So for some reason I got it into my head that I wanted to wear gold shoes at my wedding. I don’t know why. I also knew I wanted comfy shoes that were easy to dance in, so I’ve been cruising dance supply stores and websites. Ballroom dance shoes are rather expensive. But, on the other hand, I’m going to be standing most of the day, and I want to enjoy myself without (too horribly) aching feet, so I’m willing to pay a little more for good shoes.
Tonight I found a place in Ohio that makes custom dance shoes. You choose the basic style, the heel type and height, the color and the material. Then you give them your foot measurements and a tracing of the outline of your sole. Among the possible combinations of style and heel type is exactly the shoe I’ve been looking for. And one of the material choices is metallic gold leather. o_O
And . . . get this . . . it will cost 25% less than the closest approximation to what I want that I’ve found ready-made.
Dancing shoes! We wants them! *looks around nervously for Hans Christian Anderson*
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
Yay!
I think paying for comfort is a great idea. By the end of Saturday night, my shoes were off.
Luckily my dress was long enough so it was undetectable - apart from my sudden reduction in height. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Yay! You're back. Post stories, tell details, share pictures!
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
But not too many details!!! Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
I will.
Right now Tony and I are unloading gifts (a ridiculous amount) from the car.
Tomorrow we are off on a mini-honeymoon until Thursday - so the long stories will wait until then. I will post photos as soon as I have access to them.
But for now - enough thread-jacking. Shiny shoes!
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Soooooo, the linky-link is where?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
In my "favorites" file, "wedding" folder.
There's no picture of the combination I'd be getting. It's a closed toe with a strappy ankle and a 1 ¾" cuban heel. Kind of like this but with a different heel and in gold.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
You dweeb. I meant to the site, 'cause I want to go shopping. I know you knew that, but still. Give it up. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Oooh! Remember I get to give the second toast at the reception!
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I gave you the link!
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Where?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Click on the guy.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Okay. Thanks. Brat.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
A note -- not really for ElJay, but for anyone else who might be in the market for shoes -- all the shoes at that site have indoor-only soles. They're dance shoes, not street shoes.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Because ElJay, of course, knew that.
But although there are some really cute shoes on there, I'm looking for some pretty basic practice shoes for when I start tango lessons, and I don't really think any of these will work. Sad, sad sad.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
At the wedding I recently attended (which as an all-day, 10 am to 1 am affair, the bride wore ballet slippers (of the soft variety). She was still going strong when I left the party.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
The only shoes I can wear anymore are sneaker, Earth Shoes, and Birkenstocks. Any type of dress shoe is too painful. I doubt I could put my Spenco cheapo orthotics n a ballet shoe. Luckily, I am a teacher, and the general style is "frump."
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I thought about ballet slippers, but for dancing with people a little bit of a heel helps me keep my balance better.
I was a little worried about whether it was worth it to buy dedicated dancing shoes when I haven’t been dancing in a long time (like, a decade). So we had this conversation last night: “Uh, sweetie?” “Yeah?” “If I were to buy ballroom dance shoes for the wedding that I couldn’t wear outside, would you go dancing with me so that I’d be able to wear them again?” “Of course!”
So spoiled. Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Oh! Shiny!
My shoes were also uncomfortable, both as a bride and a bridesmaid.
Brilliant idea with dancing shoes. Man.
Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
Ballet slippers are popular for brides to wear through the weddings now. The company I work for offers three different types and they are pretty good sellers.
They won't be gold, but they've gotta be comfortable.
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
I wore some ballet shoes (not the ones actually for ballet, but that style) for our wedding, since I didn't want shoes with height (my husband is only about 2" taller than I am). Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
I'm jealous, ludosti. Whenever I wear anything formal (or, really, anything, full stop), I need to have shoes with some kind of heels on them, because piece of clothing is made for someone much, much taller than me. Moreover, for my wedding, I HAD to have heels, because Jim is 6'3" to my 5'0".
Posted by Intelligence3 (Member # 6944) on :
At 6'4", it will probably never happen, but I'd love to meet a woman taller than me.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Megan, I have exactly the opposite problem. Unless my husband is at least 6'4", I will be wearing ballet slippers at my wedding. I'm 6' in my bare feet. I also wear a size 12, so it's hard to find shoes for me in the first place.
I would love to have a ridiculously tall husband, but I'm not going to count on it. What's with all the short girls taking up all the tall guys anyway? *wink*
I've actually thought about it and I would love a pair of ballet slippers with wide ribbon that wound up my calves...I guess I could stand a tiny heel, but I'd rather not have one. Has anyone ever seen anything like that? In a size 12?
[Whoa I3, that was creepy, I promise I hadn't read your post when I wrote mine!!]
[ January 24, 2005, 12:59 PM: Message edited by: Narnia ]
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Hey! My husband is only six inches taller than me. Five inches if I'm wearing shoes. (I'm five four without shoes, he's five ten).
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
quote: What's with all the short girls taking up all the tall guys anyway? *wink*
Sorry!
Since I did, in fact, date a series of relatively tall guys prior to meeting Jim, I have no excuse to offer. It just sort of worked out that way.
Anyway, if I were you, I'd go with the ballet slippers, especially if you're going to be dancing. I actually wore a pair of strappy payless sandals, because payless is one of the few places that consistently sells wide shoes. My feet are funky-shaped...they're about a 6.5 in length, but they're so wide, I usually have to wear a 7 or a 7.5. My feet? are square.
Edited to add:
quote: Has anyone ever seen anything like that? In a size 12?
Actually, I have quite a number of tall (female) friends who managed to find very nice shoes at shops aimed at, well, transvestites. That may or may not work for you, but it was a solution that my roommate in college (who was 6'1") used when she needed really nice shoes.
[ January 24, 2005, 01:14 PM: Message edited by: Megan ]
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
quote:I was a little worried about whether it was worth it to buy dedicated dancing shoes when I haven’t been dancing in a long time (like, a decade). So we had this conversation last night: “Uh, sweetie?” “Yeah?” “If I were to buy ballroom dance shoes for the wedding that I couldn’t wear outside, would you go dancing with me so that I’d be able to wear them again?” “Of course!”
So spoiled.
You guys are just so cute.
Somewhat tangentially, I start my ballet classes tonight. Yay! And I found shoes to fit. Yay yay!
Narnia, I sympathize. Although only 5'5.5", I run size 10.5 to 11. Do you ever get the feeling that shoe manufacturers assume that anyone over size 8 has no sense of style whatsoever?
There's a great women's shoe store for only 10+ sizes up in Canada. I have a rockin' pair of Heidi boots from there that I've worn for 4 winters.
Posted by Intelligence3 (Member # 6944) on :
quote: [Whoa I3, that was creepy, I promise I hadn't read your post when I wrote mine!!]
As long as you don't walk your dog in the alley behind my house at night and send me mail full of poor grammar, then we're fine. Posted by Lady Jane (Member # 7249) on :
quote:I would love to have a ridiculously tall husband, but I'm not going to count on it. What's with all the short girls taking up all the tall guys anyway? *wink*
Hmm...Narnia, I have a guy friend who is 6'6" - and cute, educated, and LDS.
*goes off to write a Mark Twain e-mail*
[ January 24, 2005, 01:23 PM: Message edited by: Lady Jane ]
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
quote:Narnia, I sympathize. Although only 5'5.5", I run size 10.5 to 11. Do you ever get the feeling that shoe manufacturers assume that anyone over size 8 has no sense of style whatsoever?
YES!! I also get bugged that they don't make very many flat styles in those large sizes. In your case, heels are great, but in mine, I'd like some choice, you know?
I3, don't worry. I'll only walk my dog in FRONT of your house.
Megan, I haven't tried the transvestite avenue. I'll have to.
Katie, you are hilarious.
Dana, sorry to derail your thread. I didn't wake up this morning with a desire to talk about my feet. But I am jealous of your comfy gold shoes. My friend got me into swing dancing last summer and I loved it, but it was hard to find comfy shoes. He had a pair of special dancing shoes that he had made with a pair of nice skechers with suede on the bottom. Comfy and slippy at the same time!!
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Anything about shoes is on-topic.
If you want good swing dance shoes, try the link I posted above (the one in the smilie). They go up to size 13.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I hear you, Sara! They assume that people with huge feet are probably social outcasts anyway and expect us to get through life in velcro sneakers.
I also hate the fact that the huge-platform look makes no exceptions for size. I mean, I understand that it's cute for the little size 6 girl to suddenly be 8 inches taller but for most of us who wear 10 and bigger, we probably don't need to be any taller. They really need to invent shoes that make you shorter, is what they need.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
dkw, I spot-checked a few of those shoes on that page...I guess they don't make wide shoes?
Ah, if you do the custom shoes, you can get wide, it seems.
[ January 24, 2005, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: Megan ]
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I wear size 8 1/2 to 9, double wide, with a high instep.
I'm not even comfy in tennies. Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
kq, I've got width and the high instep...I totally sympathize. And doesn't it seem like no place at all sells wide shoes? The only place I've found that consistently sells wide shoes is Payless; I wouldn't mind paying a bit more, but no place else has wide shoes.
Posted by Uhleeuh (Member # 6803) on :
Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places the few times I do go shoe shopping but I have a hard time finding shoes in size 6-6.5 that don't look like they belong on a 12 year old. There's very little variety in the places I've been to unless you have a size 7-9.
Posted by Intelligence3 (Member # 6944) on :
quote: If you want good swing dance shoes, try the link I posted above (the one in the smilie). They go up to size 13.
For a second there I thought you said...
never mind.
Posted by Mrs.M (Member # 2943) on :
I'm in the I-had-to-wear-heels-to-my-wedding-because-my-husband-is-so-much-taller-than-me camp. He's 6'5'' to my 5'4''. I wore 5'' platforms that I've always meant to have dyed black. I didn't have to have my dress hemmed. I'm pretty sure they hurt my feet because I never consider comfort when I pick out shoes. My mother explained to me that beauty is pain at a very early age and I believed her.
I do have a pair of gold ballet flats that I love. I have a thing for gold shoes, always have.
CT, Chanel and Ferragamo both make shoes that go up to 11. You can get them for a reasonable price on eBay.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
There's something else that's annoying...they always go up to 11.
And I wear a 12. Nordstrom (bless their hearts) makes up to size 14 in women's, so I shop there, The Norstrom Rack, and Payless. Megan, you ought to check there for wide shoes as well, they carry more than any other place I've seen.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Thanks! I'll do that, next time I'm near a Nordstrom. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Megan, I shop at Payless, too. I usually end up trying on about 15 pairs of shoes before I find one that fits. Nordstrom's doesn't usually have high-instep friendly shoes, I've found. Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Doh! Ah, well. When I go shopping, I tend to aim for shoes that have velcro or some other kind of strap across the instep. That tends to make fitting a little easier. And by some utter miracle, I managed to find a pair of black boots and a pair of brown boots (both at payless) that fit, so I'm shod for the winter.
The sad part about all this is that I really, really love shoes. My parents used to call me Imelda (as in Marcos). My room was in our finished basement, and I'd put a pair of shoes on each step and still not have enough room for all of them.
Posted by Intelligence3 (Member # 6944) on :
quote: The sad part about all this is that I really, really love shoes. My parents used to call me Imelda (as in Marcos). My room was in our finished basement, and I'd put a pair of shoes on each step and still not have enough room for all of them.
*looks meaningfully at ElJay*
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
yourself.
There's only like, what, 15 steps in a flight? That's nothing.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
WooHoo!
I just got a reply to my e-mail -- they can put leather soles on any of the custom shoes. So now I don't have to worry about ruining the suede walking from the church to the car and the car to the reception. (I was thinking of getting galoshes, but this will be easier.)
<----- if you squint, some of their shoes look gold.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
(You can see my henna too, but not real well, 'cause I'm wearing nylons.)
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Pretty shoes.
Posted by Vána (Member # 6593) on :
Lovely shoes!
But, more importantly - whose "Parallel Cats" are those? They've got the same weird markings as Achilles! Do they have stripey tales?
[ February 23, 2005, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: Vána ]
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
The cats are Jack and Wallflower. They were partially mine, but my former housemates now have full custody. (Mike and Patty, who you met at the party at my house last spring.)
Edit: yes to the stripey tales. Jack is ring-tailed like a raccoon.
[ February 23, 2005, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: dkw ]
Posted by Vána (Member # 6593) on :
Awesome.
I was looking at the shoes again, too - they look so comfortable! I think you made a really good choice with those. Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yup, good choice. Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
You should see them in person. It's enough to give a fella a foot fetish.
<insert shoe here>
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
Bob, are you supposed to be seeing shoes and such? Isn't that supposed to be bad luck or something? Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
They look great, Dana.
You know, you two (You and Bob. Not you and the shoes. Though I guess that would be you three, really.) are going to have such a great wedding. I can just imagine the joy.
I wish I could afford to fly to America on a whim.
Oh well, I'll settle for attending it vicariously through Hatrack.
Where can I send a card to?
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
quote: I wish I could afford to fly to America on a whim.
I don't know about that, but you can fly here in an airplane.
send e-mail and we'll get you an address to send cards, wallabies, didgeridoos, etc.
bscopatz AT data-nexus DOT com or dkw2 AT netins DOT net
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
mauibabe...I've got good luck to spare. I'm marrying Dana.
Seriously, though, I've been inundated with suggestions of what to do and not do. I'm so confused now I've just decided that EVERYTHING is good luck.
I plan to step in dog doo on the way into the church, just to be on the safe side, though.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
Will do.
How do you feel about a kelpie pup for a present?
(She may have just dug up my herb bed, jumped in her pool and then jumped muddy paws and all onto the bed.)
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I said didgeridoo, not didgeridoodoo.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
This thread makes me laugh.
When Jenni and I got married about a year and a half ago I insisted on wearing a Tux, but flat out refused to wear plastic shoes...
You know the ones I mean, the ones that pinch your heels so bad that by the end of the night you can't walk another step.
I had plastic covered shoes in the service...and I hated them. I have seen a ton of people almost cripple themselves in those shoes at weddings.
So I went and bought me a pair of Deer Stags, a very comfortable pair of black wingtips, and I wore those. They looked better than the crap the tux place was trying to pawn off on me, and I got to keep them.
I have worn the hell out of them, almost every day at work since we were married, and they are still the best pair of dress shoes I have ever owned.
And I was comfortable at the wedding, and got to dance all night long.
[ February 24, 2005, 12:40 AM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
btw - You guys have just about the cutest dog on the planet.
Posted by Smokey (Member # 6531) on :
Thanks.
<---slobbery doggie kisses
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
I like the penultimate ones best.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Those would be my princess shoes. I got them from KrabbyPatty 3 or 4 birthdays ago.
They are beautiful, but do not stay on terribly well for dancing, and so will not be my maid of honor shoes.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
*tries to refrain from voting*
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
But your opinion is valued! Do vote.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Just a minute. Let me refresh my memory...
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Okay. Here is my considered opinion:
For the purpose of the wedding and reception and stuff, I'm going to have to go with the last pair.
If comfort and appropriateness were not a concern, however, I would totally wear the third pair for the rest of my life if I were you. Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
The third pair is not uncomfortable, actually. But the silver vinyl corset that goes with it really isn't work attire.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
They LOOK uncomfortable.
The fourth pair is what color? They look black . . .
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Nor, I suspect, is it wedding attire...
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Nifty shoes!
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
rivka, the fourth pair is silver also, but not as shiny. They're silk, the color doesn't come through too well in the picture.
twinky, no, wedding attire is purple satin. Floor length, actually.
Thanks Shan! I like them.
[ March 11, 2005, 12:16 AM: Message edited by: ElJay ]
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
You could wear the third pair to be sneaky. Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
And nobody will know but me...
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
If I were choosing, I'd go with the fourth pair, then. But I'm a wuss, and won't wear much in the way of heels -- haven't in years.
But even before I had kids, and wore heels, I avoided them if I was going to be dancing. Especially spike heels -- both for my own sake, and as a public service to whomever I might trod upon.
[ March 11, 2005, 12:30 AM: Message edited by: rivka ]
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
The fourth pair! Really?
Those go with my best business suit, which I haven't actually worn since the last time I went on a job interview. I just threw 'em in to even out the wording. And really, you can't tell, but the heel is just as high on those as the last pair.
(Also, they would actually be harder to dance in, because they don't have an ankle strap. Nope, they're right out. Ankle straps are necessary for dancing.)
[ March 11, 2005, 12:40 AM: Message edited by: ElJay ]
Posted by Intelligence3 (Member # 6944) on :
(I would have linked to the comic instead of the movie, but I couldn't find a webpage about the comic that didn't have at least some inappropriate artwork.)
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Barbarella linky not working for me, I3. Although I'm not positive that deserves a sad face....
[ March 11, 2005, 12:53 AM: Message edited by: ElJay ]
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Weird. The link works just fine for me.
Ankle straps + dancing would almost certainly = me with a twisted ankle. But if you say that the heels are as high as the last pair (do you wear any FLATS? like, ever?), then yeah, I vote for the last pair.
I still like the princess ones, but shoes must be practical too. At least a little. Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Sure I wear flats! Particularly in the summer, lots of sandels. I wore flats today, even. But I was only pulling out the silver shoes for this, and why in the world would anyone want silver flats?
I need to find an excuse to wear the princess shoes more often... Maybe this summer. They're not good in snow. Posted by scottneb (Member # 676) on :
You know, I don't think you'd get weird stalker-mail if you didn't post pictures of you in heels.
Just putting two and two together here...
[EDIT: There's a limit to how many "images" you can have in a post, who knew?]
[ March 11, 2005, 01:25 AM: Message edited by: scottneb ]
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote: why in the world would anyone want silver flats?
I have two pairs. Four, if you count the ones that are silver and another color.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
scottneb, the stalker mail came via USPS, to my home address. From someone who said they had seen me around the neighborhood. Since I rarely wear heels when I hang out in my yard or walk around the block, I sincerely doubt the two are related.
(Plus it's kinda hard to form a cause/effect relationship when the effect happened before the proposed cause. I'm just saying.)
[ March 11, 2005, 01:17 AM: Message edited by: ElJay ]
Posted by scottneb (Member # 676) on :
I wasn't really serious. Maybe I need to put some 's in that last post.
Oh, and don't think that I was ooglin'. I'm happily married and hate feet, no matter who they belong to.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Okay, sorry I took you seriously.
And of course I didn't think you were ooglin'. The disapproval sounded way too thick for that. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Silver.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
*sigh*
That's it? Just silver?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
If it were me, I'd wear the last pair. But it's not me, so wear whichever you want. I'm taking a hands-off attitude, remember?
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
You were a lot more fun to tease when we were little.
Seeing as the last pair is the one I went out and bought Tuesday for the wedding, and the one Mom measured my "waist to floor" distance in, yeah, I'll probably be wearing those.
![[Taunt]](graemlins/taunt.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
I know you knew that, but still. Give it up. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
Okay. Thanks. Brat.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Dont Know]](graemlins/dontknow.gif)
There's very little variety in the places I've been to unless you have a size 7-9.
![[Party]](graemlins/party.gif)
<----- if you squint, some of their shoes look gold.
![[Hail]](graemlins/hail.gif)
<insert shoe here>
![[No No]](graemlins/nono.gif)
![[Kiss]](graemlins/kiss.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)