Let me start by saying that my feet are very difficult to fit, and as a consequence, I hate shoe shopping, since there's nothing enjoyable about trying on pair after pair of shoes that don't quite fit. Add the fact that I attend multiple conferences each year that entail 14 hour days on my feet, and we have a recipe for me being very unhappy.
Enter Clarks, who are supposed to have the most comfortable shoes ever. We were going to Birmingham for the day anyway, so we came to the mall specifically to shop here. However, you do have to have an employee bring out the shoes for you, so my usual strategy of "try on every shoe in the store" wasn't really happening. There was only one employee working when we got there, so of course she had to handle a phone call and ring up another customer before we could even see about trying anything on (not her fault, but a peril of this kind of setup).
The lady measured my feet before we got started to confirm my size, and brought out a few boxes at a time. However, while I appreciate that she knows the Clark's stock pretty well, small changes like putting in an insert at the toe, or insisting I adjust my socks (the ones I would be wearing with the shoes), or asking me to try their nylon footies instead, just didn't really work for me.
If I'm imagining myself still wearing these shoes 14 hours from now, that pressure on the big toe joint or slip at the heel is going to magnify intolerably (ask me how I know!). Add in the price point -- their shoes run around $100/pair, though they had some on sale for as low as $49 -- and I am super skittish about shelling out for shoes that may prove themselves a nightmare.
Plus, there is the question of style. I understand sacrifices need to made for comfort, but the best-fitting pair positively screamed "grandma orthopedic shoes," complete with velcro. The other employee (who arrived later) tried giving me a "you won't perform well if your feet hurt" pep talk, but, um...I won't perform well if I'm wearing $100 shoes that make me feel like a little old lady either.
To be honest, I got frustrated early on, and after a few rejections, I think the saleslady got frustrated too, ultimately leaving me and the husband to consider the options that we had out (I would have tried on others, but I guess she was done bringing them out). We ended up selecting a pair of heeled Mary Janes for $110. I was told over and over that leather shoes mold themselves to your feet, you just have to break them in, so I'm dutifully wearing them right now trying to do that. Hopefully the promises materialize...
My Clarks experience overall was a reminder as to why I usually buy cheap shoes. At a hundred bucks a pair, I want to be blown away by both fit and style, as well as get some good help in making a selection. On all fronts, I wasn't dissatisfied, but nor was I thrilled. I'll think long and hard before making another trek out to Clarks. read more
