Almost any cap toed Edward Green. For some reason these catch me just at the base joint of the big toe and are agony. The only way around it is blister plasters while I wear them in. After a few days they are normally fine. I also find wearing them in the wet breaks them in quicker which I think is because it softens the leather sole and makes it more flexible.

1. I had a pair of Cheaneys and never could get them wearable. I finally gave up and tossed them.
2. Weston. Nearly as bad as the Cheaneys. They are okay for sitting around in, but after two blocks of walkng they are awful.
3. Carmina. Rather stiff and start to rub my heels or some other area after moderate distances.
4. Aubercy. I do not like the Blake construction. Little support.
5. Many of my Edward Greens. I guess I just cannot figure what size I am in each of their many differing lasts, as they seems to vary, last to last for me. Many just seem too tight in one area or another. Beautiful shoes though.

Without a doubt, a pair of Tramezza wingtips.  Although the Tramezza lasts are normally very narrow, I am still usually able to take a D without too much trouble.  This one fit more like a B though, and I actually speculated that it may have been mislabelled.  It was so bad, after the second wearing I actually took them to a cobbler to be stretched a touch.  That did the trick.

A Florsheim basketweave loafer -- f**&^% torture. I think I may have worn them all of three times in 7 years.

My father, who sold men’s shoes at retail for close to forty years, taught me:

1.  Try on shoes late in the day; your feet will be at their largest and, likely, their most sensitive.  Don’t purchase the shoes if they hurt at all during this try on.

2.  If the shoes pass the first test, above, take them home and wear them in the evening for at least an hour including some walking on carpeting (to protect the soles).  If they hurt anywhere, return them.  A little initial rubbing at the heel is not automatically cause for return, as the sole has not had a chance to flex; but if there is real pinching or biting, take them back.

3.  If tests one and two are satisfied, it is highly likely that the shoes will be comfortable throughout their useful life.  But don’t wear them for more than a couple of hours for the first half dozen or so wearings, even if they feel just fine at the end of those couple of hours.  This is a “wearing in” not a “breaking in” period.  If shoes need to be “broken” in, feet are not the right tools; feet will break before ill fitting shoes will.

4.  If you cannot find well made dress shoes that are truly comfortable after following all of the above, it is time to go bespoke.

5.  Occasionally, after a pair of shoes, RTW or bespoke, has served comfortably and well for a period of time, they will start to cause a bit of pain on some part of one or, more rarely, both feet.  This is caused by shoe gremlins.  Put the shoes on their trees, store them in a warm, dry place, and ignore them for a while.  The gremlins will get bored and move on.  Alternatively, you can have a good cobbler stretch the shoe(s) slightly at the point where they are causing pain.  This generally works very well, but it can crush and maim one or more gremlins.  That’s cruel because they mean no permanent harm.

6.  If more than a pair or two of formerly comfortable shoes become uncomfortable at the same time, you have foot gremlins, not shoe gremlins.  See a good podiatrist for an exorcism.

l had a pair of Grenson (Masterpiece) `side lacers' sent to me a few years ago. Looked wide in the pic but they only fit like a C width (despite being a D). Got them stretched, but the guy f*cked them up. l said "no worries mate...forget about it".

l can't sack many more cobblers in Melbourne...i've got rid of so many clowns. l'll try and get back and post Australian shoo disaster pics later. l've seen it all. Oz shoo makers suck like no others.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2009-02-04 01:52:46)