WHAT is wrong with me and trainers?! Help me someone. (pics)

[Laiste]

So i started a thread about Fitflop trainers/sneakers yesterday. I need a pair of trainers to go walking in. I've never had any proper trainers only little plimsoll things. No support.

So white pair and silver pair have arrived. And once again i feel like the only person in the world who looks a prat in trainers. I'm size 5/6.

These trainers, and to be honest every trainer i've ever tried on, feel like they look like boats. I want to like them, they're so comfy. But i look down and i feel like i'm wearing barges.

The white ones look laughable and the heel slips off no matter how tight i do the laces, so i haven't even bothered with a pic of those.
The silver - if i lace them tightly they do stay on. But ... !!?

I don't know is it me? They fit, and they're comfy, but do they not look daft?

I'm feeling so deflated. Everyone else looks perfectly normal and nice in trainers 😳

(and sorry about bare feet pics it's to try and show what i'm seeing compared to my actual feet. if that makes sense)

I had some fit flop trainers similar to yours and whilst the insole was great I found the heels rubbed.
They have no padding or support around the body of the shoe iyswim.

They don't fit,they're too wide.

Shiny bright silver trainers with a chunky sole are bound to make your feet feel huge to you- fit flop always look wide too. Wearing those will automatically draw everyone's eyes to your feet making them the most significant part of your outfit and therefore appear bigger.

If you want your trainers to not feel big go for a slimmer, darker and non-shiny style.

If you’re wanting shoes to exercise in then I would honestly go for sports shoes. I know you said you wanted to avoid sporty trainers but that’s what they’re designed for and no one is going to look at your feet and think “what’s she wearing those for, she’s only walking around the village” No one cares! Walking can be great exercise but you do have to push a bit for it to be worthwhile, get some shoes that can handle it. I also think if you’re a bit self conscious about how they look then you’re much better off going for a proper sport trainer because their main aim is practicality, not looks. In the same way that no one looks at a builder on site and says his riggers and hard hat don’t suit him, no one will think your feet don’t look right, just that you’re doing exercise.

sportsshoes.com have a huge selection and there are often bargains to be had, have a look on there. EBay the silver ones. For what it’s worth I think they look fine but it sounds like they don’t fit and I’m not sure they’re going to do what you want them to.

Are you wearing them without socks? If so get yourself some decent trainer socks and that should help. They look fine!

I bought a great pair of neutral coloured Nike trainers, specifically because they weren't bulky but were comfortable. They gave me the confidence to then go on and buy a pair of white adidas trainers that are more obvious.

Unfortunately what you've bought is neither one thing or the other. They are bulky and - sorry- not especially fashionable. Have you tried them with a slim flare jean or longer skirt? A large part of the issue is that you are wearing them with tight leggings so your thin legs accentuate the bigger shoe at the bottom.

I find fitflops come up quite big and also have the problem with the back slipping off. They look good on your feet but they may be too big.
Try ordering from M&M direct.com, I get all my shoes and sportswear from there-have saved so much money as I live in trainers for work! I find New Balance are really comfy and true to size, also sketchers (find they come up big so go down half a size). It's a discount website so it's hard not to buy loads haha.

I think they look nice, and they suit you and are not huge at all

i wear trainers or hiking boots all the time, and am used to walk around in “boats”, at size 8 my feet never look dainty anyway

big feet/clumpy trainers are “in” now so personally am in footwear heaven and even wear big chunky trainers with dresses/skirts now

Literally NOBODY will think your feet look big, not a single person

Where are the silver ones from? I love them.

Well I like them OP and think they look good on you. The first pic from the top view wasn't the true view of them iyswim.

You do need to wear them in wearing socks though. Do you have any anti blister sport type socks ?

I want to answer each of you!
So much sense being talked here.

Thank you again to everyone who said they looked good

Everyone saying they're too wide is right i think.

Lots of folk saying they're not proper trainers - i agree. Also agree with those saying that because fitflop have a good footbed they're ok for walking as long as the rest of it fits. I just don't know if the rest of it fits! It does look and feel a bit gappy round the ankle. And the heel rub ... sigh.

Thank you for advice about the heel rub. I did not wear socks I thought they'd be ok as they felt so soft in the house. Honestly i only walked 100m up to the school!

From school age i've had awful trouble with heel rub and also the edge of shoes cutting in up under my ankle bone. When i had to wear court shoes for work (in the days when they could make you wear heels) i used to actually gently hammer the backs to soften the leather and the stitching up the back to stop them rubbing the skin on my tendon raw. I even had to do this for Carvela and Kurt Geiger shoes! (i worked for them).

@Flipflopflips i REALLY like those vejas you linked to. Flipping back and forth between those and the cloudforms, i think the vejas come up a bit lower up the front? Which i think would suit me better.

@TheOGCCL your checklist sounds perfect. I was hoping you'd found some 😂

@rookiemere these silver ones (if i keep them) i probably won't try to wear with a skirt. Or trousers tbh. I would only wear them for marching round the village. I think i'll stick with white plims for wearing with skirts/dresses. My beloved oldies were only a tenner.

@taybert you're right. I shouldn't be worrying about what they look like really, but i suppose i was hoping for a hybrid thing which i could wear more often than just exercise. Now i've cost myself even more! The builder example made me smile as DH is one and looks damn fine in his hard hat and big boots lol

@Mojitomogul i will check out M&M direct, thank you.

So - the veja's - is the general opinion yay or nay for a walking trainer? Bare in mind i'm not doing much off roading in them.

@MultipleVeganPies thank you

@BeenThereTooo https://www.next.co.uk/style/st665207/282963#282963

@isthismylifenow thank you. No, i confess i don't have socks except bed socks! 😂

@BeenThereToo what size are you? I might know someone with a pair to sell ... almost brand new ! 😃

I have seen lots of people on MN over the years say that the vejas classic trainer is not comfortable at all.
I've no idea myself as about 8 years ago I tried some on and I was between sizes and couldn't buy either.

Are these trainers for trousers or dresses?

OP if you want nice plimsoles, Sainsburys have a great selection, I buy a new pair of white ones every summer as they are obviously less bulky than trainers in hot weather.

I have quite big feet and I prefer trainers with a toe cap thing. Like adidas superstars or converse (well fakes as I find real ones uncomfortable)

WithIcePlease i was hoping for them to be ok with skirts ect, as well as actual exercise, but now i think i need to forget about that and keep them for the slog up and down the hills in the village in my leggings.

@rookiemere i know exactly the ones you mean! By the time i had clocked them in our nearest one (which isn't near at all sadly)(we're not near anything!) they had sold out of the white in all but the 4s and 7s and although i kept an eye out they didn't come back in.

christmastreefarm · well fakes as I find real ones uncomfortable

That's interesting!

These are FitFlop trainers and they do have arch supports, I'd say more supportive than the likes of Nike.
But if you are young you might not need all the support.
They are the most comfortable trainers I have ever worn but they are not necessarily the most fashionable, although I do think the clean lines are quite classic.
They look fine on you, but do check the width if they don't feel right.

Agree with @DelphiniumBlue - I wear Fitflop slippers, wellies, flip flops and those Rally trainers as I get plantar fasciitis and need the arch support.

@Laiste you don't have socks?!

I quite like them and I have my eye on the fitflop trainers in navy for work.

It's just what you're used to. I hate myself in heels now, it looks dated to me becuase it's what I wore years ago and consider I'm dressed up in smart not muddy trainers.

I have fluffy bed socks.

But I don't have any ... 'day' ? socks, no 🙂

I rarely wear the bed socks to be honest. Never in bed.

I wear them when i'm cold and ill.

I guess my socks are my equivalent of the dressing gown of doom - the Socks of Sickness!

I know the feeling OP I have size 7/7.5 feet and skinny ankles, I often feel like I'm wearing clown shoes. I think it's mainly in my head though