The Dirt Farm Chronicles

Dec. 16, 2008 - Shoe shopping - when did it get so hard?

        I just bought 3 pairs of shoes for my daughter yesterday. Other than nasty crocs (and they are GROSS from too much wear!) she didn't have anything she could wear.

        So we bought her rubber boots, a pair of sneakers and a casual dress pair.

        So here's the weird part. I used the foot thingy to measure her size. One foot is a 4 and the other a 4 1/2. (ok, that's not the weird part). The WEIRD part is that EACH PAIR we purchased is a woman's size SEVEN.

        What is up with this? I have noticed this trend before for myself - having to buy "up" from what you actually measure. I am a 10 but I tell you what, not a SINGLE pair of ladies 10s fit me. I have to buy a men's 9 1/2-10. My birkenstock size hasn't changed. My good rubber boot (x-tra tuffs) hasn't changed sizes. But honestly, ANY other shoe doesn't fit in the "size" I'm supposed to be.

        Same is true for my husband. The snarky comment I get here is that all the shoes are made in China and the Chinese don't have big feet.

        We ordered 3 pairs from ebay recently for her and the only pair that fit was a size 6. Oh, and btw, I couldn't find ANY shoes size 5 and very few 6. I think she could wear a 6. Oh, one pair of kids shoes (boys) was a 4 1/2 and it fit.

        Any explanations out there?? It is only a *tad* frustrating to have this phenomenon (sP?) I don't feel confident ordering shoes now! I know you can return from lots of places, but ugh - what a hassle!

        I'm in the "used to love" to buy shoes camp. I think they've changed things on us and we can't get what we used to because it just isn't there!

        Tell me I'm not the only one.