Why cheap shoes are too expensive
![[shoe image]](http://www.thebargainqueen.com/images/shoe_orange_court.gif)
Tempted to buy some really cheap shoes? Don’t do it.
I’ve been test-driving cheap and cheerful, fast-fashion shoes for the last few months — knock-offs of the Marc Jacobs and Chloe numbers I’d love but can’t afford.
My verdict? I’m going back to wearing better quality, less trendy footwear. Here’s why.
Cheap, poor quality shoes:
- Hurt your feet
- Wear out quickly
- Get very smelly
- Are more expensive on a cost-per-wear basis
…but I admit there are some very cute cheap ones now.
By contrast, good quality shoes:
- Support your feet well
- Last for years
- Breathe, so your feet don’t stink as much
- Cost practically nothing on a cost-per-wear basis
…but you do have to look a little harder to find cute, fun styles because they can be a little dowdy.
So how do you tell if a shoe is good quality?
- It will be made of all leather, or have a leather upper and lining on a sole that’s made from another material (e.g. rubber).
- It will look neatly finished. The stitching will be straight and even. The trims will be firmly affixed.
- Generally, the leather will be soft enough that it will mold to fit your foot perfectly, but not so soft it loses its shape altogether.
- When you put the shoe on, it will be reasonably comfortable because it’s built to support your foot.
I know there are expensive shoes that don’t meet those criteria, and they should be avoided at all costs, no matter how adorable they are. Really, if you’re paying big money, get a shoe you’ll enjoy wearing, not just looking at.
Occasionally, a cheap shoe will meet all the criteria above. When you find them, snap them up — they’re guaranteed ‘love at first wear’!
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I buy cheap shoes.
BUT
For work they’re more pricey shoes on sale (Easy Steps and such for around $70). Work shoes suck. I don’t want to pay much for them but I still need to look corporate.
For non work the shoes have to be leather. The only plastic shoes I’ll wear are thongs/jandals/flipflops as they get natural air circulation.
Never wear the same pair of shoes two days running. Shoes need 24 hours to air out as you produce at least a cup of sweat a day. So in plastic shoes you’re a gonna already. Leather breathes but still, that’s a lot of sweat to get rid of.
FInally I swear by a little bottle of stuff called Albert Einstein’s No More Smelly Shoes (http://www.dynamohouse.com.au/digiSHOP/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=909)
Thanks for the tips Shopping Sherpa! I’ve got to remember not to wear the same shoes two days in a row… I fall in love and want to wear my current favourite every day. Naughty me!
I need to get some new summer shoes for work, they need to be comfortable, affordable and able to be worn outside of work too! What brands do you recommend? Where should I look? What sort of budget should I set? I like to wear flat shoes, no heels, easy to get on and off. I’m wearing Birkenstocks at the moment (http://lost.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/543421l.gif) but they’re a little too casual for work, especially when I’m with customers.
I’d appreciate your help!
Hi Katie,
Naturaliser make some reasonably attractive, comfy flat shoes. DJs stock them, and a lot of other places too… and they’d probably be on sale atm.
Or if you’re really wedded to Birkos, they do make styles like Mary Janes that are a lot more acceptable for work. Any Birkenstock store would have them. Sine even has some knee-high Birkenstock boots that are pretty cool, but I think her Mum ordered them from Germany ‘cos they’re not available here. They’re the best-looking orthopaedic footwear I’ve seen!
I used to wear just cheap shoes until my husband started getting annoyed at me for complaining all the time about foot pains every time we went somewhere. Finally I invested about $100 in a beautiful pair of Aerosoles. Since I’ve worn them I haven’t had any foot problems at all, even walking around the mall the other day for 8 hours, and they look beautiful. I think I will never go back again to cheap shoes, seriously. It’s just not worthwhile.
I couldn’t agree more Naomi! I used to only buy good quality shoes and rarely had foot problems. My short foray into wearing cheaper shoes has resulted in feet that hurt a lot of the time. I’m definitely going back to the good ones!
hi im doing a project on sesigner shoes and purses this helped me for ideas and i was wondering how do you feel on the real designer shoes
Pspgal, I love real designer shoes, but they’re so expensive! I’ve rarely found a poorly-made designer shoe, or one that uses crappy material… although some of them are really delicate.
So if I had the money, it’d probably be worth it. But I don’t, so I buy good quality shoes that don’t have the designer hype.
I hope that helps with your project!
Most of my shoes are super cheap. I have over 50 pairs — and at one point had over 70 (though that includes flip flops). I love the shoes I have, but some are definitely more comfortable than others. I’ve had to make a habit of bringing an extra pair of shoes along with me.
Of course, I could have spent just as much money and gotten fewer pairs that were more comfortable and that I’d wear more often. If I ever do get to try some really expensive but super comfy shoes… well, I may be hooked.
I do have one pair of cute, black flats I got at Payless. They’re super comfy — but they still smell like the London tube from this summer. I got to remember to do something about them since I keep wearing them for concerts anyway.
Hi Bargain Queen,
I usually don’t mind paying more for heels due to the comfort/lasting factor, but do you think it’s worth it to spend over $100 on flat shoes, particularly flat sandals? Flat sandals don’t have arch support anyways and leather or not, they air out your feet. I’m actually debating this problem (also shown on my blog). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! :)
Hi Gsquared,
Those are nice shoes, but it is certainly possible to find nice sandals for much less (though probably not with that brand name).
If you can truly afford them, then I don’t see a problem with spending that much on a pair of sandals that you’ll love and get plenty of use out of. You just don’t *need* to spend that much.
Something tells me, though, that there is a reason you’re debating it so hard.