In a moment of weakness a few weeks ago, I found a pair of black loafers at a Goodwill for $4. (I also found a pair of Banana Republic wool trousers for $6, but that’s another story.)
I am notoriously cheap. I couldn’t resist.
But my feet, apparently, are princesses. I wore those shoes today and practically crippled myself. They were very comfortable when I put them on but had almost no arch support. So by the time I was walking home I was nearly lame with the pain in my feet and legs, like I’d developed gout & lumbago simultaneously.
My Danskos are helping ameliorate the situation, but someone remind me: never again. I buy good shoes for a reason, because the cost of cheap ones is not worth the cost to my body (old lady that I am).
It’s not cheap shoes – you have to have shoes that fit well on your feet. I learned that when I came down with plantar fascitis several years ago. After a couple of years of arch supports and the like I ended up finding a pair of cheap Reeboks that fit me so comfortably. Haven’t been bothered by it since.
Argh, painful shoes – tell me about them! I’ve got a few pairs myself that practically cripple me if I wear them for any appreciable length of time, and the worst thing is, a couple of those pairs weren’t exactly cheap. One of them was a very pricey pair of black leather zip-up boots that appealed to me because, despite being men’s shoes, they looked somewhat feminine* (indeed, they struck me as looking like the sort of thing a pimp might wear). Unfortunately, as good as they look, they’re a nightmare to wear, leaving me with aching shins after I’ve been tramping around in them for a few hours. I don’t know if this is due to them either being a little tight around the toes, or having slightly raised heels. I suspect it may be the latter as the other pair of expensive shoes I have that really torture my feet and legs are a pair of high heels.
*Ironically, despite these shoes’ androgynous appearance, they’ve gotten me approving comments from women who’ve otherwise ripped my attire to shreds (figuratively speaking of course!), claiming it’s far too feminine and “gay” for a heterosexual man such as myself to be wearing. (Yes, thank you so much for your completely unasked-for advice on what I should be wearing if I want to pick up a shallow, empty-headed bitch such as yourself; I’m really ever so grateful for it. Now fuck off.)