Please help Amanda!
I’ve been reading you for a while via the link from Pastor Amy’s blog (talkwiththepreacher.blogspot). I noticed that you recently praised Naot Salvadore shoes, which is why I wondered if you could help me. [Nice plug for your friend’s blog, you sly boots! – PB]
I am nearly inseparable, to a terrible degree (I’m a law student) from my Naot Tranquil (i.e., black mary jane flats) shoes. They are some of the only shoes that fit me, as my feet are very thin from top to bottom, of normal width at the toes, and astoundingly narrow at the heels. Other than Naot, do you have any brand of shoe you recommend I try? I live in Chicago, so their sandals, which are most of what they make, are fine about 3 months out of the year. Snow is predicted for Tuesday. Also, Naot has recently begun creating some clunky, anti-elegant shoes. I wear a size 9; my feet are big enough as it is.
Now, readers, be nice to Amanda. She is not a clergyperson and really shouldn’t be asking me for advice but maybe some day she’ll do pro bono work for one of us or our churches, so let’s love up on her. Also, I almost forgot, we should do this because Jesus said something here and there about hospitality and welcoming the stranger. So let’s welcome Amanda and her thin ankles and try to help her. I told her to peruse the shoe archives, but I knew one of you could help right away, because you’re so good that way.
And to that dear gal who wrote a week or so ago describing her new blue pin-striped suit and who wanted shoe recommendations to go with it, can I just say that I really hope you WILL NOT get Mary Janes? Because they’re just not that sharp and you can do better? Can I just say that I envision you in a neat pair of neutral colored boots with a square or pointed toe or something more ADULT and PROFESSIONAL than the ubiquitous Mary Jane? People, we have got to break this addiction to Mary Janes!! They are simply not the only shoe option out there! Amarnda has really thin ankles and it’s hard for her to find something that fits, but really, what’s all the rest of our excuse?
Why not something like this?
Or, you know… this?
I don’t love them, either, but they’d look cute with the right suit.
Or how about olive? What’s wrong with a nice olive wedge? How cute is that?
You wear a lovely cream-colored silk blouse and a bunch of funky gold chains with your suit and these shoes and you’re INTERESTING! I don’t adore the stitching or anything but c’mon, they’re INTERESTING. Let’s get some TEXTURE, some COLOR, something DIFFERENT going on!
But what do I know? I’m the chick who wore false eyelashes to an installation last weekend, and who looked like an absolute hag today (because I was up late baking my first apple pie, photos of which can be seen at the PeaceBang Blog, thank you very much.)
Love the olive wedge… who are they made by? [I don’t remember –but you can find them by going to Zappos.com and doing a search by color. There aren’t that many olive shoes so you should be able to find them quite easily. — PB]
PB, I’m not loving those green wedges but admittedly, it could be me. I have narrow tootsies too and I’ve learned that insoles and ball of foot pads are a necessity for me now that most shoes are medium width. In other words, Dr. Scholl’s is my friend, and has taken many a pair of shoes from unwearable to just right.
Amanda should try http://www.designershoes.com which specializes in hard to find large sizes–including the narrow widths. (Disclaimer: I have no relationship with this website but have bought many shoes from it for my size 11 1/2 narrow feet.)
My heels are narrow in proportion to the rest of my foot, and the problem is that shoes come partly off when I walk, making me feel clumpy and awkward. The only solution I can find is to only buy shoes with laces or straps (this is where Mary Janes come in) because they ensure that the shoes actually stay in contact with the back half of my feet! I can’t buy narrow widths because my toe area is wide and I have fallen arches. In fact I often buy wide width shoes to accommodate the rest of my foot, and the laces/straps accommodate the narrow heel issue. It is so annoying! I suppose the only solution is custom made. [Mon, I get a lot of success with this issue with gel inserts. I trim them so they don’t squish my toes and they help keep my foonts in my shoon. I can’t wear slingbacks no matter what I do, though. – PB]
Ooh… designershoes.com is nice! Thanks for the advice. I’ve found a brand (Munro shoes) that seem to be crafted for many different shapes of feet. And an old NYT article lamenting the problems of buying shoes.
Because shoes like the ones you prefer indicate someone who spends lots of time sitting, and not standing. I can’t wear shoes like this ANY day, but especially not on Sunday. Give me Mary Jane flats any day (I have 4 pair). If one stands on these high heeled shoes, the weight shifts down to the (anatomical) toes and smashes them into the toes of the shoes until torture is achieved. I used to wear these shoes in my 20s and 30s, and if you are in that age range, then go for it. If you are at all heavy and over 40, then Mary Janes are the way to go, even if PeaceBang declares them Not Cool. If I can’t stand in comfort during the liturgy (and Episcopalians stand quite a bit), then she can’t worship effectively, or lead others in proper worship. [It’s not an issue of Not Cool, it’s an issue of looking like a schoolgirl. Too many of the Mary Janes I’m seeing out there on clergywomen infantilize adult women in ways that they refuse to admit or take responsibility for, and I’m going to continue to fight that. It is possible to find comfortable, supportive shoes that don’t evoke sixth grade memories. I spend just as much time on my feet as any other woman in ministry. If you can’t wear the shoes I like, by all means don’t. Please share your recommendations for comfortable shoes. But let’s not get dramatic about “torturing” our feet over a 2″ wedge heel, for heaven’s sake! I’m a good 100 lbs. overweight and 42 years old and can run around all day in 2-3″ sturdy heels with no ill effects, and no chiropractic abnormalities. I don’t do it often as I understand that it puts a lot of pressure on my toes, but a few times a week on special days is fine. – PB]