Saddle shoes

[Shearer]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, i know nothing about saddle shoes/flats and need a little education

I think I need two pairs of flat, vintage-y shoes, a pair to wear with blacks and a pair to wear with browns

What would you girls recommend? I was thinking maybe two pairs of saddle shoes or perhaps just brown brogues and one pair of black/white saddle shoes

I'm in a shoe quandary....help! All suggestions/advice gratefully received.

I'll second a recommendation for Muffy's, but per Kitty's post, the communication may not be that great.

I haven't had any trouble with them (except they can't keep the saddles I want in stock!) and like Lizzie said, they hold up extremely well with a polish every now and again.

The other shoe that might be cute is a Mary Jane. Muffy's (geez, I'm like a Muffy's ad) has a few different types... this is the one I like:

Mary Janes are good cause they willl give you a vintage-y look, but you can still find them just about anywhere nowadays.

 

[epr25]

Has anyone ever found another place besides Muffy's that carries colored saddles?

 

[~*Red*~]

What about good old loafers?

 

[Smuterella]

ooh no, not loafers, I want mannish flat. definitely. I tend to associate loafers with the eighties for some reason and no amount of persuading will convince me otherwise

thanks for the ideas though ladies

 

[Inky]

Muffy's Saddle Shoes

I ordered my red/white leather sole saddles from Muffy's last week and they arrived on Monday. First impression - i love the smell of leather shoes. Second impression - very well made. even stitching, lovely sole, really nice shoe lining as well.

Third impression - very stiff out of the box, but the enclosed literature indicates wearing a couple of hours a day will soften them right up and i had them on a couple of hours this morning and they've already loosened up. I recall my "back to school" saddle shoes were very stiff for a few days because I never wanted to wear them to break them in before school started.

My foot measures 10 1/4 to 10 3/8 and is 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches wide (variation depends on time of day measured) The gentleman on the phone recommended a 9.5EE and I am glad I took his suggestion. The fit is excellent, with ample room in the toe box, a snug but not tight fit through my high instep and no heel slippage (a problem with closed shoes - thick ankles and narrow heels, what a hassle!).

The red is perfect, not cherry and not oxblood, just a nice blue-based red. The leather soles are smooth and the heel is a non-slip rubbery material.

They appear to be well worth the $107.50 I paid ($99 with shipping) and I am looking forward to wearing them often and getting many years of wear out of them with good care.

I need to buy some good shoetrees this weekend!

 

[texasgirl]

Thanks for the thorough review. Those are so cute! I really need a pair to go with my Rosie the Riveter outfit. Although that probably wouldn't be accurate, but oh those are fab! :eusa_clap

 

[LizzieMaine]

And wear they will -- this is the sole of a Muffy's saddle after four years of very heavy wear:

About all you'll need to do for the uppers is give them a coat of Sani-White once a year, and they'll hold up fine. Mine still even have the original *laces.*

I can't say enough good things about Muffy's. They sell a quality product that's worth every penny, and I don't throw compliments like that around very often.

 

[Inky]

texasgirl - i think you would be very happy with them! i know i have seen pictures of WWII era women working in various plants wearing saddles, so they won't be wrong. here's one picture i love - the gal on the far left has great hair, overalls and saddles!

lizziemaine - thank you for that picture - it definitely shows the lasting power of a good pair of shoes!

 

[GlamourDoll]

I ordered my red/white leather sole saddles from Muffy's last week and they arrived on Monday. First impression - i love the smell of leather shoes. Second impression - very well made. even stitching, lovely sole, really nice shoe lining as well.

Third impression - very stiff out of the box, but the enclosed literature indicates wearing a couple of hours a day will soften them right up and i had them on a couple of hours this morning and they've already loosened up. I recall my "back to school" saddle shoes were very stiff for a few days because I never wanted to wear them to break them in before school started.

My foot measures 10 1/4 to 10 3/8 and is 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches wide (variation depends on time of day measured) The gentleman on the phone recommended a 9.5EE and I am glad I took his suggestion. The fit is excellent, with ample room in the toe box, a snug but not tight fit through my high instep and no heel slippage (a problem with closed shoes - thick ankles and narrow heels, what a hassle!).

The red is perfect, not cherry and not oxblood, just a nice blue-based red. The leather soles are smooth and the heel is a non-slip rubbery material.

They appear to be well worth the $107.50 I paid ($99 with shipping) and I am looking forward to wearing them often and getting many years of wear out of them with good care.

I need to buy some good shoetrees this weekend!

Wow! I just love the red. They look wonderful. I've been wanting a pair of saddle shoes for some time now. Always giving myself excusses? why I shouldn't buy a pair. And sometimes just not sure if the ladies really wore them in the 40's. But after seeing many pictures, I was proven wrong.

Well, anways, I'm off to buy myself a pair...well actually 2 paris now that I've seen the red ones.

Thanks ladies!

 

[MissAmelina]

I want the white and green ones soooooo badly!! sigh......

 

[Aarika]

I have a pair of Payless saddle shoes. They look cheap, but, well, they were ridiculously cheap. I'd like a nicer pair someday, but for now they do the trick.

 

[texasgirl]

Inky, oh the brown or black would be correct, but I truely want the RED!!! lol

 

[CherryRed]

Great reviews Inky and Lizzy. I have the brown and white on my wish list.
Can anyone say if these feel anything like wearing bowling shoes? I noticed how comfy the bowling shows were the last time I went and was wondering if the feel of wearing a saddle shoe is similar?

 

[LizzieMaine]

They're quite a bit heavier than bowling shoes, but the rubber soles are not dissimilar. And as Inky says, they take plenty of time to break in.

If you're not used to wearing hard shoes, they can seem very heavy -- but once they're broken in they mold to your foot and -- if you have the right size -- are very comfortable.

Be aware that Muffy's saddles come in old-style sizing -- the number size and also the letter size for width. This is the not the modern N-M-W sizing, rather it runs from AAA to AA to A to B to C to D to E to EE to EEE. I don't believe they offer all these widths in all sizes, but it's important to make sure you have as close to your actual width as possible. If in doubt, visit a shoe store and measure yourself with a Brannock Device. Generally speaking if you take an M in modern shoes, you'll wear a B or a C in traditional sizing.

 

[Lusti Weather]

I have a pair of Payless saddle shoes. They look cheap, but, well, they were ridiculously cheap. I'd like a nicer pair someday, but for now they do the trick.

Me too. And they've lasted for over three years! I wanted to order a pair from Muffy's (still do, actually!), but when I emailed them about sizing, they never replied. Those pink ones are mighty tempting though...maybe I should try giving them a call instead!

 

[CherryRed]

They're quite a bit heavier than bowling shoes, but the rubber soles are not dissimilar. And as Inky says, they take plenty of time to break in.

If you're not used to wearing hard shoes, they can seem very heavy -- but once they're broken in they mold to your foot and -- if you have the right size -- are very comfortable.

Be aware that Muffy's saddles come in old-style sizing -- the number size and also the letter size for width. This is the not the modern N-M-W sizing, rather it runs from AAA to AA to A to B to C to D to E to EE to EEE. I don't believe they offer all these widths in all sizes, but it's important to make sure you have as close to your actual width as possible. If in doubt, visit a shoe store and measure yourself with a Brannock Device. Generally speaking if you take an M in modern shoes, you'll wear a B or a C in traditional sizing.

Thank you Lizzie. I think the thing I love about bowling shoes is how roomy they are. So I guess if I get the correct width in Muffy's saddles if will feel similar.

 

[Inky]

Thank you Lizzie. I think the thing I love about bowling shoes is how roomy they are. So I guess if I get the correct width in Muffy's saddles if will feel similar.

Cherry, measure your foot per their instructions or by going to a shoe store and using one of those shoe fitting gizmos as Lizzie suggested and then call Muffy's on the phone.

It was so much easier to discuss sizing and fit with them by phone than in an e-mail exchange. I usually buy a 10 or sometimes an 11 depending on fit, but in the Muffy's saddle they suggested a 9.5 EE and it's perfect - I would have never ordered that size on my own and the 10 would have been too long.

 

[CherryRed]

Will do. Thanks Inky!

 

[Inky]

Okay, here are the muffy's red leather saddle shoes after about 2 hours of wear in the house. You can see they are already breaking in at the top of the shoe just below the red saddle. I wore them today from about 9:30 to 2:30 and did a fair amount of city walking. They are heavy and that is something to get used to, but they are comfortable and I can tell once they are broken in they will be VERY much in daily rotation!

I'm also excited because I found a shoe repair in San Luis Obispo, about 20 miles from our town - they do all repairs except new linings (because their machine broke and it's so old they can't get repair parts and don't want to have the parts machined because they are not often called upon to put in new linings, sad to say). So go hug your cobbler this week!

 

[50sGal]

Yes, Go the Muffy saddle shoe!
Ive had mine for 3 years now and still going strong....I live in Australia and I got them within 2 weeks! VERY impressive!!!!