Finally getting a little more confidence after a year-plus with MSP. I'm grateful! But the main problem for me is my feet. The rest of my body wants to look stylish and put together, but when my feet just CAN'T - well, that's a real mental block for me. Closed-toe shoes are so difficult, and with Fall already here, I'm struggling with this. Again. In the past I gave up on the "stylish and put together" part and settled for something a little more in-keeping with my "sensible shoes" look. Easy Spirit Motion shoes will work for me. And I have a black Aetrex Mary Jane pair that are OK for winter. I wish they were cuter/slimer/lighter looking - but at least they don't cause me pain. Pumps? Not a chance. Flats? Even worse. I have multiple foot issues going on - wide foot, toe issues, arch support needed, narrow heel. I wish MSP would post pictures of cute and stylish outfits - accompanied by shoes that I could perhaps at least IMAGINE being able to wear sometimes. Any suggestions?

On her radio program, she mentioned a lady who had a lot of shoe issues and she said to focus on things you can change, wearing what you have to for your feet, but buying a really nice hand bag to bring the focus up and away from your shoes.

Have you looked at this website called as onlineshoes dot com? They have all kinds of great brands of shoes that accommodate foot problems (diabetic shoes, shoes that take orthotics etc) and are cute and stylish. I love clarks and Merrell brands - they are not cheap but I wear them every single day and they last me upwards of 2 years - sometimes three. So in terms of cost per wear they fit my budget much better than something I might buy and throw away in 6 months. I have wide feet and have trouble with my toes as well - and am contemplating purchasing the Walking Cradles Craft shoes from that site. They have great reviews and I like the classic style.

Thank you for both of these suggestions! Another hand bag ... that's a lot easier to find than shoes and is an idea I'll definitely keep in mind. There are so many that I like! I'm happy with the one I've already landed on and was trying not to even look at others for awhile though for the sake of $$$. Online shoes - yes, I know that site and they know me haha. Just checked out the shoe you mentioned - *sigh* should I try them?? Just pulled out my Trotters pumps from the closet - 8 1/2 WW. I bought them 2 years ago and wore them maybe once. They don't slip off my heels, amazingly. But my toes are too cramped and the nerve pain kicks in. I think these Walking Cradles Craft pumps might be roomier in the toes? They do look nice - I like them. Online shoe ordering (and returning!) is great - but a frustratingly slow process. I'll check out some Merrell shoes - need something casual as well. Thank you!

Sabahmom, Try Auditions. They have sizes 4 to14 in AAAA to EEEE. They have Clarks, Easy St., Hush Puppies, etc.

Thank you for the Auditions recommendation. Hadn't heard of it before. Checking it out now ... I really appreciate these other ideas and places to look. Helps the motivation to stay on it and keep looking.

Hello Sabahmom!

I have 'problem feet' too. They are very wide, and I had bunion surgery two years ago, so now I am very careful not to do things that will encourage the bunions to return. I also have the beginnings of crooked toes, I am trying to do some things to keep them from going bad and needing more surgery. Sooo I need very wide shoes. And I don't think my heel is necessarily narrow, but it doesn't seem to be as wide as EEE shoes!

I can really relate to wishing for a slimmer look to my shoes. I cried the first time that I had shoes that were wide enough for my feet -- my feet were comfortable for the first time ever, but oh gosh they looked so clunky!! LOL Oh Well. I like to joke that my feet are this way so that I can't get knocked to the ground so easily.

I really liked the suggestion to just wear the shoes that are comfortable and do things to bring the focus up away from them. 'Nude' might be a good color to try with a skirt so that they blend with your legs.

I also have had good luck with the shoes offered at Simply Be. It seems like the British have many more options for wide feet, because there are lots of UK companies that sell wide-side women's shoes that are a little more stylish. You and I will have to fly to London to go shoe shopping one of these days LOL

Anyway, Simply Be has EEE sizes that are very comfortable for me. They don't have half sizes, so I order the larger size and I use heel grips that you insert into the shoe to keep them from slipping on my heel. Several of the shoes that I have from there could comfortably accomodate an arch support. I am also trying a shoe stretcher on EE shoes to see if that will work. I figured, once I got my mind around altering my skirts and pants and dresses, that I could try to do alterations on my shoes as well.

Now I am off to look at some of these other suggestions, too!

Elaine in CO

hello sabahmom and others, I also am very picky about my shoes because I value the ability to walk pain free far more than I value being stylish or fashionable. For me, this is a lifestyle decision. Amazingly enough, it is almost my second anniversary with MSP, wow! I have discovered that zappos dot com has a very liberal return policy on their shoes ... you can test drive a shoe in your own home for much longer than anyone would in a shoe store. I'll have to check out some of the other sources above, thanks for the suggestions. Thanks to MSP, I have been experimenting with scarves for the past 6 months or so. The scarf is an item that in the past I never wore unless it was absolutely the dead of winter and I had to be outdoors all day. Since I've been wearing scarves more often as part of my indoor outfit, I've experienced significantly fewer comments from people about my poor taste in footwear. The local consignment shop has a great selection of scarves at bargain prices. I've been able to budget this money toward the sensible, good quality shoes that will last me several years without destroying my feet. So, yes! A handbag, a scarf, perhaps even a hairstyle or earrings will take peoples' attention away from your feet. This never would have occurred to me. Thanks, MSP!

Yes, who9, Zappos is great. I love their return policy and have taken full advantage of it! I'm still doing the shoe search thing. Am expecting a few in the mail any day now - and have a few to return :-/ Good to know that others are also experimenting with other looks - scarves, handbags, earrings. It takes TIME but I'm slowly learning :-) And thank you for the Simply Be recommendation, Elaine. I need to spend a little more time there. I got side tracked on other closet issues today. I live in Southern California where we've had heat until recently and it's been easy to ignore the changing season! It really takes me a long time to go thru my clothes and figure out what I need still. I had bunion surgery many years ago and need to be careful about all kinds of things with my feet. I really understand your sentiments about clunky shoes! But it's a non-negotiable if it means pain-free feet. I'm still out there looking for the least-clunky-most-comfortable shoe I can find. Not the simplest process - but it helps to know I'm not alone and that fashion/style doesn't have to start and stop with my shoes!!

I have wide feet, high arches and high instep. Shoe shave always been a problem especially since I have had 3 surgeries. I recently found a company called "Hotter" .it is a British company so the delivery is a bit long. so fat I have 3 pairs of shoes and love them! right now they have a buy 2 get 1 pair free deal. I recommend trying these if you have hard to fit feet.