2) and my toes were crammed right in at the end, which meant I kept stubbing them in my shoes.

I don't know why I am so obsessed with wearing ballet flats when I have these problems. But I think it is partly because despite my narrow feet I have thick ankles, and lace-ups aren't very flattering!