Could this be a 'New Look'?

[Puffer]

With a couple of hours spare yesterday to explore a modest west country town, my attention was drawn by a branch of New Look, clearly more spacious and inviting than most I had seen. Entering out of curiosity, I saw that it sold men's shoes and decided to peruse same. On sale at £7 (reduced from £28) were some rather natty tan leather slip-ons and I tried them in my usual size 11.

As I did so, a pleasant-looking middle-aged woman (with husband) sat down next to me and proceeded to try on a pair of men's flat loafers (7s, I think) which she announced as being 'very comfortable – just the thing to wear at work’ and decided to buy them. Needless to say, her very public action in selecting, putting on, walking about in and confirming her decision to buy some men’s shoes (albeit of a plain unisex design) passed without comment from anyone. I have no problem at all with her actions but was tempted to say something, although I doubt that she (or hubby) would have understood my drift. I just wonder what the reaction from anyone nearby would have been if hubby (who looked as if an 8 would fit him) had gone over to the women’s section and started to try on some flat loafers or similar, however discreetly?

Meanwhile, finding my 11s to be fairly roomy (possibly to allow for a slightly tapered toebox), I decided to try some 10s. Strange – the pair on the shelf, although clearly stamped ‘10’ inside, just would not go on. Comparing them with the 11s, it was clear that the 10s were no bigger than a 9 and useless. I searched again and found one other apparent pair of 10s, which inspection showed to be a good British compromise: one a size 10 and the other a 9! I tried the single 10 out of curiosity – not roomy enough. So, it was the original 11s or nothing and a further try-on satisfied me that they would do. When I paid for the shoes, I told the cashier about the mismarked and mismatched pairs and she was most concerned, inspecting them for herself and promising appropriate action, although I have no idea what that might be – a reduction to £6 maybe? So, full marks to New Look for value and customer relations but none for the manufacturer’s quality control. Caveat emptor, I suggest.

I suppose that it’s too much to hope that New Look’s supplier might have wrongly made some stylish women’s shoes in large sizes and they can be found somewhere, unsold (and therefore dirt cheap), pretending to be 8s?

[Dr. Shoe]

No.

[BobHH]

A different kind of New Look from Sunset Strip shoes:

Is there really a big enough market for exotic dancer shoes designed to accept tips? They have a number of different variations! They would have to hold still long enough to get the tip in, or the fingers could get stepped on!

[dr1819]

You know, I've seen these heels thousands of times on websites selling heels ranging from 6 to 15, but I've NEVER seen them on a woman or a man in public. I admit I don't hang around many strip joints (like never) so perhaps that's where they're being sold. Don't know. What I do know is that their presence on the internet far outstripes their presence on the feet of those who wear heels. What I'd really like to see are the same styles available through size 9 in larger sizes like 10-13.

[BobHH]

The Tip shoes come up to size 14USW. They seem to be marketed by Pleaser. Here's a link:

http://www.snaz75.com/pleasershoes3.html?pageNum=1

[sexyplatforms]

Cool idea! I suppose it was a logical step for the strippers' shoes to get paid too! SP.

[sexyplatforms]

Dear dr1819, concerning spike heel platform sandals worn in public: I agree with you that they represent a (sadly) small percentage of heel wearing in general. However, there is some evidence that the style is gaining in popularity among young women in the UK (see, for instance, Richy's recent photo in the 'high heel sightings' thread in this forum)... SP.

[DeSalto]

I believe that those spiked heel platform sandals are worn in public only by a selected group of women that really love to wear sexy heels. Mostly women thinks those kind of shoes too slut for street wear. Sad...