Friday, August 20, 2010

Who Designs These Things?!

Why is it that women's dress shoes only become tortuous instruments of pain after purchase? They can be totally comfortable in the store, but as soon as you buy them, you walk two blocks and the damn things are cutting into your heels and making your pants all bloody. WTF?!

I drove to Chicago yesterday for an interview and decided on a pair of flats that seemed comfortable for walking. Wrong. After a block or so they rubbed against my heels and took off a bunch of skin. The right one actually cut into my heel. It's a good thing I'm familiar with downtown Chicago and didn't get too lost. I managed to find a Starbucks across the street from where I was to interview and stopped and sat down. At that point it wasn't too bad.

But here's what I learned: When your feet hurt, it's actually worse after you rest. After my 45-minute soiree, I stood up and managed to make it across the street, although by then I was starting to limp. I got to the agency, filled out my paperwork, took a survey, all the while getting up and down. I managed, through pride, to keep everything to a minor limp. Those that saw me for the first time might have thought I once suffered a minor bout of polio. No biggie.

But by the time I got back to my car, I knew I was gonna have to either find a different pair of shoes or drive barefoot. At first I drove with the shoes on, since I drive a stick. I was afraid if I drove barefoot I might miss the clutch or something. But even driving with the shoes on was painful. I managed to find a Walgreens about halfway home. By that time I'd already stopped for gas and went to the bathroom, and was literally hobbling. Alas, Walgreens has moved its merchandise to its Fall season, and had backpacks instead of flip flops. Screw it, I thought, cursing the person who designed my shoes. I'm driving barefoot. Whoever designed these things should be made to walk two miles down Michigan Avenue in a pair of these things. Preferably a pair two sizes too small.

So I drove barefoot. It was pretty comfortable, actually, besides the bleeding heels.

12 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Oh no!! Stacey I am so so sorry to hear this!! You poor thing - and for an interview too! Well good for you for driving barefoot!! Best thing for the feet! And I wish you well with your job interview.

Oh flats are the worst for sizing. Really - even the most comfortably made ones (Clarke's or even Marks and Spencer's Footglove range)and it's only through experience that I realise that for me personally for flats to go 1/2 a size or a size up than my normal size. I've also learnt the following (for myself): Never buy them just fitting - always have room in the shoe even when trying in the shop as in my heel lifts out of the shoe - not too much but enough. Always buy leather, always head for the "made for wider feet" range, e.g. made for comfy fitting. that's just for FLATS btw. Heels/wedges are absolutely no problemo!! LOL!!

Take care
x

Whirlochre said...

Sounds like the elves had a lot of fun with you that day.

Maybe next time, go for rubber wellington boots as there's virtually no chance of rubbing (though if you accidentally slip one over your head, you might suffocate).

Alternatively, carry tomato ketchup. That way, when you bleed all over your trousers, you can smear it all over your blouse and hair.

"Look — that woman is bleeding to death" doesn't sound half as oddball weird as "look — that woman is bleeding from her feet like some religious miracle is about to happen, or maybe there's a lunatic on a razor-wheeled skateboeard..."

Also — steer clear of clogs.

Stacy said...

Thanks, Kitty! Next time I buy flats, I'll go up half a size. Meanwhile my heels are healing nicely.

Whirl, I kind of like the idea that I might have been bleeding from my feet like some religious miracle was about to happen. "Stigmata" can be my new nickname!

writtenwyrdd said...

I'm quite familiar with your horrible experience and I suggest you always have a pair of comfy shoes in the car. I had to walk several miles in a pair of shoes aka torture devices. Never again.

And for job interviews, carry a huge purse where you can stash the heels and wear walking shoes until you are outside the building. Swap your shoes, and no limp! I have done that on a zillion job interviews and saved my tootsies.

You have my sympathies for your experience. yuck.

fairyhedgehog said...

Ouchies! I hate women's shoes, except sometimes for sandals. Why do we have to have our feet tortured?

Stacy said...

I don't know, Fairy, but I've heard that male shoe designers may have something to do with it.

fairyhedgehog said...

That wouldn't surprise me one bit!

Sylvia said...

Shoes: a (male) friend of mine rolled his eyes when I complained about my shoes hurting and said, "They are a size too small."

"They aren't! What are you talking about! And you didn't even look!"

"I used to sell shoes," he told me. "Women always buy a size too small. It's always the same: She looks down, the smaller shoes look better because her feet look more petite and she doesn't have them on long enough for them to pinch. Doesn't matter what the salesman says, she walks out with too-tight shoes and then complains the rest of her life." He walked away.

I don't know if it's true but you know, I've been pretty careful about the feel of the shoes I've bought since then!

Sylvia said...

Oh and I forgot to say

When your feet hurt, it's actually worse after you rest.

This is SO true!

Stacy said...

Well, I tried the shoes on and they were comfortable in the store. I never intentionally buy my shoes a size too small—especially for dress shoes—but I might need the help of a shoe salesman the next time I buy dress shoes, even flats. I'm not sure this was a size problem as much as it was a shape problem. I was just surprised because I've never had this sort of problem with flats before. Heels, sure, I expect them to hurt a bit. But flats? My heels still have deep scabs from the shredding.

Stacy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sylvia said...

If they were rubbing your heels off, I'm sure they were just badly designed. It's just something that gave me pause to think - his point was that no one intentionally did it, just that they didn't realise.

Any shoe that rubs is horrible. I've been barefoot for most of August so I am probably about to be in for a real shock!