Instore Shopping In The USA

[Jura]

Hi all, 

I'm lucky enough to be taking a bit of a dream holiday (for me anyway) in the next month or so. Hopping on a plane from the UK to LAX, and then driving coast to coast to New York, following the Historic Route 66 much of the way. Can not wait to go if I'm honest! 

Anyway, it's not really a 'heeling' trip, but I'd hate to miss any shopping opportunities on the way, so I'm after some tips as to stores to maybe look out for that cater for larger sized heels. Interested in all styles, all budgets, but need a size around 12-13 US (45-46 Euro). Are there any chain stores or independants that are worth a look? 

Thanks in advance, and apologies if this is an oft repeated question 

[HappyinHeels]

Jura,

I Used to work at O'Hare Airport in Chicago and saw passports from every nation except Bhutan and noticed the number of Europeans wanting to drive the old US66. I'm old enough to remember the actual signs as my mother was from a US66 town (Springfield, IL). If you're starting in Santa Monica, CA where the "Mother Road" actually ends then visit the pier there. Also check out all the shoe shops on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. Lots of skyhigh heels there and other oddities. The other end is anchored by the City of Chicago and the birthplace of the skyscraper. The road is about 2,200 miles/3,300 km in length and crosses a  variety of terrain and climate zones. What I remember Europeans commenting on the most was the sheer size of the U.S. Where they measured distances in a  few hours and a few hundred kilometres becomes days and thousands of kilometres in the U.S.There are bigger countries like Canada and Russia but it's the scope of the interstate highway system which allows access to every corner of the 3,150,000 square miles (8,127,000 square kilometres) which is the contiguous 48 states. Alaska and Hawaii are special cases. I have driven the length of the North American continent est to west several times and have gotten tired of it but never cease to be amazed at the enormous size of it. I know of  nowhere else in the world where one can start driving just after the sun rises and drive an entire day stopping just after sunset and have travelled 1,000 miles (1,610 km). This is possible where travel over great distances is absolutely seamless. 

Make sure you stop in Flagstaff, Arizona where I own a piece of land near the San Francisco Peaks or the highest point in the state. The views are amazing and the smell of pine in the air is evident the moment you open your car door. Enjoy your trip and feel free to ask more questions about any state along the way. HappyinHeels

[Shyheels]

You can drive distances like that in Australia too. The drive across the Nullarbor Plain is our classic road trip.

America though is the home of the road trip, and following Route 66 is probably the ultimate as far as cachet and romance goes. I lived in Albuquerque for a while in the 70s when Route 66 passed through the centre of town as Central Avenue. It was beautiful just on dusk, with the neon ribbons glowing in the twilight.  A pretty cool era.

Edited March 21, 2017 by Shyheels

[RonC]

Across the country, you will find Payless stores, most of which carry size 12, and some also have size 13.  There is a store in Hodgkins, Illinois that is along Joliet Road, which was part of original Route 66, that is one of their superstores and carries a wide selection of sizes 12 and 13.  It is in a shopping center called "The Quarry".  Also look for Nordstrom Rack stores (they are in the Chicago area, but I'm not sure about how many other states they may be in).  Those have size 12 and 13 racks as well.  The regular Norstrom department stores (as opposed to the "Rack" outlet stores) also carry at least size 12.  If you make it all the way into the city in Chicago, visit Skyscraper Heels.  They carry big sizes - though for the most part I would call their styles "stripper shoes".  Great if you like very high heels.  As in most areas, sizes 12 and 13 are hard to come by in the stores.

[ET88]

It should be noticed that some Payless stores carry no size 13 at all, while other branches have dozens of styles in 13.  You can check the stock in specific stores in the internet.  From experience I know the branches in Fulton st. brooklyn NYC have very large collection..

[redandwhite]

You can drive all day in the UK too! We have the largest car park in the world, it's called the M6 Avoid the southern end as it's sh*t most days plus there's not much to look at! I digress, yes the sheer scale of the US is awesome. Only seen a small portion and will definitely be returning 

[dww]

 Cannot complain about the M6 quite a few years ago I did Basingstoke to Glasgow 400 miles in 3 hours 50 minutes well over a hundred miles an hour all the way, left Basingstoke at midnight Glasgow before 4am must admit you could not do it today. At times I was doing 150 mph up the M6 got chased twice by the old bill. Tried it about few years ago five hours to get to the Scottish border. Then in the old days I did 100-125 thousand miles a year. Loved every minute of it.

[pebblesf]

Wish I could help, maybe you can scour the internet prior to the trip to ensure you don't miss any possible heel opportunities.  Like Happy says, the best opportunities are probably at the beginning and end of your trip....

I love driving in my 5" boots, so hopefully you can enjoy driving in heels while enjoying the sites along the way..  Look forward to hearing of some fun adventures.

 

[crossfire238]

Good morning....I would try to find Nordstrom Rack.  They have a decent selection on 12 and some 13.  I usually hit my local one up a couple times a month...

[projectz]

Along those lines.... an actual Nordstrom store is always a great idea. Their service is impeccable and they usually have lots of extended sizes. I have tried on and bought many shoes at Nordstroms and its always been an excellent experience. There was also that one time that there was another guy trying on heels at the same time as me! 

[HappyinHeels]

Jura,

What I didn't say was I encourage you to wear heels for as much of your trip as possible. Wear boots in colder or rural areas and perhaps sandals or pumps in the warmer and urban areas. You can get gas, get a coffee, or stop to eat wearing some type of heeled shoe without much notice these days. All depends on how it is put together. You can check into a hotel or family-run motel wearing your heels and not really have to think about it. These days if you are minding your business and are spending money that is all that matters. You may get nice comments in the cities and may even get a few in the rural areas. Wherever you go and wear just do it with confidence. Americans like confident people and it shows the world you are not afraid.  I think most people worldwide like confident but courteous people. I think a great trip awaits you.

Los Angeles and area is good to find and wear heels. Flagstaff is beautiful and accepting of all sorts of people. Chicago is a good place to shop and wear whatever you want. New York City is a mix of everything imaginable. You could wear everything from thigh-high boots to pumps to wedge sandals as a man and just blend into the urban mosaic that is NYC. What can you say about a place where a man and a woman standing together wearing 7" heels can both be complimented equally on their outfits?? I think NYC appreciates style and expression carried off with confidence. It is a very confident place indeed. Some of the shopping is unique in the USA so be prepared.  HappyinHeels

[SF]

Jura....  Welcome to the USA, it is a great country, hope you have a wonderful trip.  Route 66 is a beautiful drive; LA, the Mojave Desert, Rocky Mountains, Great Plains - the drive has it all!!  I was just out on Route 66 last week, drove the section from Albuquerque NM to San Bernardino CA.  The desert was the greenest (yes the desert can be green) I have seen it in years - we have had a lot of rain out here.  You may see some wildflower displays too, but they might be gone when you arrive, since they have a very short - but beautiful - blooming season.  Attached is a pic from the Oatman AZ area (part of Route 66 west of Kingman, AZ).   I love Route 66!!

As for heels and shoes, there are many stores out west that have gals shoes in larger sizes - plus this being springtime, sandals are out in abundance!!  Try checking out Payless Shoes, DSW, TJ Max, Nordstrom Rack, Target and many other stores that I have forgotten to mention - I'm sure others here will fill in the blanks.  While you are in the Los Angeles area, one of my favorite stores is Marmi Shoes.  They have a store near LAX - in El Segundo, another in Newport Beach and one in Scottsdale AZ (near Phoenix).  Marmi has classy, well made - but pricy ($100 to 150) - shoes and sandals in sizes up to 13.  I have a few pair of their sandals and I love them.  The staff at their stores, especially the El Segundo store, are friendly and really don't care if you are a guy or gal.   

Enjoy your trip, I expect you will have an enjoyable time.  Let us know how the trip went - have fun!!!!   sf

Here's a pic of the wildflowers...  

[Steve63130]

St. Louis is another good city on Rt. 66. Plan to spend some time there if your schedule allows it. There is quite a bit to see and do, lots of entertainment, outstanding restaurants, and very friendly people. The shopping is good, and there are Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores, as well as many of the others mentioned above. Safe travels (in heels)!

And although Ohio is not on Rt. 66, if you come this far east, I extend an invitation to enjoy what Granville, a quaint little college town, has to offer. PM me.

Steve

[SF]

Me on Route 66 Last week, at Amboy, CA in the Mojave Desert east of LA....  Have fun !!!!   sf

[Steve63130]

SF,

I knew you were tall but that shadow!!! You must be a basketball player! I'd say at least 12 feet (4 meters) high! Can't see the heels though. LOL

Steve

[SF]

Ha, ha...  Yeah, I am waayyy to tall, that's why I keep the heels to less than 3 inches.  In this case, the low sun angle made things worse !!!  And no heels either, oh the humanity.  It was in a pretty place nonetheless....   Take care....    sf

[blueparrot]

I usually make the rounds to DSW, Nordstrom Rack, Saks off 5th, Bloomingdales Outlet, and Dillards Clearance Center.  I've recently scored some $35 boots (about 80% off) at Dillards regular store but those items are pretty well gone now.  When a store brings the racks out into the sales floor that's when the bargains can be found.  DSW has a bargain rack in the rear of each store where you will find the "steals".  I am currently in the Dallas area and Texans love boots of course, even when it's warmer!  You might find some interesting items if you get to Santa Fe (on the plaza) but the prices there are not very cheap.  Very unique styles however.  When you get to NYC please visit Macy's flagship store.  Their shoe department occupies an entire floor!  There is also a six story DSW about a block away. 

[Jura]

Sorry for my tardiness in replying to this thread guys, been a mad busy week or two since I first posted. Thank you all for your tips and suggestions, I'll look into as many as I can without annoying the wife too much! 

The trip is well underway, unfortunately heel-less so far, but we'll see what the shops yield. I'll be honest and say that my attention has been diverted by our transport for the trip, the rather lovely Mabel, a 1946 Chevy Pick Up. If you see us on the Mother Road then make sure and say hi 

 

 

[Shyheels]

Now that is a cool way to travel The Mother Road!

 

 

[Thighbootguy]

Good grief, traveling in a truck that is as old as I am...  Rather than looking for heel stores you should be on the lookout for scrap car parts stores.  I do hope that flatbed trailer in the background is yours.

Enjoy your trip but keep an eye on the weather reports as we have been having some severe weather in the middle of the country.  As the locals would tell you, it is best not to challenge really bad weather.

[RonC]

I think many have forgotten that Jura indicated that he would need at least a size 12 or 13.  Unless things have changed, you won't find a size 12 in nearly any DSW - maybe on the sale rack where someone bought a 12 on line and returned them to the store.  And places like Dillards, Saks off 5th,and Bloomingdales Outlet, I've never seen a size 12 in any of those.  So while they might be fun to walk through, chances of finding a size he can wear would be pretty slim.    

[LuvsStiletto]

It sounds like you are already having a fun trip! Nice truck btw! Hopefully, you will still be able to incorporate some heeling, into your adventure! Unfortunately, as far as size 12-13 heels and stores go, I agree with Ron C, you won't find many 12-13's in places like DSW or Famous Footwear. I'm pretty lucky, in that I'm a 10 in women's, so generally I don't have much of a problem finding my size in styles I like. When I shop, I do take note, however, of the larger size selections. You'll find that the selections drop off drastically, in places like DSW, after size 10. You will sometimes find 10.5's or 11's in some boxed styles found on the main sales floor, and also, often in the clearance racks in the back of the store. As far as 12's and 13's go, there will probably be a few specimens of 12's in the clearance racks in the back of the store, but they most likely will be one-off styles, and it will be a total hit or miss, as to if they are a style you may like, as often, they are not the same brands and styles that they feature on the main sales floor (they bring in a lot of clearance items exclusively to be sold as clearance). Although I have, I almost never see 13's in those stores. Sometimes I do see a random size 11 or  12 in a Marshall's or T.J. Maxx, but again, we are talking very limited, and the majority of the time, they don't even have a section of the rack devoted to those sizes, so they are just mixed in with the 10's. Unfortunately, brick and mortar shopping in the USA isn't what it used to be. Online is definitely where it is at, namely eBay (for large sizes) especially if you are looking for anything that retailers deem to be too difficult to move off the shelves. Heck, half of the time, they don't even stock enough of the stuff that actually does move! 

 

[mlroseplant]

Are you seriously going to drive Route 66 in that truck? I mean, I don't object on principle, but I hope you know what you are getting into, and I hope you're a pretty good mechanic. Unless the engine has been changed, DO NOT let that truck get low on oil. The old "Stove Bolt" six cylinder engine does not have a pressurized oiling system, and it WILL fail if it gets low on oil. At least it has two windshield (windscreen) wipers, but they are vacuum operated, and don't work well if you're going up a hill. Also, I hope you don't plan on going more than about 45 mph. Good luck, and send us pictures!

Edited April 9, 2017 by mlroseplant

[Puffer]

On 3/20/2017 at 9:09 PM, Jura said:

Hi all, 

I'm lucky enough to be taking a bit of a dream holiday (for me anyway) in the next month or so. Hopping on a plane from the UK to LAX, and then driving coast to coast to New York, following the Historic Route 66 much of the way. Can not wait to go if I'm honest! 

Anyway, it's not really a 'heeling' trip, but I'd hate to miss any shopping opportunities on the way, so I'm after some tips as to stores to maybe look out for that cater for larger sized heels. Interested in all styles, all budgets, but need a size around 12-13 US (45-46 Euro). Are there any chain stores or independants that are worth a look? 

Thanks in advance, and apologies if this is an oft repeated question 

I don't know what your usual UK size is, but I'm guessing 11 if (like me) you wear an Eu45 or 46.   You will be unlikely to fit into any USW12 shoes - and USW13 may be tight, especially if not wide fitting or with fairly high heels.   So, if you need USW13 (or 14), your choice will indeed be limited, with some Payless branches a possibility for USW13 (sometimes wide fitting).   Good luck anyway!

[Jura]

Hello again. Damn, I really am terrible at keeping up to date, aren't I? 

So, in case you were wondering, yes, we made it all the way to New York in the old truck. I should've mentioned that it had been fully rebuilt and hot rodded, and she fair romped along at 80mph on just a whiff of gas. 6500 pretty much trouble free miles, and enough memories to last a lifetime! We flew back to the UK at the end of April, and the truck followed us home by ship a few weeks later. Not that I've had a chance to see her as I headed out to work in Europe just after our return, and won't now be home again until early August. Ah well, gotta pay for these trips somehow! 

Anyway, back on topic, I did have some success on the heel front thanks to your advice, so thank you very much for that. To be honest I didn't have much luck in the Nordstrom stores , despite trying two or three, which was a shame as they had some beautiful styles on their website. We didn't want to fix too many dates on the trip so we had freedom to roam as we pleased, so I couldn't use the 'collect and try instore' option they offer unfortunately. Maybe next time. 

I did have some joy in Payless however! Thanks again to RonC, the Outlet store on Joliet Road, Hodgekins, was a goldmine, and I came away with a gorgeous pair of beige suede ankle boots, some black suede shoe boots, and a pair of black cut-away courts (that I'm not 100% sure I like, but fuck it, they were cheap!), all for less than $100! Bargain! I'll try to get some pictures up elsewhere on the Forum in the next few days. 

 

So once again, thanks to all for the advice, but especially to RonC. Can't wait to get back at Christmas and hit the stores again! And just to prove we made it, here's a pic from the road...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 14, 2017 by Jura
Smelling milkshakes

[Thighbootguy]

2 hours ago, Jura said:

I should've mentioned that it had been fully rebuilt and hot rodded

That would have been nice to know, along with the new tires.

It looks and sounds like you had a grand time.  I'll bet that truck turned a few heads (especially at 80 mph [129 kph]). One nice thing about the U.S.A is that there is always a bend in the road with something interesting awaiting.

It also sounds like your shoe quest was successful.  Looking forward to the pictures.

[Shyheels]

Would have been really fun doing Route 66 in that old truck. I am glad you had such a nice time.

[SF]

Where was that picture taken??  I am guessing somewhere near Amboy or Essex???  That section of Route 66 thru the desert is beautiful, especially in the spring after all the rain we have had....   have fun...   sf

PS  Remember this place???    

[HappyinHeels]

Jura,

Glad to see your trip was seamless! Nice to see RonC's advice was useful. You should pay a visit t o the Chicago area again upon your return to the USA. I'm sure some of us would love to meet you. The section of US66 you pictured looks like the longest remaining stretch of original road in northern Arizona. That asphalt show the classic signs of heat stress which is the desert's equivalent to highways in the cold areas of the U.S. and Canada. Even at 4000-5000 feet/1250-1550m elevation temperatures of the road surface can reach 150F/65C in mid-summer. Good tires are essential in the desert.

Did you wear heels during your trip?  Please tell me you at least wore some in NYC where the sky is the limit for the buildings and the heels

HappyinHeels

[mlroseplant]

I'm happy your trip went well! I'm also glad that the truck performed well, and had had a modern drivetrain put in it. As a old pickup buff, on the one hand, I kind of hate to see it when a truck like that is "rodded," but I also realize that the original drivetrain is not practical to drive on today's highways. I suppose without the drivetrain swap, the old girl would probably be in the junkyard, so all is well!