Ebay And Shopping.

[Puffer 258]

I have some limited experience of stretching shoes by various means:

 

1.   Leather is generally stretchable, but mainly for width; length-stretching is limited by the shoe construction and leather grain.   If one is very lucky, an increase of half a size in length is possible.

 

2.   A shoe stretcher is certainly helpful (although I have never seen/tried one specifically for high heels) but one can also use wood forced in, or fill a poly bag with water and put it inside the shoe in the freezer overnight.

 

3.   Stretching fluids (used in conjunction with a mechanical stretcher) are available for leather but (as one might expect) quite expensive.   I believe they are basically iso-propyl alcohol with a little lanolin or similar soapy additive.   It is difficult to buy the alcohol in the UK, but Maplin sells it for switch-cleaning etc at a fair price for a large can: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/isopropyl-alcohol-1-litre-re71n.   Mix this with an equal quanity of water and a dash of washing-up liquid and soak the leather (or brush it well in) before fitting stretcher.

 

4.   Non-leather shoes are more of a problem.   Fabric (e.g. faux suede) can be gently stretched with ice-bag etc but watch the seams!   'Plastic' shoes are hard to stretch unless the material is warmed gently (hair dryer) before inserting stretcher (or one's well-insulated foot!).

 

5.   Some people suggest soaking leather/fabric shoes in water whilst wearing them (stand in bath?) and wear them wet (maybe with thick socks) until they dry out and mould to the foot.   But not all material likes getting wet; water or stretching fluid can soften adhesive or stain uppers, so proceed with caution.

[Heels 27]

This is the link to the website http://www.theshoelace.co.uk/index.html I also bought a leather stretching spray at the same time..

 

I have tried the ice bag trick and don't think I had much luck. I.ve not tried the other ways of stretching shoes.

 

If I can get one pair of heels to fit more comfortable then it be worth the money.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Heels

[Puffer 258]

This is the link to the website http://www.theshoelace.co.uk/index.html I also bought a leather stretching spray at the same time..

 

I have tried the ice bag trick and don't think I had much luck. I.ve not tried the other ways of stretching shoes.

 

If I can get one pair of heels to fit more comfortable then it be worth the money.

 

You don't say which of the several stretchers available you bought.  But it will be interesting to know how you get on with it.   

[FastFreddy2 282]

You don't say which of the several stretchers available you bought.  But it will be interesting to know how you get on with it.   

 

My money is on >> this <<

[Heels 27]

There are only 2, not counting the ones for streching boots that the company sells that are made for high heels. I bought the cheaper one.

[FastFreddy2 282]

Today, I have listed a good number of shoes and boots. Most will either be too expensive for the majority here, or the shoe size will not be correct. they are listed as size 7 and 8, although everything listed fits my slim size 8 feet. 

 

If there's anything of interest, please let me know. 

 

 

The auction site seems to have changed their listing 'engine' making it enormously difficult to list anything as "anonymous", which is how I tend to do mine, since most of my buyers are men and there is a need for discretion. 

[Heels 27]

Just bought this pair from Ebay. Paid about £12 including postage. Seem to fit  fine.  

 

[Puffer 258]

Just bought this pair from Ebay. Paid about £12 including postage. Seem to fit  fine.  Image00001.jpg

Is it an illusion, or perhaps the way you are standing, but that asymmetric cut of the uppers makes it look as though your foot is twisted inwards.   I can't say that I like the (apparent) appearance - but then I cringe when I see a woman wearing a dress that hangs on one shoulder only!   

[Heels 27]

I,m having to twist my legs and body so I can get a reasonable good shot of the shoes. 

[FastFreddy2 282]

   - but then I cringe when I see a woman wearing a dress that hangs on one shoulder only!   

 

Those are words that could have fallen from my mouth too.

 

One arm, one shoulder, asymmetric hemline - all producing a hidden wince whenever I see them. One of the latest styles seen in a younger women's clothing outlets, is the short (uneven) crossover style. What would ever been the mindset of the wearer? Attractive? Flattering? Neither as far as I'm concerned.....    

 

 

 

 

Yeuk! (Fashion technical term.)

Edited August 24, 2015 by FastFreddy2

[Heels 27]

Had a little trip into Guildford today. Was hoping to try on some heels on at New Look and maybe buy. I was hoping it being a week day it be less busy and in some ways it was. Just it's the school holidays and loads of teenage girls in New look trying on high heels. I don't think they were buying. Any way I didn't see any heels I like but the shop did seem to  have less size 9 in store today. Did have a look online before I went out and there were afew pairs I wanted to try on. Maybe in a few weeks time when the new season start there be more in store.

[Heels 27]

Did want to buy a pair of Steve Madden ankle boots from a seller on Ebay.  Buy it now £20. which seemed a reasonable price to pay. That seller had on the listing, the boots being a size uk 9.5. This seems to be an odd size so I asked the seller if they were a size uk 9.5. Well it turns out the boots are a us 9.5.

[FastFreddy2 282]

Steve Madden and Nine West are US brands, so no surprise the sizing is in US. I wonder if this was a case of the seller not being the wearer?

 

I've sold some shoes and boots recently, but things are still slow.

Without doing a detailed analysis, I think there are definite buying/selling waves. End of month is better, but I think there are seasonal trends too. At the end of August the summer sales are over, so people have spent on the bargains they'll wear next year. Holiday period .... I don't know there's too much cash slushing around.

I've a couple of pairs of (I thought) quite nice wedge sandals from Matalan on offer at silly low prices. One pair hasn't even been "viewed" so summer is over. I did sell one of the two pairs of heel less shoes I have though. As we move into Autumn (who am I kidding - it's been Autumnal for 3-4 weeks) it'll be time to sell some of my excess boots.

And maybe replace a pair or two .....  

 

 

 

[Heels 27]

I wasn't sure if Steve Madden was a US or a Uk brand. I,m sure the seller does not wear them. They have other sizes on sale.

I,ve  not managed to sell the two pairs of New Look heels I had up for sale on Ebay.  Both pairs unworn. I think August was a bad time to sale. Will  try again later on this month. Might rewrite the listings and take new photos but I don,t think it was the listing that were the problem. I,m sure if I were to start the listing at £5 my heels would sale but I be making a loss and I can't keep doing that. I,m sure it is alot harder to sale on Ebay these days.

[FastFreddy2 282]

I wasn't sure if Steve Madden was a US or a Uk brand. I,m sure the seller does not wear them. They have other sizes on sale.

 

Not only American, but generous with their sizing. 

[Heels 27]

Thinking of buying this pair from Ebay.  Item number  201428090822 Could  someone tell me if that a true sizing or if they likely to run small. Not bought  from Kurt Geiger (Nine West) before.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Heels

[FastFreddy2 282]

My experience of Nine West is that they tend to run true to slightly generous. I bought a US10 in one particular style that fitted very well for my size 8 feet. Another, more recent style I would like to have owned, ran so big I almost bought a whole size smaller.

We were out window shopping today, and another American brand called Michael Kors had a style on offer Mrs Freddy was interested in. She tried a size marked EU39 and it was very comfortable on her size 6½ (getting wider) foot. Shame they were nearly £200 or I might have been tempted to acquire them for her.

American shoes don't rely on Italian sized feet. Mrs Freddy has tried numerous styles from American brands that she has found more comfortable than the UK labels.  

  

[Heels 27]

Seller had this pair listed as an 8/9, but when I massaged her they were  marked as an size 41 euro on the shoes.  She did say they should fit a size 9uk due to the style I pass on them. Seller also had 2 other pairs for sale in the same style.

                                                                                         

 

 Made a bid on this pair on Monday but lost out to another bidder. Had problem with phone signal and was at work. I didn't put a high bid and got out bid at the last moment,

                                         

                                                                                       

This is the Nine west pair I was talking about  before. There were not bids on this when I placed mine, about 5 minutes before the listing ended I placed a bid slightly higher then the start price of £20. I didn't put in a higher bid just in case I had to sell on again.  Lack of bids sort of put me off placing a higher bid. Again I got out bid at the last moment but was driving at the time. These are peep-toes, just incase you can't tell from the photo.

              

                                                                                          

                                                                        

Edited September 24, 2015 by Heels

[Heels 27]

Was thinking of buying this pair. With still 6 hours to go the bidding has gone over £36 which  is more then you would pay from JustFab online store. I asked the seller the lengh of the heel. I thought the heels look around 6 to 7 inches high but the seller says only 5 inches.  

                                                                  

[FastFreddy2 282]

That shoe looks like it has quite a steep arch, and if it's "only" a 5 inch heel, will probably feel higher because of the arch shape? Although it's not shown, it looks like these's a small platform too. I would find it quite a challenge to wear these.

I'm aware of a store currently selling a shoe like this (like, not same as) for £23 with a 5 inch heel and no platform, but their largest size is an 8. I think it's actually a US10, but also claimed as EU40. Sadly, too small for you I think?

 

 

[Heels 27]

That shoe has a 2 inch platform, not that you can tell by the photo butI also asked the seller about the platform height.

Also like the shoe just shown but would be far to small for me.  

[FastFreddy2 282]

I wasn't sure if Steve Madden was a US or a Uk brand. I,m sure the seller does not wear them. They have other sizes on sale.

 

 

 

Not only American, but generous with their sizing. 

 

 

Last evening, while browsing at 9.45pm in an almost empty HoF in the West End, I tried on a pair of these:

 

From >> here <<

 

Well, they were there, were marked as UK8, and the shop was almost empty .... How could I not?

They were so generous on size (length) I got a finger inside the heel cover while I sat. (The gap would have been larger when I stood, as my foot moved futher into the toebox.) To my mind they were a UK9, and certainly would be in an Office/Dune/Topshop shoe. My 'walking friend' who was with me at the time, and has bunions (from a lifetime of wearing high heels) was persuaded to try them, despite her protests about the bunions .... To her surprise, they went on her feet, though sadly didn't disguise the bunion. So the shoe has quite a wide fit too.

 

I don't think the heel is quite 5 inches, but it isn't far off. Available in black too. 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2015 by FastFreddy2

[Heels 27]

I think there,s  a H of F in Guildford. The few times I,ve been in  there I have never tried any shoes on. If there;s  no size 9uk out, I won;t ask so won't try on.. How ever if this is the case that a size 8 will fit me I go back in to that store again.

Another member on HHP noticed  that New Look had less size 9 in store in the last few months. I noticed this in August but I thought it was just end of season and be more size 9 in the new season. So may I ask for other members on here to check and see if New Look still selling size 9

 

Edited October 4, 2015 by Heels

[Puffer 258]

I think there,s  a H of F in Guildford. The few times I,ve been in  there I have never tried any shoes on. If there;s  no size 9uk out, I won;t ask so won't try on.. How ever if this is the case that a size 8 will fit me I go back in to that store again.

Another member on HHP noticed  that New Look had less size 9 in store in the last few months. I noticed this in August but I thought it was just end of season and be more size 9 in the new season. So may I ask for other members on here to check and see if New Look still selling size 9

 

I was in New Look briefly yesterday and there were size 9s on show, including a specific area of 'sale' shoes in that size.   Whether there are now more or fewer than in the recent past I cannot say.

[FastFreddy2 282]

I'm not sure if it was ALDO or not, but I have seen recently, a sign saying something like "Size 9's available on-line". I know for sure it wasn't New Look though, as I don't tend to frequent the place any longer.

As with ALDO, I have become increasingly disappointed with NL styles. A disappointing situation as 5 or 6 years ago, I wanted just about every pair of heeled boots they sold. ALDO have ramped up their prices, while styles have become staid and sometimes very poorly made or sized. NL styles have also become 'plastiky' and prices are not that keen. I think Primarni must have the NL buyers working for them now, as Primarni seems to have more interesting styles. That said, ALDO and NL provide shops in most towns (Primarni doesn't) and they also have a great on-line buying/returns service that includes size 9 shoes.

 

Perhaps NL only carry size 9 stock, where a (local) market exists? Africans tend to have larger feet, Asians smaller feet than Europeans. Taller people have larger feet, shorter people, smaller feet. Younger people are bigger/taller (better fed) than older people brought up in harder times and when "fast-food" wasn't available. So if you live somewhere like Hove, a place full of old/shorter Europeans, there'd be no need to carry a range of size 9 shoes for ladies? If you lived somewhere like Wood Green in London, you would likely find size 9 stocked, with even women asking about size 10 from time to time...

 

Edited October 4, 2015 by FastFreddy2
Typo.