Top marks to Faith

[Heelson]

These shoes were featured in one of the Sunday paper mags, and my wife pointed them out to me, 'cos she knew I'd love them;

http://www.faith.co.uk/catalogue/style.asp?range=82&subRange=328&curPage=8&style=481300

So I went up to Faith on Oxford St yesterday to get some.

Found them on display in the shop, and as I picked them up, a smiling (friendly, helpful smile) assistant came up to me and asked if she could help.

"What size do these go up to?" I asked - knowing that some Faith styles are available in 9 (my normal size)

"Are you looking for 8 or 9" asked the assistant ...

"Yes" was my answer

"Hang on, I'll just check" ... and off she went to find a stock-check machine. She came back a minute later to report that they only went up to an 8, but "unfortunately we only have a 7 in stock at the moment, they'll probably be a bit too small, though you're welcome to try them"

Faith 8s are usually a little tight (but for this style, I'd live with the pain!!), but 7s are a no-no. Shame.

But TOP MARKS to Faith and the assistant lady. Completely helpful, friendly and acted as if it was perfectly normal for a man to want to buy a pair of shoes like this. I've been nervous buying heels in shops in person before, but was completely at ease in Faith yesterday - thanks to the assistant.

Would I go in there again and try before I buy? You bet! Will I go back in a week or two to see if they've got new stock in? Absolutely yes. Will I try them on in the shop? Very very likely.

Now, she'd probably seen plenty of men in there trying/buying shoes before, which is probably thanks to the efforts of Firefox et al on their heeled shoe-buying trips. Is it now considered "normal" for us to do this?

Thanks guys ... you're doing your own thing, but it's helping all of us!

H

[Firefox]

Faith in Oxford Street has been well cased out by members of this board including me. We've turned up there wearing heels and engaged the assistants in conversation and have bought shoes etc, so they're aware it's a serious fringe fashion trend which can help them make extra sales.

[Calv]

Faith's on-line service is also very good. Ring them up on the freephone number and get the shoes free of postage fees. Quick service too. Plenty of size 9 's too Calv

[chris100575]

Has anyone had any experience of Faith at the Trafford Centre in terms of trying on in the shop? Chris

[Dr. Shoe]

Faith in Oxford Street has been well cased out by members of this board including me. We've turned up there wearing heels and engaged the assistants in conversation and have bought shoes etc, so they're aware it's a serious fringe fashion trend which can help them make extra sales.

Yes when 12 of us descend on us en mass it does tend to alter the staff's perceptions somewhat.

[heelium]

Just a word of caution regarding Faiths size 9's, they are equivelent to Euro sized 42's, hence run on the decidedly small size for UK 9's. I know this to my detriment, I ordered the Magnum2's in the 9's, they were impossibly small, and sadly had to be returned heelium

[clicker]

Heelson,

I went into that very faith shop on Tuesday wearing a pair of the shoes you were looking to buy. I was after some other boots. The thread is here http://www.hhplace.org/hhboard/viewtopic.php?t=5167

but the bit about my visit to faith i'll paste here...

Well today I drove into London and parked up about 1/2 a mile from the Faith shop on Oxford Street. I wore the shoes and some jeans that came to the top of the shoes leaving them on display.

I walked down Oxford street catching a few peoples eyes spot the shoes then spot me, no one murmured a thing or even looked the remotest bit suprised. Strangely this is the reason why I went there as I feel there are so many different walks of life in london that it's all been seen before.

I went past faith first and into the large Topshop a little further down. They have a massive footwear section downstairs now and have quite a large selection of faiths shoes and boots. I asked one staff member for the black buckle boots in my size but they didn't have any. I wandered round but decided I'd head off to faith and see what they had.

The assistant saw my shoes and I saw the small suprise in her eyes but she was perfectly fine and I had a quick look about and then asked her for the boots in my size. They took a while to appear but when they did another assistant brought them over and was again cool with me tryng them on. a little large so I asked for the smaller size, they were good but something didn't click with me on them, I really like them but I didn't have that must have feeling. The assistant said she wanted a pair too but I said I'd have a think and off I went thanking them for their help.

I'm heading back that way on Saturday (if all plans hold up) so I expect I will buy them then depending on if I see something else between now and then.

I've been heading out in public for some years now and each time I still have confident moments and non confident moments. Today clearly a confident moment and certainly feel, although I'm not a fan of London, that I could wander round there in any of my boots or shoes and the population will generally shrug it off.

I also think the pictures will come this saturday as one of my girlie friends is coming with me and I'll get her to take the snaps rather than my outstretched arm.

So not only have the rest of the gang been priming the staff well, I was in there only a day before! The shoes are definitely worth getting, mine are an 8 and i walked round for ages in them.