Shoes are important right? Someone who never invests in shoes and never thinks about their footwear never looks good do they?

[overmydeadbody]

I'm thinking this year I will just wear all the same clothes I already own, not buy anythign new, but actually invest in nice shoes to go with my clothes, and actually think about footwear more and getting over my fear of drawing attention to my feet, becasue scruffy old worn in conservative shoes do nothing for one's image do they?

Think I need to get over my phobia of wedges for a start, and gladiators, and sockless feet...

Does it sound like a good idea?

Camper can be a bit ££ but often you can get them in sales online, maybe around 40-50 quid. If you get them from Javari you get free returns as well if they don't fit.

Sounds as though you'd get away with flat pumps, being tall and skinny! Sugar do a great range.

God - you've got model proportions!

If I were as tall as you I'd go for ballet pump style with skinnies in the summer.

What about birkenstocks? I always think they look fab on tall slim people with short skirts.

oooh I like those Tracy, I never even thought to look in M&S, have never bought anything from M&S

take your pick!

lol if only tracey, my feet are huge though and my chest is flat, so hardly model proportions

Birkies have always been out of my price range, but my wages have recently gone up so I might be able to splash out on some!

I have these from last year which I really like, are they ok?

They're lovely.

TK Maxx had birkenstocks in loads last spring/summer for about £20 if I remember correctly. So worth a look there too.

Thanmk you tracey and sausage, you've inspired me and got me excited about shoes, I might just go shoe shopping tomorrow if DS is up to leaving the house!

omdb - yes! same here these are the one's I've just bought. In my defense I do wear bootcut jeans (another S&B cardinal sin?) so you can't see most of them

yeah jarath I like those, mine where the grey ones with the embroidered floewers all over them, in exactly the saem style as those black ones.

They are mighty comfy aren't they?

I am very drawn to these, I love the colour

Birkies are my staple summer footwear, they are so comfy and go with everything.

I got mine from TKmaxx last year for £20, and I think Costco had them in too.

Try painting your nails a really bright colour and that will detract from the largeness of them !

Honestly, give it a go, you'll draw far more attention to yourself in the summer wearing big boots than you would in birkies or sandals !

oh, I like those too - would have to go for my usual black though . The ones I have on now are black ones with the embroidered flowers, but they're falling apart after being lived in for almost a year. soooo comfy.

someone's going to come along and tell us how ugly these shoes are soon, aren't they

Am reading with interest.

OMDB - do you find ballerina pumps comfy then? I have size 7 wide bunion-y feet (bleurgh) and I really struggle with ballerina pumps. I think holding the shoe on with my toes kind-of-thing gives me pains in my toe and bunion

I am more and more interested in clothes but will be really held back by the limitations of my rubbish feet, I fear. I have really really low Clarks heels for work and they are giving me real pain too.

Norkily I have to shop around before I find ballerina pumps that are comfy and fit properly, I have had some horrifically uncomfortable ones that I cannot keep on in the end as they hurt my bunions so much, I have found the schuh own brand ones are comfortable though and not too pricey.

Thanks for the birkie tip coffee, I will keep an eye out in tkmaxx. I do paint my toe nails, in fact I never ever leave them unpainted, people would recoil in horror if I dared to show my bare feet if I didn't at least keep my nails looking nice, it does make some difference you are right!

I think you can stay conservative and comftorable and still look fashionable. Ballet flats are a classic and look good with summer dresses. I must have about 20 pair.

20 pairs! wow all in differnet colours? Where do you keep them all?

I like these loafers, are they acceptable?

Different colors and patterns although three are black. I have a room for clothes and shoes.

try Evans if you want wide fitting shoes on the high street

loads of pumps and ballet flats

might not bother with a pair of these though

snurk at the denim monstrosities

I am just longing for the day when shoes go back to being mid-heel again and I don't have to choose from either ballet flats (which, owing to my thin ankles, make me look like I have kangaroo or clown feet) or high spikes which (being ancient and top heavy) make me look like a tranvestite

Drooling over those links sausagepastie! I'm size 8 wide feet too, have the horrors shoe shopping, feel like I have the feet of Fred Flintstone or a hobbit. Birkenstocks were a revelation, especially the funky colours and patterns you can get the Madrid style in. I used to run a pub and the only shoes the I could wear for a 12 hour shift without feeling worse for it. For some bizarre reason my office has decided that Birkenstocks are now outside of their dress code...grrr...at least I will be on maternity leave all summer

Stillcounting, kitten heels are in for the summer, much to my relief

I hate all shoes and have ruined many an expensive outfit by pairing it with dusty ugg boots

Praise the Lord RedWhiteandBlue!

TX Maxx do have Birkies in at the moment - at least they did in my local store on Sunday. They were the nice patent one strap ones. If it's your first pair make sure you try a few pairs on as they come up quite large. I'm a size 7 but take a Birkie 6.

Too true, I'm a 7 in them. Find sometimes a new pair can be a little sore on the sole of your foot until the leather goes smooth but after that you'll never look back

I agree with overmydeadbody that shoes are important with respect to image. I know that department store clerks in the US are taught to look at the footwear, regardless of the type of shop, in order to assess the economic situation of the customer.

I confess a love of shoes, and I don't like living in the UK primarily because I can't wear much of my lovely sockless shoe collection.

So with regards to sockless shoes, realistically I don't think there's many days where you can wear them comfortably. Though if you are in an office environment, you could always change once at work.