Thanks, Chuck(s)
After the great foot-flaying of Tuesday, I faced a dilemma yesterday morning: what to wear on my feet?The current wearer of the comf crown in my footwear kingdom is a pair of dollar-store flip-flops I got at my cousin’s wedding — and by the way, Gen and I stood there for a full five minutes discussing the awesomeness of that idea. Cousin D had a beach theme, so she arrayed all these flip-flops around the dance floor as decor, BUT you could also grab a pair if your heels started to bum you out.Brides: a basket of cheap flips or slippers in various sizes will make you a hero at about 10 PM.
I love those bargain flips, but I can’t wear ’em to work; I love my New Balance, too, but all that cushioning makes them so big, I look like anime if I try to wear them with a skirt.Rooting around in my closet for a pair of shoes that wasn’t too dowdy (oh hey, Earth sandals, what’s up; packing for Burning Man, are ya?Okay, stay hydrated out there) or too pinchy (you know that fairy tale “The Red Shoes,” where she’s so exhausted from having to dance that she gets the woodman to cut off her feet? Welcome to the Madden Silvah…brutally tight), I moved a pair of Kate Spade stack-heel maryjanes (not as bad as you might think, but use one of those Dr. Scholl’s ball pads) and found a pair I’d completely forgotten: my red Chuck Taylors.
Because I’d forgotten them, they still looked pretty new — bright white toe cap, clean laces, all they needed was a lint roll and I was good to go.Put ’em on with an Anthropologie skirt (pockets!) and an Old Navy top (cheap!), belted it (ten bucks on the street!), out the door.
So the next time your feet are tore up or you’re just not feeling the Charles Davids — and Lord, I love how my big canoes look in those contrast T-straps, but by lunchtime I felt like I was wearing a mink trap — go with the classic Chucks.Cute, youthful, and your feet will thank you.
…For a day or two.After that, if you have high arches, you should switch in a harder sole or your ankles will start complaining.Just my experience.
Tags: curmudgeoning retail
Or, put comfy insoles in your Chucks (which no one can see), and wear them EVERY DAY FOREVER :)
Ah, see, I’ve tried Chuck and he has no love for me. Not only is it the high arch problem (I totally back up your comment on that), but I have narrow heals and I need a shoe with a higher heal to completely cup my silly little heals. Otherwise, it’s Blister City. So, instead of Chuck, my boyfriend is the Adidas HB Spezial- (at Adidas: http://tinyurl.com/23c8h4)- like these except brown suede with pink stripes. They are the harder sole you were talking about at the end there, have great arch support and padding, and the brown suede let’s me get away with wearing them with my khakis at work. And they look super cool with jeans and such.
PS- You spoke a long time ago about how you buy brown shoes and then can’t bring yourself to wear them- I’m the exact same way about black shoes! HEE!
I love Chucks – they’re pretty much all I wear these days. Even though I have a high arch, I really haven’t had a problem with them. Maybe that’s because I do a lot of yoga.
Oy, Once they’re broken in you can’t beat Converse, but I have two or three pairs right now that haven’t gotten past the Heels-Rubbed-to-Hamburger stage. And yes, those things kill high arches after a day or two. How I envy people with easy-to-fit feet!
And speaking of high arches, let’s talk flip flops: Reefs. First ones I’ve ever found that didn’t make my arches scream after an hour or two. $18 seems high for flip flops but it’s worth every penny.
Plus they have the ones with the bottle opener embedded in the sole. Genius.
My Chucks are gellin’ (curse that hateful commercial for becoming part of my brain even though I despise it!) and are the best shoes ever. Almost like being barefoot, which is my actual preference!
I totally agree with autiger23–my ankles have bled until I have limped, weeping, into the nearest store that sold flip flops so that I can rip them (and a layer of skin) off my feet, which is too damn bad, since I love them.
I have some great bright pink shoes in that style from No Sweat Apparel – union-made, fair trade shoes. They don’t seem to do them any more though – just the standard black-and-whites.
I keep the pink ones for play but love wearing the black-and-white on smarter, work-ish occasions – they’re fun for peeping out at the bottom of a pant suit. Stop me looking overly-smart and un-me.
But the arches though, yeah, absolute killer.
If we’re going to talk flip flops I have to put my two cents in: Crocs. I know they’re rubber, I know they look a little goofy, I know they’re thirty bucks. I don’t care. They have arch support, heel support, and they come in bright, fun colors. I have VERY wide feet, (think Fred Flintstone) and these shoes make them happier than they’ve ever been. Just sayin’.
WHY did it never occur to me to get insoles for my Chucks? It bummed me out that they hurt my feet, after stealing them from my little sister, but now I will get some slip-ins and rock them. (They’re black with a lilac stripe on the side of the sole and lilac laces. And lilac argyle lining. SO cute.)
Till then: Adidas skateboarder-style sneaks, grey suede with pink stripes. I am going to be so sad when I start teaching and need responsible grownup-style shoes.
Cindi in CO. I totally agree with you. I literally wear my Chocolate/Light Athens every day. Even at work. I don’t care. They are so comfy. Also, we just moved into a 2 story house and I have shit-weak ankles. I wear them around the house constantly too and they keep my ankles from protesting and moving out of the new 2 story house without me. lol
BTW, I totally want to get some of the new “sleek retro inspired wedge” Crocs, but I know I’d never hear the end of it from anyone I know. LOL
I have to add my voice to the Reefs recommendation– they’re the best flip-flops I’ve ever had. I injured my foot a while back and there are few shoes I can wear without shooting pain through the ball of my foot, and there’s no pain with the Reefs.
Worth every penny.
AH! I love Chucks. I LIVE for Chucks! I have about 15 pairs. Because I am a crazy person.
“I’m wearing them right now” (“and I just did” [/SNL])
Today’s pair are pink and orange plaid high tops.
I mostly have high tops, but I need some more lows for summer/with shorts/with skirts.
I even have an all white low top pair with blue lining and the date of my wedding embroidered on the outer heel in Navy. Something blue, you know. Oh yes, I will be wearing them under my dress. heh.
It’s only appropriate – there’s a wedding-related Chucks story in all this. I’d seen a pair I wanted, and my fiance wanted to know what size I needed, in case he wanted to get them for my bday. I said “seven and a half” (that’s men’s sizing) and I added “and that’s a good number to remember, FYI.” For seven and a half, kids, is also my RING SIZE. hee. We got engaged 4 months later. aww.
Chuck Taylors, yes. Reefs, yes.
Crocs, ick.
Tisha – THANK YOU! I will now admit that I have half a dozen pairs of Crocs and I wear them all. the. time. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Chucks, (3 pairs) and no one makes fun of me when I wear them, but… not Crocs. Not comfy enough. Haven’t checked out the wedges yet, but can’t live without my Athens and my Caymans. Don’t care if people laugh.
Mine are the ballet-style Keds. I have the brown-on-black owls, which they don’t make anymore, but they look cute with everything.
I adore Chucks. I’ve got a dozen pairs (and counting), and I think they go with everything from jeans to dresses to the tux I once wore to this awards dinner…
This is a dumb question, but can someone recommend a good insole? Dr. Scholl makes about a million different styles. I’m a Chuck-lover, too, with a somewhat high arch; mostly I can wear them with no problem….but if I can wear them even more/longer, I’m all for it! Thanks.
I wear my Chucks almost exclusively with skirts or cropped pants – I just love the way it looks. Plus, I am absolutely convinced that they make my feet (size 9) look smaller – maybe the pattern of the laces is slimming, ha.
My daughter and I just discovered that you can design your own funky Chucks (and lots of other Converse styles) at the Converse website. You can pick hi- or lo-top, leather or canvas, etc., and a different color/pattern for every single piece of the shoe. We are currently checking the mail daily for her pink and polka dots version-with her nickname up the heelstripe! Even if you don’t order any, it’s kinda fun to just try to design the most blindingly clashy Chucks ever!
Ever since David Tennant showed up on Doctor Who I’ve had a converse fetish…I’m wearing my yellow gingham ones right now.
In a similar vein, but slightly girlier and with no need for insoles: Rocket Dog flats. I found them on sale at DSW for eight bucks, which might also contribute to my love of them, but holy hell they’re comfy and adorable and just the right mix of casual-yet-cute for wearing with both pants and skirts.
http://www.rocketdog.com/wps/wcm/connect/RocketDog/Cool+Shoes/Casuals/Jaybird#
So totally lost in this discussion. When I buy shoes I just amble over to the sports section and start trying on whatever I can find. I never remember what brand it is.
(Dressy shoes? What strange alien term is this?)
I’m curious about crocs though. What are they like? A friend of mine wears them constantly, but I dunno about comfort level. They come in nifty colours though!
Leigh — I clicked the Rocket Dog link and fell in love, especially with the brown ones. Then I saw that everyone on the internet is sold out. NOOOOOO …
But now I’ll know to keep an eye out for other Rocket Dog styles. Thanks!
Re: insoles. Whenever my sport shoes pass the one-year mark, I always replace their insoles with a pair of Polysorb Cross Trainer soles. They’re not too cheap – I tend to spend upwards of $15 for one pair (and it’s always whenever I’m at Lady Foot Locker, after I’ve passed on the shoes that they’ve outfitted with the insoles) – but they practically make the shoe good as new, and keep my arch-challenged feet cushioned. I’d imagine they’d work just as well with Chucks if you need the extra cushioning.
My beloved second pair of old school Adidas shoes retired after three years on the job, daily. I needed new shoes, and I figured, hey, Converse, everyone wears them, they must be comfortable.
Boy, was I ever wrong. They eat my little toes. They eat my heels and give me blisters. Mind you, I have never before owned a pair of shoes that gave me blisters. I don’t get blisters.
Then I heard about “breaking them in.” Well, I’ve tried. I foolishly took them with me on my current trip to Australia, and right now, the high top Converse shoes and my Havaianas flip flops are my only footwear. I’ve had to wear the latter for a few days now so the blisters on the blisters can heal a bit.
The weirdest part? Some days they are just beautifully comfortable. Other days I’d rather walk barefoot. FOREVER.
Leigh- curse you for posting that link! Because, really, I don’t have anything better to spend my money on. But I must own those shoes!
I dunno, I had to break my chucks in, they were blister-ific the first few days. Although they are the brand of shoe that looks better the more worn they get.
On a semi-related note, we have the Ironman triathalon in our town and one guy called “Retro Man” completed it while wearing cutoff jeans and chucks, and riding a banana bike. True story.
Yubi Shines – Crocs are THE most comfortable shoes on the planet. Bar none. I just wish those guys in Boulder had invented them back when I still worked on my feet all day. I bought my husband a pair in a “manly” color, and now he won’t take them off except to go to work. And that’s saying something, ’cause he thought they were the ugliest things he’d ever seen in his life. Hee.
Chuck freaks should try living in Asia. I’ve been in Indonesia for almost three years now and am moving home in March. Shipping my accumulated pile of Chucks is going to be the biggest problem. Greatest paid: Red satin high-tops with a massive samuri print. AWESOME.
To those of you who they hurt: My deepest regrets.
The only shoes I love more than Converse are Doc Martens, and they aren’t really suitable for tropical weather…
If you haven’t forgotten your Chucks, and they’re starting to look a little tired, a dab of cream toothpaste rubbed on and rinsed off the white rubber parts will whiten everything up, giving your shoes a huge freshness bonus, even if the canvas isn’t looking so hot.
In high school, a friend of mine managed to find a pair of Chucks in the same teal color as her prom dress. She had much happier feet than anyone else at prom.
Love my black Chuck hightops, but I can’t wear ’em too often because they don’t come in wide (orthopedist told me that it’s either EEEs or surgery to relieve the neuroma). 4-year-old Teva flipflops are the most comfortable things I have right now, but my Blundstone boots are pretty close.
I agree with Leigh – Rocket Dogs are fantastic.
I can’t do Cons for long; only about half a day before my feet start to ache. Rocket Dogs have wonderfully soft in-soles. I bought some on my last day in the UK… Love them. (Sadly, have never seen them for sale in Australia)
I love the look of Chucks, and I used to wear them in high school and college, but then at some point in my twenties they Stopped Fitting. I don’t tend to get blisters, but the rubber outsole hits this one spot behind each pinkie toe, and after about an hour of placid sitting, it feels like I’ve got a kebab skewer stuck through my foot. And while the fabric can stretch, that rubber stuff doesn’t ever get any looser, as far as I can tell. So I have learned to live a Chuckless life.
My happy shoes are all Danskos. Some of their lasts work better for me than others, but the ones that work rock. I’ve put more than 200 miles on my oldest pair. Most have about a hundred. I walk 3.5 miles to work most days, and about 70 percent of the time, I do it in Danskos, rather than sneakers. Don’t buy them in stores, though—go to danskooutlet.com. Much cheaper.
Lauren: The brown ones are the ones I have. Now I want more! All please note: I just discovered that the little pineapples on them are attached with safety-pin-like devices, meaning they can be removed if you wish…and reattached later.
India: I have a beautiful pair of ox-blood Dansko clogs, which I was told would be the most comfortable shoe in the world. And indeed I know many who swear by them. However, even though I tried mine on in a store and walked around and they felt great, within ten minutes of actually wearing them on the street, the top of the right one begins to cut into the bones across the top of my foot. Hard. I guess my feet swell (most likely do) and unfortunately it is EXTREMELY painful for the rest of the day. And I’ve tried breaking them in. I’ve grit my teeth through the pain time after time. And it has never stretched, not even a little. Moral of the story: go a little big, because they’re great shoes but not flexible!
Leigh: You must live in Opposite World! Or maybe I do. I tend to buy my Danskos a bit snug, because I know that they will stretch a lot. And I sometimes wear them with thin socks the first few times or deliberately get rained on while I’m wearing them. A good, thorough soaking does wonders. And the need for breaking in depends on the style, of course: some, like the Professional or the Madrigal, have a lot of stitching, reinforcement, and lining, all of which will inhibit the stretch. The ones I like best are thinner, less constructed. I also avoid the high-heeled ones, for the most part (though I’m wearing a pair of Roxys today).
Meanwhile, on your recommendation, I ordered a pair of Rocket Dogs from Zappos. They arrived today. Yay! I hope I love them.
I hope you love them too!
Yes, I have the Professional, in Cabrio Leather, I think (wow, you learn something new every day!) That must be the problem. (And yes, I’ve tried thin socks for less pain, fat socks to encourage stretching…everything. Maybe a cobbler could stretch them out–when I have the $ to give it a shot, I will. They’re such great shoes otherwise, it really makes me sad. My husband won’t take his off from about Halloween through Easter.