Please teach me about shoes, are trainers really that bad?

[overmydeadbody]

I really need some help.

I just don't 'get' shoes, mostly they look horrible to me so that stops me buying or wearing anything othr than 'safe' footwear like flat boots, ballet pumps and trainers.

Are trainers that bad really? If they're nice ones?

I see people posting about court shoes, chunky wedge heels, kitten heels, sling backs yada yada and I don;t know what they mean

Tell me about shoes, the good the bad and the ugly...

I know more often than not sheos make or break an outfit, and this is where I really need some help!

if you normally just wear trainers then it's fairly easy to introduce flats as a starting point.

yy ruddynorah I can do flat shoes, in the more conservative styles, but how does one pull off turing up to work in brogues or these without everyone niticing and laughing?

Or is it ok for your feet to be obvious?

and can you wear flats with tights? If I wore these would it be ok if tights or socks where worn with them and you could see them?

Brogues are not nice and you couldn't pay me to wear them. But those Faith ones are gorgeous. What sort of oiks people do you work with who would laugh at those?!

If you are self conscious, then go for plain black courts as a start, then you can work up to some nice casual wedges to wear with jeans.

How old are you? If you don't mind me asking?

I think opaques would be okay with those shoes. But not "natural tan" or whatever.

I'm definitely no shoe expert though.

I have old lady feet so can't really do heels properly. What I wanted to say was that I used to think I couldn't wear dresses or even knee or above-the-knee skirts to work as everyone would notice and laugh. However, nobody really cares and even if they notice they don't really laugh. The limitations are in your mind really (I'm not the kind of person who wears...). If you can get past that and just do it, you'll probably find it's fine.

those brogues are cute! But there are nicer versions around

Beware of very flat shoes like those in the first link...I think very few people (mainly teens only really) can get away with a really flat shoe. They just make everyone else look lumpen and dumpy even those with long slim legs

what shoes do you need/where do you work/do you have going out shoes

so many questions, so little time

ooh thanks for the help, I was made to leave the computer alone yesterday and RL stuff, so sorry I disappeared.

Norkily~Challenged you are right, it is mostl in my head. But I have very wide feet that are also very big (size 7) and am very self conscious of them. I hate them in fact.

I am 28ish and work on my feet all day with secial needs kids, so need to be able to run, if Ihave to, at work.

Cybagal I don't want to look lumpen and dumpy so will take your advice.

I have boots and a variety of flat pums for going out in.

I have two beautiful pairs of heeled shoes that I have never worn as I don;t know how to pull them off

Snap OMDB, I'm a wide size 7 too.

Doesn't sound to me like heels would be very practical for work then? I shouldn't really post on your thread though as I rarely wear heels and if I do, I wear incredibly boring sensible low heels like this (couldn't find my exact pairs on the Clarks site).

Will await some more expert shoe people to advise you.

If it's mainly in your head, you just have to go for it one day. Honestly, it will be fine!

Try one of your pairs of heels to an occasion/situation where there won't be many people you know. Then you just pretend (to yourself as well as to the world at large) that you are simply the kind of person who wears heels all the time. There is no reason for them to know that you're not that kind of person.

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I like the casual shoes link, bloss. I assume they are worn without socks, but doesn't this give people blisters? (I'm another total non-expert where shoes are concerned )

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Viva la Diva have a good range of wide fitting shoes. Evans also sometimes manage to add a few decent wide fitting shoes to their collection, though if you are not 'plus size' you probably wouldn't even think of going on there, it is worth it for the shoes, but they seem to go in fits and starts of hideous/nice shoes.

here

and Evans here

Bloss, thank you! I will try those ideas.

I used to be wary of shoes as well OMDB. Am not any more . I wear flat boots for work with a dress and opaques. Easy to throw on in the morning. In summer I tend to wear flats for work. Last summer I bought these in cream and they were fab - really comfy and go well with dresses and trousers. Had loads of compliments also.

Norkily I will try that, just pretend I an a fancy shoe wearer one day.

I do hate having such horrible feet.

I never though to try Evans for shoes tbh, thanks for that advice!

Work wear is informal but still nice and smartish, but not tailored suits or anything, more like smart trousers and shirts with jumpers or cardigans.

It's always the sock issue that makes me end up abandoning any attempts to buy nicer shoes.

those shoes are lovely cornsilk, did you just wear them with bare feet?

I did buy some nice cowboy boots recently, but I always feel self conscious walking in them as they are heeled.

I feel silly, like a little gilr tottering in her mum's high heels

Yes bare feet - I wore them in Spring/Summer. You could wear them with tights though.
Wear the cowboy boots. Everyone will think you look fab. I used to be like that about wearing stuff to work as well.