Yes I have hard to fit, fussy feet. My favorite shoes are now lem walkers. My feet are wide in the toes, but not elsewhere and these come with a wide toe box. The soles are very flexible and the have no heel height, so it's as close to walking barefoot (which I love) as I can come and still have shoes on.

https://www.lemsshoes.com/products/womens-primal-2

If shoes do not feel good when you first try them on, they are never going to stretch out and fit. Have you looked at Hush Puppies?

I hate buying shoes. My feet are really hard to fit and I get frustrated. I pretty much live in Sketchers flip flops.

I also have wide feet, for casual shoes/sandals I usually buy Clarks or New Balance because they offer wide width.

Not exclusively, but I've been buying Ecco shoes for many decades. My wife has some too. I've found no shoes that are as consistently comfortable as these.

I learned on my last visit to the Ecco store in my area that Ecco bought back sales franchises. It may have happened some years ago, but I just learned about it. Their stores before were like the locally owned "Florsheim" stores seen in malls, as an example. I was told that now all stores are company owned and operated. Meaning, if there's something you want and they don't have your size, or if you see a model on the website, it can be easily ordered. I don't know if the story is fact or fiction but that's what they said.

I don't go to the Ecco store often, I have a number of pairs of Eccos and they last a long time.

I can't find shoes that fit locally, so I use Zappos.com. Once I know a style and size that fits, I stick with it.

I would love to find an actual "shoe store" , but they're pretty rare around here. I looked up Sketchers and found there is an outlet store . Not close by - but not that far. Thanks for the info !

I too wear almost exclusively Eccos. I usually can get them online and they fit. :)

This past week I realized that my shoes that I normally wear when out, no shoes when home unless working in garden, were starting to crack. I would suggest if you have the stores going to an New Balance or SAS store. Both can order wider shoes for you if necessary. One thing that you may need is an insert to make the shoes feel better on your feet. I tried three different ones before making the selection. I have both types of stores in my area and they treat customers like they are not freaks of nature if they have an odd sized foot.

When I was younger I had a high arch and instep along with what was measured as 3 1/2 EEE. I have only found one pair of shoes in that size. Since I have become older the muscles of my foot have weakened and my arch and instep have fallen. The result is that my feet are two different lengths, 5 on one, just over 5 on the other. Now if I could only find a pair of nice looking low dress heels so that I could wear a nice evening dress without having to take them off shortly after I put them on.

Join the club. I have a small wide foot with a high arch! I don't always have to get a wide width though. The problem with a small size is that stores carry very little selection. I sometimes have to buy the floor sample.

That said, I am always trying. A month ago I was in Marshall's perusing the shoes. I found a pair of Puma sneakers in a 61/2. They are comfy. Last year at Costco i bought mesh Pumas. i would never have thought to try these if I didn't actually see them and try them on in the store.

Have you tried SAS, Easy Spirit, Rockport, David Tate, Grasshoppers? I also have the classic Ecco (ugly) sandal. but it is great for walking.

Fun2, when I find something i often hurry and get a second pair and hoard it in my closet!

Florsheim, now that's a word that I haven't heard in a long time. My dad used to wear Florsheims. I remember them being expensive and very nice.

I'm guessing this was about 50 or so years ago.

A long time ago samples were 4s now they are 6s. I asked if various stores had samples and was told this by several.

I have a high arch and wear size 9 1/2 (not a good size to be for a woman these days). It is very important that I try shoes on before buying because a 9 1/2 in one brand might not be the same in another or even within the same brand. Country of origin, designer, who knows but that has been my experience.

I order nothing on-line.

Even the Sketchers I used to have - I have had 4 pairs - each one was a different size and all were cut the same - not too low at the front or too high. Boots are the devil too. Before that were the Crocs - again the sizing. I wore both around the house instead of slippers.

Then of course there are my "real" shoes - that is just a C**p shoot.

sephia, it was a brand name that quickly came to mind. Not 50 years ago but today I can go to a Florsheim branded store in Newpark Mall, Newark, CA, or buy Florsheim shoes at many other locations and online. I don't and know nothing about what transitions the company has had over the years. Maybe it's like so many defunct houseware brands, a brand aggregator could have bought the name and makes completely different products using contractors but the old brand name. Who knows?

Yes. My feet are like a duck's feet....basically square.

sjerin, I like the Ecco store in Valley Fair. It's the normal VF hassle at peak times but that was where I was talking about. There are other stores in the area too, including an outlet in Gilroy (that I haven't been to).

I wear a lot of Eccos and I have a narrow foot. Maybe they come in a wide width I don’t know. I do know my DD has a hard time finding wide shoes for her wide foot with a very high arch. She wears New Balance and Dansko (both for nursing).

Edited to add, I also use Zappos a lot. The search function is very easy to use to search for wide widths and other criteria. And the reviews seem honest not inflated.

I have bought from Mason Shoes. Way back then, this was by mail order only and today, its by internet. When they moved production from Wisconsin to China, their shoe sizes seemed to shrink a bit, maybe by 1/2 size. That could have been my feet aging and spreading, but it does seem to me those are undersized these days by 1/2 size. To find it, put the term "mason shoes" into your search engine.

The shoes are not cheap - standard priced. The few that I have bought over the past 3 years have been made of decent material.

The one shoe store we have in my area that is still in business and advertising is Red Wing. That's the go-to store for clod-hoppers (rough outdoors shoes).

Toomuch, I wouldn't assume that heels & trendy shoes are just for the young. I know ladies in their 70's that still wear 4" heals on a consistent basis, my mother sure did and with no problems.

I do agree that the quality of shoes has dropped, a pair of leather pumps used to last well over ten years of frequent wearing.

I have a lot of difficulty with shoes. My 3 middle toes are longer than my big toe. So, if I get shoes that fit my toes comfortably, they are really too big and they rub and blister my heels pretty bad. If I get them snug enough not to do that, my toes get squished and THEY blister and cramp really bad. So i spend most of my life in flip flops or open toe sandals. Or my favorite, barefoot.

No heels for me. I'm tall enough thank you.

Raye --- I'm the furthest you can get from Trendy !!! LOL I agree --- if you have good feet and leg muscles - you can dance the night away in anything no matter

how old !!! It's the styles that's a dead giveaway .

@Annie Deighnaugh: I just clicked over to the Lems sight, and I think I’m going to order a pair. I like that they have a wide toe box and the price sure is right!

Oh my, yes I have a terrible time finding shoes that are comfortable for me! I have a bunion ( which has been removed before) and I loved going barefooted but now, my arches have fallen! Just last week, I tried to buy a new pair...but not much luck. I used to be able to wear Clark’s, but now they do not even work in a wide width. I am anxious to look into some of the brands that have been suggested.

This is just a suggestion but if you itemize your taxes and the shoes do not fit you might donate them to a local group. One store here just trashes returns and receives a credit from the various manufactures. Even if you do not itemize you might consider doing this. Knowing some companies do this I no longer return items. Each state has its own rules about what can and cannot be resold.

Sorry, but this suggestion makes no sense to me.

The federal standard deduction has been increased significantly and fewer people can itemize their deductions. So for most people, here are the choices when having purchased shoes for $80 that are unsuitable:

1) Return shoes, get $80

2) Make contribution, get $0

3) For a few people, make contribution, maybe save 25% so get back $20.

Why would you choose $0 or $20 when you can get $80? Those shoes are worth little to the charity anyway so if there's an org you want to help out, return the shoes, get back your $80, and then contribute that cash. Any charity can make much more use of $80 (including maybe buying FOUR pairs of inexpensive shoes) than with one pair of shoes.

I also have difficult to fit feet (one foot is actually a larger size due to an injury) and I also like Eccos...have several pairs. And when I was still in sales and on my feet for a lot of the day, they couldn't be beat! But I purchased them at an independent footwear store, not a proprietary operation.

And in my not very large, semi-rural neighboring city there are two excellent shoe stores that cater to walkers/hikers and those with difficult to fit feet or are looking for comfort above fashion. No high heels at either of them!! And not at all clumsy or ugly shoes but quite stylish....if not inexpensive :-)

For an inexpensive yet comfy and very serviceable shoe, Sketchers are hard to beat!! I have several pairs that I love. And they are easy to find.

I never understood buying shoes by mail order. Of any article of clothing one would buy, shoes absolutely need to be tried on first! You can't just buy by size as that can vary widely by manufacturer and even with different styles by the same manufacturer.

I too have a wide foot but I also have a very narrow heel. I now only wear flip flops or clog type shoes with an open heel. I recently went to a Sketcher outlet but they only had 1 pair of shoes in the entire store in my size. I was very disappointed.

Elmer if you noticed I said if you could deduct. It is something that each person must decide for themselves. If you want to spend your time sending something back vs adding it to your normal donation stuff that is on you. My time such as it is has more value to me.

Edited to add that back when I had to wear dress shoes there was and still is a place that provides clothing for job seekers and they always NEED dress shoes.

If you deduct, maifleur, and most can't these days, and you want to help that charity, doing it your suggested way is cheating them out of 75% of what you could give them.

True charity is giving something of value, not redirecting trash. Forget the shoes, write them a check. It amuses me how many people think giving their unwanted and or worthless stuff to Goodwill (which can be cheaper than going to the dump) and then trying to overvalue it for a tax deduction are being generous.

I agree that Sketchers are good and generally comfortable, but for comfortable walking shoes, I go to the New Balance store. I generally wear American men's size 7, European size 40, and American women's size 9. The New Balance store does not have men's shoes smaller than size 8, and so I have to buy the women's shoes, but they pretty much look the same and so no one knows except for me. I've gone to other shoe stores that do not stock men's shoes smaller than 8, and so this is the only problem I have. I have found that size 9 is a common size for women, and so they are usually available - unless they are sold out. I often have to buy women's hiking boots, but the advantage to that is they are available in more colors.

L.A. has no shortage of shoe stores, and so I can have my choice of countless different styles, although I'm not as stylish as I used to be. I have shoes in many different colors, including red, green, turquoise, yellow, etc plus silver and gold lamé/metallic. I probably would not wear some of these colors if I had larger feet, but in my size, they look fine to me.

Lars you may find that a boys size 6.5 will fit you. Since I had a short foot I used to purchase kids shoes rather than women's shoes.

I also have duck feet, wide in the toes, narrow in the heels and flat. Buying shoes is a major undertaking. At one stage it was so hard to find shoes my husband took me to Hong Kong to have shoes made- it was cheaper than having them made here. The upside of that is is gave him a taste for travel :-)

Elmer, I remember watching my dad polishing his Florsheims, and then putting shoehorns in them.

Thanks for creating the nice memory.

Annie, I’m always barefoot at home and a box toe fan as well. I might order a pair of those too. The box toe shoe I’ve found to be comfortable are the Altras. I’ve bought them a couple times from their site and they’re pretty comfy.

https://www.altrarunning.com/shop/trail-shop-women-shoes-trail

Edited to correct/clarify wording

Kohls offers some shoes in a wide width.

Yes Kool Beans, I have a pair of Altras too. They are also comfortable, but a little long in one foot so I have to lace them carefully or I'll get heel blisters. I have a pair of Merrell's that I found in Marshall's that are extremely light weight (not particularly attractive) that also have the wide toe box and I can wear them forever too. Doubt I'll be able to replace them though as they were probably discontinued.

Also, with summer coming and wearing sandals, I find some can cause blisters in odd places...like on the ball of my foot or between my toes...so now I use Body Glide before I put on my sandals and no more blisters.

Get thee to Nordstrom's shoe department. They have shoe experts there.

Yeah, I agree, they may be comfy but the Altra’s aren’t the nicest looking shoe. I like Merrell’s sandals, we have an outlet store that’s not too far from us and it’s almost time to make my annual trip there. I’m flat footed and the arch support found in a lot of the athletic shoes is painful.

Some of the Amazon sellers offer inventory of discontinued shoes. A couple of years ago I found a pair of older styled Altra’s I liked there.

Yikes, you sound just like me! Small, wide feet with a high instep. I like Merrell's, but the last pair I tried on (newer version of what I already have) didn't fit! I bought a pair of Birkenstocks in my regular European size of 36 and they're too long. I have Ecco casual tennis shoes that fit, but a pair of ballet flats that are too tight. I like Taos, Sam Edelman, Sofft, Born, and Munro. We do have a local store (MarLou shoes) with an incredibly wide selection of sizes. They also sell on line.

Merrell's is a good brand for me. I have a pair of Bjorn lace-ups (BOJ actually) with steel shanks that have lasted four years; I'm still wearing them. I wore 7.5 AAA for most of my adult life until my arches gave in to gravity. Since most shoes now come in a medium width, I can often get away with adding innersoles to a size 8.

This thread is timely. I've spent three days helping DH shop online for casual shoes in 12W (EEE). We're on Round 4 of delivery/return with Nunn Bush and Rockport brands coming in well ahead of Dockers (look and feel cheap in 'real life').

A question that dawned on me from the comment about Kohls who never have shoes wider than an E. When I think of wide shoes I think of EE or wider as at least in this area most places that sell shoes will have a few E's. Am I on track about hard to find widths or is it just because I have always had a foot wider than an E?