Shoe Shock.
I've always had problems buying shoes. I have flat feet, therefore buying a pair of shoes becomes a ceremony. Ordering shoes online is a major risk. The only way to find a proper pair of shoes is if they can be first tried on and walked in before making the ultimate decision. I would sit on my mirror covered throne (aka the small stool you sit on to try the shoes on) and await the first of many pairs to be brought to me in wide width. If wide width were not available, I would have to up-size until finding a pair that would fit my short flat feet. Within a few hours, I would leave with a brand new pair of sneakers that would last me a good few years with any luck.
Fast forward to today.
I bet you're thinking that buying shoes in Ireland shouldn't be much more difficult than buying shoes in the US, right? Oh, how very, very wrong you are.
I have finally hit my moment of culture shock, and it is over shoes. Shoes. Right now, I'm considering just walking around barefoot for the rest of my life (not really, but you get the picture).
How is it that shoes are causing such a moment of culture shock for me, you ask? Ah, yes. Allow me to elaborate.
We'll start with what we call them. In my part of the U.S., we call them sneakers. Generally speaking, anywhere within the States you go, if you ask in a shoe store for sneakers, you get a smile, nod and a pair of these:
In Ireland, if you ask in a shoe store for sneakers, you get this:
Sneakers are generally referred to as either "runners" or "trainers".
I had that one figured out pretty quickly given that Keith regularly refers to his runners. But enter problem number two.
Wide width...more commonly called wide fit here....are nearly non-existent.
NON. EXISTENT.
Looking for a pair of wide fit dress shoes? SURE! We've got you covered!
Looking for some runners? Um...probably not. Sorry.
Now, I don't always require a wide width shoe. In fact, my actual size is dependent upon the type and brand of the shoe.
Dress shoes? 8-8.5 Wide
Flipflops? 9
Skechers Go Walks? 7.5 Wide
You see the issue. Generally I'm able to just look at a size 8 and guess what I'll wear before trying it on.
Now, imagine someone completely changed the game...
BECAUSE THEY DID!
U.S. shoe sizes are different than UK and EU shoes sizes.
Now, because I'm in Ireland (which is not the UK but next to it), they mostly use UK sizes, although there are occasionally EU sizes instead.
A U.S. 8.5, which is usually my go-to size when I can't find wide width shoes, is a size 6 in Ireland...unless we're going with EU sizes. Then it becomes a size 39.
Okay, so I'm usually a 6 or 39...Sounds good.
Except because of my oddly shaped pedals, I can't always wear a 6. Sometimes I have to down-size to a 5. Enter in the wide flat foot issue again.
Now, I'm not sure what size I wear.
I only know that to find a pair of shoes that fit my feet, I'm going to have to try some on...and likely a lot of them.
Finally, a plan. Until I see the price tag.
I'm a real bargain shopper. I've never paid more than $20 for a pair of shoes (and those were for my wedding!). If it's not on sale, I'll scour the world wide web until I find it on sale. If it's still not on sale, I won't buy it.
Shoes in Ireland run well over $20 for a good pair. Most of the Skechers I've seen start at €50.
For a small town girl that's used to getting her shoes 50% off, that's quite the shock.
So here I sit. Barefoot. Trying to convince myself that in order to get a quality pair of shoes that lasts, I'll need to spend the dough.
I've yet to decide whether or not I'll break down and spend the money, or just run to Penney's for a cheap pair that will last a few months.
Realistically, I need good shoes (especially with my spina bifida problems), but it's going to take some prayer and convincing to get through my shoe shock and into the store, cash in hand.
It's just really difficult to convince myself.
...Maybe next week.
Fast forward to today.
I bet you're thinking that buying shoes in Ireland shouldn't be much more difficult than buying shoes in the US, right? Oh, how very, very wrong you are.
I have finally hit my moment of culture shock, and it is over shoes. Shoes. Right now, I'm considering just walking around barefoot for the rest of my life (not really, but you get the picture).
How is it that shoes are causing such a moment of culture shock for me, you ask? Ah, yes. Allow me to elaborate.
We'll start with what we call them. In my part of the U.S., we call them sneakers. Generally speaking, anywhere within the States you go, if you ask in a shoe store for sneakers, you get a smile, nod and a pair of these:
Sneakers are generally referred to as either "runners" or "trainers".
I had that one figured out pretty quickly given that Keith regularly refers to his runners. But enter problem number two.
Wide width...more commonly called wide fit here....are nearly non-existent.
NON. EXISTENT.
Looking for a pair of wide fit dress shoes? SURE! We've got you covered!
Looking for some runners? Um...probably not. Sorry.
Now, I don't always require a wide width shoe. In fact, my actual size is dependent upon the type and brand of the shoe.
Dress shoes? 8-8.5 Wide
Flipflops? 9
Skechers Go Walks? 7.5 Wide
You see the issue. Generally I'm able to just look at a size 8 and guess what I'll wear before trying it on.
BECAUSE THEY DID!
U.S. shoe sizes are different than UK and EU shoes sizes.
Now, because I'm in Ireland (which is not the UK but next to it), they mostly use UK sizes, although there are occasionally EU sizes instead.
A U.S. 8.5, which is usually my go-to size when I can't find wide width shoes, is a size 6 in Ireland...unless we're going with EU sizes. Then it becomes a size 39.
Okay, so I'm usually a 6 or 39...Sounds good.
Except because of my oddly shaped pedals, I can't always wear a 6. Sometimes I have to down-size to a 5. Enter in the wide flat foot issue again.
Now, I'm not sure what size I wear.
I only know that to find a pair of shoes that fit my feet, I'm going to have to try some on...and likely a lot of them.
Finally, a plan. Until I see the price tag.
I'm a real bargain shopper. I've never paid more than $20 for a pair of shoes (and those were for my wedding!). If it's not on sale, I'll scour the world wide web until I find it on sale. If it's still not on sale, I won't buy it.
Shoes in Ireland run well over $20 for a good pair. Most of the Skechers I've seen start at €50.
For a small town girl that's used to getting her shoes 50% off, that's quite the shock.
So here I sit. Barefoot. Trying to convince myself that in order to get a quality pair of shoes that lasts, I'll need to spend the dough.
I've yet to decide whether or not I'll break down and spend the money, or just run to Penney's for a cheap pair that will last a few months.
Realistically, I need good shoes (especially with my spina bifida problems), but it's going to take some prayer and convincing to get through my shoe shock and into the store, cash in hand.
It's just really difficult to convince myself.
...Maybe next week.
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