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12 March 2008

AskMeCha: Why do my dress shoes fit fine when my legs are bare, but feel too big and slip around a lot when I'm wearing stockings?→[More:]

It seriously drives me nuts, feeling like my shoes may pop off at any second while walking down the hallway. But my toes are all cramped if I wear a half-size smaller.

LOLstockings, amirite?

post by: rhapsodie at: 16:07 | 11 comments

Less friction. Feet are sweaty. Stockinged feet are slippery.

/serious answer

posted by mudpuppie 12 March | 16:12

That really can't be all of it, pups. Can't be. Don't Real Adult Women wear stockings in pumps all the time without their pumps falling off while they walk? I feel like I missed that day in school where everyone learned this.

posted by rhapsodie 12 March | 16:42

Erm.

posted by rhapsodie 12 March | 16:43

I'm with pup on this one.

Get some of those suede-y insoles, they'll help with friction.

posted by Specklet 12 March | 16:46

I have the same problem with my shoes, and agree with mudpuppie that it's lack of friction. It definitely happens more with some shoes than others -- I have a few pairs (mostly slingbacks) that I just can't wear with stockings.

posted by occhiblu 12 March | 16:48

Maybe the stockings are compressing things and making your feet smaller in diameter/circumference/girth.

other than that, I got nothin'

posted by danf 12 March | 16:51

I've wondered if it has something to do with the relative cheap-ness of my stockings and shoes.

Now I will have to look for suede-y insoles - I didn't even know anything like that existed!

posted by rhapsodie 12 March | 17:34

If paulsc were still here, he'd point out that buying dress shoes is difficult, and that you should try them on while wearing the stockings that you usually wear, and that you shouldn't settle for "about right" or "only a little too tight".

I would probably just buy slightly thicker stockings.

posted by muddgirl 12 March | 17:36

Smooth stockings always make your shoes fit more loosely. As mudpuppie said, they reduce the friction. Even if your feet aren't sweaty, bare skin is more grippy than smooth fabric. The quality of the stocking doesn't matter, just the smoothness.

You can buy thicker stockings, or buy shoe inserts (like Dr. Scholl's) and put them in when you wear smooth stockings. They'll make your shoes fit more tightly.

posted by halonine 12 March | 21:53

I have nothing to add beyond I have the same problem.
Mine's because my feet are wide, but they're wide near the toe and not in the heel. Most W shoes are cut wide in the heel and not the toe. So my heels slip out a lot.

posted by kellydamnit 13 March | 10:43

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