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Marissa Lepor

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If the Shoe Fits

Posted: 07/25/2012 9:10 am

If the shoe doesn't fit...

Wear it anyway? Confession: I don't know how to buy shoes -- apparently, anyway. For a couple of years I noticed a protruding bump on my heel but never did anything about it because it didn't hurt. Recently, however, one of my parents' friends came over for dinner, noticed it, and advised me to get an MRI immediately. (He's a surgeon.) Startled, I began to ask him a series of questions, trying to gauge the gravity of the situation. He said it could be anything from minor swelling to calcification that would continue to get worse until I could no longer walk. Eeek!

I called Westside Medical Imaging in Beverly Hills, CA and scheduled an emergency (okay, so maybe not a pressing emergency, but still) MRI. After a 45- minute scan of each foot, I sat with Dr. Elliot Kolin, who discussed the images with me, especially that little white dot on the bottom right.

shoe

Luckily, I only have a small edema (swelling) on my right heel due to malfunctioning shoes -- they were too small. He recommended I buy bigger shoes and get some shoes stretched. Okay, so not the worse case scenario, but I still felt like an idiot. As someone who loves shopping, finding out I don't know how to buy shoes was kind of degrading. Besides, don't most people learn how to identify if a shoe fits by kindergarten? Well, apparently, I'm not alone.


A few days later, as I perused the shoe department at Barneys, admiring the little pieces of artwork a lucky few get to wear on their feet, I overheard a disturbing conversation. Two high school girls discussed which shoes to buy for an upcoming dance. Girl one was buying the shoes, and girl two was there for "moral support." Girl one contemplated two pairs of Christian Louboutins: nude peep-toe pumps ($945) and silver rhinestone closed-toe pumps ($3,395). After wobbling around with hands outstretched, barely avoiding a few nosedives, girl one declared, "I like the nude ones. They are a little tight, but it's fine." Girl two agreed. Girl one purchased the shoes, and the two pranced out the door, giddy with confidence over their recent purchase. But what exactly should they have been proud of? The fact that they just purchased a pair of $945 shoes, or the fact that they just paid $945 for shoes that did not fit?

I mean, I understand the whole "beauty is pain" mentality, but what happens when the pain results in surgery? Is a long-term injury worth the compliments and ego-boost of wearing beautiful shoes? Absolutely not. So then why don't I know how to buy shoes? After seriously considering various possibilities, I think I found my answer. Because I always shop on sale, the selection of shoe sizes becomes very limited, and over the years, I have (subconsciously?) grown to sacrifice comfort for fashion. I know -- utterly stupid and superficial. But I never thought it would lead to immobility. And evidently, neither did those girls. So, please, next time you find yourself in a size bind and think you'll just power through, think again.

 
FOLLOW TEEN
If the shoe doesn't fit... Wear it anyway? Confession: I don't know how to buy shoes -- apparently, anyway. For a couple of years I noticed a protruding bump on my heel but never did anything about i...
If the shoe doesn't fit... Wear it anyway? Confession: I don't know how to buy shoes -- apparently, anyway. For a couple of years I noticed a protruding bump on my heel but never did anything about i...
 
 
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11:16 AM on 07/30/2012
After all these years of shoe wearing, I have plantar fascitis, heel spurs and a bunion on one foot - quite painful. Also, remember, very flat footwear: flipflops, ballet flats can cause damage, too. If anything comes out of this article, take care of your feet. Don't wear shoes for fashion, wear them because they fit comfortably.
03:44 PM on 07/29/2012
One of my first jobs, other then self employed stuff like lawns, and home repair was being a shoe salesman. I was 16 years old, and each customer who came in, I had to measure their foot. (I'm sure older readers remember that.) I would occassionally get usually a gal who swore that my contraption was wrong, and insisted on size whatever, and then proceeded to jam her big foot into it. In those days, the customer was always right.

I can see where the writter of this article, trying to be thrifty on shoes got her into trouble. I'm a guy, and I don't see why a woman have to wear high heals, ever. Ladies you look great in any kind of shoes. Don't toture yourselves. Us guys aren't interested in your shoes. lol If your own friends make fun of a shoe purchase you make, then they're being shallow. Unless it's like snow shoes, or something. lol
02:42 PM on 07/29/2012
It's mind-boggling how women torture themselves with shoes. One of my all-time favorites is seeing pregnant women teetering along on 4" heels; I always wonder how many of them have fallen down and injured or even killed their babies...
03:47 PM on 07/29/2012
Yeah, it makes them look like the Goodyear Blimp on stilts:) Just kidding ladies.
04:21 PM on 07/29/2012
Snooki won't give up her stilts, even if it means safety for her baby. Of course, any woman could fall. But why needlessly increase that chance. What a shame she and women like her put style over the safety of the baby they are carrying?
01:48 PM on 07/29/2012
Richard Pryor said, "Tight shoes are a motherfu**er, brother." I guess he was right.
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heldt666
Come on, it's not far.
11:54 AM on 07/29/2012
Right after finding out that tight shoes were causing my feet problems, I found out that the tight hat was causing headaches.
Now, if only I can figure out why the steering wheel keeps rubbing my chest when I drive.
cbrown4115
"The mind that is not baffled is not employed." We
10:28 AM on 07/29/2012
Fashion can have health consequences... I'm sure that the orthopedic folks will be making a fortune off of these boys that wear big pants. Watch them walk! They have to swing their legs way out to keep their pants from falling down. This unnatural gait is certainly taking a toll on their hip joints. I wonder how cool these guys will feel when the have to use a walker to get around.
03:50 PM on 07/29/2012
They can put suspenders on their walkers to keep their pants up. That's why their called the Y Generation, if you look at them from behind. (Y) OK. Everyone enjoy your Sunday afternoon.
08:32 AM on 07/29/2012
why buy anything that doesnt fit? clothes on the off chance you will lose weight,shoes because they didnt have your exact size.
seriously,it seems to be a mental issue.
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Angelia Gonzalez
06:31 AM on 07/29/2012
The samething happend to my foot but it was because the flats i wore to work were to big and went up and down on my heel I ended up with surgery to remove the little lump and a cast for 5 weeks I'll never do that again!
01:43 AM on 07/29/2012
Spoiled little rich girls.
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09:28 AM on 07/29/2012
THAT is what you took away from this!
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seriouslydood
I used to be indecisive; now I'm not so sure.
10:03 AM on 07/29/2012
Yep. Me, too. Teenagers shopping at Barney's and buying shoes at $945!!!! Trying to decide between those and a pair that went for $3,395??? SHOES??? How lovely of her to provide links. Well, the author is going to Columbia, after all. Can't expect her to shop at Macys. Perish the thought!
06:05 AM on 07/27/2012
I don't think I have spent that much on shoes in my entire life!!
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Skorpia
How d'you tell the king he's not the king anymore
02:51 AM on 07/27/2012
One of the worst things to see women wearing is ill fitting shoes. Shoes that gap at the heel or toe overhang are just heinous. I think they make the wearer look like she is walking around in hand me down shoes. Too big can be just as bad as too small, and not just because they look dumb.
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09:29 AM on 07/29/2012
Sometimes however they fit when you buy them and stretch. If they are comffortable few woman will throw them out.
01:30 AM on 07/27/2012
I bought a REALLY CUTE pair of silver pumps a while back, which were about half a size too big for either foot, which causes dangers just like those that are too tight because then your ankles are at stake. So what did I do? To my husband's chagrin, I stuck a wingless Maxi pad in each shoe - and voila! They fit perfectly, and now have a cushy cotton bottom that I can replace if I spend a few days stomping around in them.

Try this trick at home :) now I don't have to worry if I'm between sizes in a style - go up, and stick a maxi pad in it! Such a relief, since sometimes shoe shrinkage can happen in bad weather, and you've already gone up a size.
02:49 AM on 07/27/2012
AMAZING tip. Thanks so much for sharing. My left foot is a 6 and my right foot is a 5.5 so I know what to do on the right side. Also, my feet are really bony and those gel cushions never work for me. Going to pick up a box or thin wingless maxi pads tomorrow. Actually I'm going to see if a panti-liner I already have at home works!
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09:30 AM on 07/29/2012
Great idea. Thanks.
12:39 AM on 07/27/2012
Retired. Grew up in the shoe industry. A lot of women won't pay attention the the salesman and insist on shoes a size smaller. Today most shoe salesman don't know how to fit and the retailer doesn't care. Got fired years ago from JC Penney after I taught my two older salesgirls how to properly fit. Seems we were phaseing out the store and had a record gain instead of a !0% loss.
01:52 AM on 07/28/2012
My father sold shoes wholesale for 45 years and I always know how to fit myself now since I watched him do it to all of us and mom too.
cbrown4115
"The mind that is not baffled is not employed." We
10:31 AM on 07/29/2012
I like your ethics... Sometimes doing the right thing bites you in the behind... but it sure is nice to be able to look at yourself in the mirror each day, isn't it? Fan number 5 here...
12:23 AM on 07/27/2012
Some times pain is necessary. I have rock climbing shoes that are supposed to be extremely tight! They do hurt but you get used to it. If they weren't tight I wouldn't be able to push off my toes on a tiny 4mm wide ledge of rock or climbing gym rock. Of course everyday shoes should fit comfortably, but climbers and ballerinas just have to deal.
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Angelia Gonzalez
06:33 AM on 07/29/2012
That's awful!
12:19 AM on 07/27/2012
who cares about shoes? I mean, i am a girl n all but, never wear high heels. I have foot problems, so, what I normally wear every single day are my reebok high tops. Why?!? Bc they have the height i need to support my ankles, and the comfortable foodbed to help the rest of my feet. I don't need any other shoes other then them. But, to be on the safe side in case they decided to stop making this one type, I bought 2 more which will hopefully last me another 4 years which means, I won't have to buy anymore shoes!!! YAY!!!!

Other then those sneakers, I own 2 pairs of sandals, 1 pair of snow boots, 1 pair of hiking boots, 1 pair of rain boots and 1 pair of skateboard sneakers that i never wear anymore!! Who needs more then 9 pairs of shoes/sneakers?!?!? I even think 9 is too much but, i need those specialty boots for snow/rain/hiking!!
01:54 AM on 07/28/2012
That's fine for you - some women actually like shoes and like to get dressed up.

You would have a heart attack if you saw my shoe closet.

9 pair??? I would never survive. To each their own but kind of get sick of hearing people that have foot problems bash those of us that don't . I couldn't care less if you have ONE pair - big deal - that's your choice just as having over 200 pairs is mine.
cbrown4115
"The mind that is not baffled is not employed." We
10:43 AM on 07/29/2012
If you were born with normal feet and buy well fitting, good quality shoes... you won't have foot problems. I personally feel that there is no such thing as owning too many shoes... it just isn't possible.
04:02 PM on 07/29/2012
That was kind of rude of you to speak that way to the person above you. I took away from her story that, she had enough shoes to last her life time. That's like me, I'm ill, and things that I have now will never need replaced.

Enjoy your evening
06:49 PM on 07/28/2012
i wasn't bashing anyone w/ what i said -- i just hate shoe shopping bc i have so many problems buying shoes/sneakers that will fit well enough, give my foot the support it needs and is comfortable. I can't go out like every other person and just buy shoes -- i need to try each and every pair out before making a commitment on the one i need bc of my medical problem.

If you thought i was bashing u and everyone else, i'm sorry, i didn't mean it that way. Lots of people like to collect stuff -- some people like to collect clothes, others shoes, and for me, i enjoy collecting hot wheels cars and skateboards -- why? for me, i call that fun, for others, they'd call it stupid -- oh well -- if you're happy w/ all ur shoes -- that's great!!!!
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Angelia Gonzalez
06:35 AM on 07/29/2012
At least you know how many shoes you have i have so many boxes that i can't remember whats in them and thats a shame!
08:35 AM on 07/29/2012
inserts are great.,they cost about $300,but you can wear them in all sorts of heels and shoes.
dont buy the cheap ones,get them professionally sized.