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Cute Vintage-y Shoes

Alice Blue

One of the Regulars
Messages
153
Location
Western Massachusetts
The Comfortview Alex oxford looks like it has potential. It comes in four colors and three widths. It seems to be part of the menswear trend, but the styling is fairly subtle.

They are cheap and made of "man-made materials" and I hate the idea of buying shoddy throwaway goods. On the other hand we are entering slush season ...

0036_57864_mc_3342.jpg
 
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fgradowski

One of the Regulars
Messages
117
Location
Indiana, United States
I just picked up these never worn Aerosoles at my local thrift store yesterday. They will be great (and comfy!) to wear to a wedding in 2 weeks.

Aren't Aerosoles just the most comfortable shoes ever?! I stumbled upon their shop while in Chicago shopping the Magnificent Mile with my mother. I wanted to buy EVERYTHING, but settled for a pair of black velvet heels. Most comfortable heels that I own! I have worn them to class, and that is a 25 minute walk one way!
 

Babydoll

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,483
Location
The Emerald City
Yes! I wore them for the wedding, and they were very comfortable. I did a lot of running around after my 3 year old daughter (the flower girl), and my feet were just fine. Amazing, considering I mostly wear flats and these were 3" heels with a platform.
 

wahine

Practically Family
Messages
535
Location
Lower Saxony, Germany
For you German ladies - check out my latest find, an everyday shoe, timeless, vintage compatible...

Bei Deichmann gibt's gerade diese netten Alltagstreter: Medicus, Volllederausstattung, mit Fußbett, Budapester-Stil, in schokobraun. Superbequem - als ich die entdeckt habe, hab ich sie sofort gekauft. Im Online-Shop habe ich sie nicht gefunden, aber evtl. hat jemand Lust, in der örtlichen Filiale nachzusehen. In meiner Filiale von 45 auf 35 Euro runtergesetzt (wären m.E. aber auch für 45 noch ein guter Kauf).
 

St. Louis

Practically Family
Messages
618
Location
St. Louis, MO
I've been looking everywhere for a plain walking oxford with a relatively low heel and a decent vintage look. These Amerimark oxfords are just about perfect, but they're made of urethane. I can imagine they wouldn't last long and might be uncomfortably hot in the summer. Otherwise I'd be all over these like white on rice.

Has anyone tried Amerimark shoes? How are they for wear and comfort?

http://www.amerimark.com/cgi-bin/am...m_sp=Celebros-_-clrsho-_-160411&viewadult=yes
 
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Idledame

Practically Family
Messages
897
Location
Lomita (little hill) California
They fit and wear exactly how you would expect a $24 shoe to be. Great if you plan not to walk or wear them much. They will last several days of heavy walking. Much longer if you don't walk too much. Not bad comfortwise.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,835
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
The best walking oxford in the world is still the Clinic Coquette, which I've been wearing for years. I'm on my feet eight to twelve hours a day at work, up and down stairs, carrying heavy stuff, etc., and they've never let me down. I have six pairs -- three brown, two black, and a beige -- and I wear them every day. They were made by a manufacturer best known for nurse shoes, and they have real, solid arch support. The only drawback is they have rubber soles, which do wear out after a year or two of heavy use, but they can be easily halfsoled by your local shoe repair place.

Problem is they've been discontinued -- the manufacturer closed down last year. They cost many dinero when you could get them new, and they're in strong enough demand that the price is now going up. You can sometimes get a good deal on an old stock/used pair on eBay, and they're well, well worth it.
 

St. Louis

Practically Family
Messages
618
Location
St. Louis, MO
Wow, what do you know? The Clinic Coquettes are (were) made right here in Missouri. I found them on sale for about $89 on a couple of sites. That seems very reasonable for a nice-looking well made shoe. I just sent for a pair. Thanks for the suggestion!
 

LuvMyMan

I’ll Lock Up.
Messages
4,558
Location
Michigan
I have not viewed all the posts here on the topic of shoes, however I have learned more about vintage shoes this past few years than I would have ever guessed, even more so about any shoe in general. My Husband owns perhaps a total of 145 shoes right now, and I have about 70 pairs. Most of my shoes are not true vintage but I do have some that are.

It is not easy for us to find a real woman's vintage shoe that is going to fit what we are looking for as well as to fit, period. However, there are some real vintage shoes to be found. It takes some time and effort. Most real vintage shoes when found, may not have such a high price as to make you want to faint.

Most people will find that an all leather shoe is something more desired if you can find them. What they have in general over a not all leather shoe, is support. The way shoes are made, some if not most non all leather shoes have what would look like a "waffle" of material right under the footbed of the shoe. When first walking on the shoe, that waffle is new and gives the support it was meant to give, but eventually it becomes flattened out and the effect is felt rapidly on your feet. Non leather shoes also do not "breathe". I can bet at times you have found this effect of "cooking" of your feet after wearing a non leather shoe for a long period of time, and you feel like you cannot get the shoes off fast enough after you arrive home.

Heels. Unless a pair of shoes have some adjustable straps to help your foot not slide around, most heels (even well made ones) will tend to stretch a bit while you wear them. The more your foot slides around while walking, the more painful and discomfort you would find your feet will feel. There are small insert pads made for heels. Those pads are self adhesive and are placed right down inside the shoes where the ball of your foot contacts the inside of the shoes. The pad is designed to comfortably take up some of the "slack" inside the shoe and help stop your foot from sliding around. Foot movement in excess inside a shoe, is friction. Blisters and some very hot cooked feeling feet is what happens from movement. Also there are "heel pads" that can be installed on the inner back of the heel area, that can help your heel from lifting out of the back of the shoes when you walk. Stops the shoe from "flip flopping" on and off your foot while walking.

Shoe care is also an issue. If you find a really great looking pair of shoes, are you willing to pay attention to taking care of them? Both myself and my Husband have shoes that are still relatively looking "near new" after many years, simply by not wearing them every other day, keeping conditioner on the shoes (and inside as well) and making a proper selection of polish to protect the outside of the shoe leather. If a shoe is not "real" you cannot do much to prevent the shoe from falling apart with use of a conditioner, as the shoe is more than likely glued together and most of the time, conditioner will just make the glue be dissolved and the shoes fall apart.

Real leather shoes can be repaired. Not all but most. I wish everyone to have some luck to finding a decent pair of vintage shoes.
 

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