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Tuesday 14 November 2017

Is It Me Or Is It Them?



Just what is going on?!
Is it me or is it Gabor?

Well, I have no idea to be honest, but I'm on the case.  I realise you need some back story before I tell you just where my case is right now.

You see, I happen to have a bit of a thing about Gabor boots.  Some of you have noticed this. 
I have two pairs of knee boots, brown and black, which I have had for 15 years and which have never been repaired and which still look amazingly good and which still feel beautifully comfortable.  That's how good Gabor boots are.
The knee boots were my intro to Gabor, my foot in the door, so to speak (pun totally intended and even it it weren't, I'd still take credit for it!).

I have a pair of black nubuck Gabor heeled ankle boots, which you see a lot on my blog in winter.  They look good with everything, jeans and trousers, skirts and dresses.  And I can tramp around cities' hard pavements for whole days in these and not feel a thing.   But they are quite old now and aren't cleaning up so well any more. 
Apropos cleaning nubuck, do any of you lovely ladies (and gentlemen, of course) have any magical tricks for cleaning nubuck that you can share?
So, magic aside, I am on the hunt for some replacement black ankle boots.  Leather, so's I can polish them up ... or get someone to do that for me :-).  Some low-heel grey ankle boots would be nice too!
I started my search back here in life-less-tailored, lusting after boots that don't fit my now-lifestyle but resigning myself to the more practical boot choice.
Then the lovely Laurie of Vanity and Me only went and taunted me with these Amien beauties below, reminding me that I'd been "stalking" them online for some weeks.

So what's a girl to do?  Yup, I got on to my fave shoe site, Charles Clinkard and moments later I awoke from my reverie with not just these lusted-after Amien boots but several other pairs.  Well, a girl wants to get value for her postage, eh?



So, Amiens are the boots that got my boot buying ball rolling. 





Then wanting some mid heels greys, Soleros joined my order.


Gabor Pollyanna Womens Casual Ankle Boots

Then reminding myself that the nubucks need a newer mate,  v. similar Polyannas joined the gang.


Enfield Womens Ankle Boots



And Enfield made this a gang of four.


I ordered all four in my regular size, same as my other Gabor boots. Charles Clinkard delivered them quickly and smartly, as they always do.  Such a good service.


So what happened at try on?  You tell me.

Amien just about managed to get on my foot but was unwearably tight.
Solero failed to get on my foot, despite me using a shoe horn.
I so wanted the leather Polyanna to fit. Managed to squeeze myself in but soooo tight.
Good old Enfield fitted perfectly and my feet just slide into them.

NB: when I struggle or am plain unsuccessful getting into the boot, it's always with the left shoe though I've compared my two feet and they look the same.  The back inner heel seems to collapse inward.



So, should I be thinking that 1 out of 4 ain't bad?
Has this happened to you?  Your favoured brand suddenly not fitting?
I'd love to hear from you on this as I'm starting to think something awful has happened to my feet.

So has Gabor really changed their sizing or style of boot opening?
Or is it me?   Does shoe size increase with age?


Well, I do love Gabor boots and this lady is not for turning any time soon, so I'm going to size up.  That's where my case is right now.
But I'm just a bit confused from this whole trying on session. 


You see,  I had no trouble sliding into these Jones taupe coloured boots in my regular size (from a recently Jones sale).






Same thing with these grey higher heeled, picked up for a song in a Debenhams sale.

So, I just seem to be struggling with the style or sizing of Gabors. 


And finally, I'd sure like to be fraternising with these babes by Carvela, but at £150 that is not going to happen. Well, perhaps I should qualify that with "... any time soon". 


For, There's Always Tomorrow.  Or the January sales!



A la perchoine.









16 comments:

  1. My problem has been the other way round. I can just about wear Lotus boots with socks in a size three. A new pair arrived and they are Mahoosive! I've had to send back too. I hope you manage to get the right size Mary. xx

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    1. Oh Laurie, the shoe temptress!! You see that I got those boots then. Beautiful but so tight and difficult to get on. What are yours like?
      And Lotus is the other way round, eh? So confusing. Sounds like the sizing varies widely. And we have to remember how it works with every brand or incur huge return costs by ordering either side of our size! It's doing my head in. Yet we island girls need online. Helllpppp!!
      Hugs sweetie, x.

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  2. It's entirely possible for your feet to get bigger as you age. You spend time on your feet throughout your life, which puts pressure on softer cartilage which will gradually ossify (aka turn into bone). When I began working in retail, I went from wearing six or six and a half sizes to a nice solid 8. I expect that 8.5 is where I'm going to finish... So you're actually quite normal!
    hugs,
    Janice

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    1. Oh dearest darling Janice, I so appreciate hearing this. That all makes such sense, and explains why wider fittings before the norm in our mature lives. Though other size 5s are fitting me so I'm still a bit confused. It's good to hear your story of drifting through the shoe sizes, I'm definitely trying for a 5.5, way to go!
      Thanks so much for popping in with this, it's so good to truly understand what's happening to the feet as we age. We are not alone on this one!

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  3. I have found as I've got older I do struggle to get some ankle boots on. I have one pair that I cannot get on without a shoe horn. Now a lot of this difficulty is because I tread the back down when trying to get the shoe on especially with boots made of softer material. I did read somewhere that our feet get bigger and flatter as we get older - but none of this explains why a make and size of boot that normally fits suddenly doesn't...

    xxx

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    1. Well, yes, it's always the heel that I struggle with. With regard to this post, the fact that three didn't work for me and one did surely indicates it's the mechanics of the shoe design? So confused!
      Thanks for sharing your experiences, sees like we are not alone when it comes to shoe difficulties.
      Hugs, x.

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  4. It is Gabor - I tried boots that fitted one foot and not the other. Strange as had identical style at home which fit perfectly. I am certain that the boots I tried on were two different sizes despite the fact that both shown to be size 4. Went home tried on old boots still fit so not case of feet swelling.

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    1. Firstly, welcome to the blog Audrey. Secondly, oh how pleased I was to read of your experiences. So much so, that I expanded my post to be more specific about my problems with Gabor. With all three pairs that I had difficulty getting on, it was the left boot. How strange that you experienced it with one boot too. My heel seemed to force down the inner back heel piece, which is probably rigid plastic. It just seems to fold in on itself. I didn't have this with any of the right foot boots. apart from general tightness in some instances. You are so right, they feel like different sizes, and like you, I checked the sizes on the boots too!
      How very weird! I' so very thankful you've shared your experience, it makes me start to realise that maybe it wasn't me after all. We are not alone on this. BTW, did you return the boots?
      Hugs, x.

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  5. I blame them, it's not you, it's always THEM! Although I will say my middle aged feet are changing all the time and I'm finding shoes I've had for years or months that were once comfortable no longer are - they rub in weird places. If this is my plight in life I need to strengthen my resolve somehow. I just ordered two different boots so I can see which if any work for me. Long gone are the days I could just grab a shoe off the sale rack and buy it.
    All the boots you chose were so good looking, what a heartbreak to not even be able to get them on. That's a sign if I ever saw one - back they go, they are unworthy!
    I honestly don't mind getting older - the only things I miss about my younger body are my eyes and my feet! Neither of which much can be done. Oh well!
    Can't wait to hear which of the boots get the boot - ha!
    Hugs!
    xo,
    Kellyann

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    1. Yup, the customer is always right!
      Please read dear Janice's comment, looks like we are not alone, things happen to feet as we age. You and I appear to be ossifying! I've had so much toe and foot pain these past few years I thought it might be my feet, but they look identical, other brands are fitting OK and to top it all, darling Audrey above has had a very similar experience with Gabor. Shame because when they fit they are superb boots in terms of style, comfiness and hardwearingness. I tried your vionics when trawling online, but their choice is quite limited but perhaps that will expand as they sell more. They certainly have a big market with us ladies with ossifying feet yet who are still looking for style.
      Oh the eyes, yes, that's the biggest issue in aging. Followed by tinnitus, then feet. But all this should not be happening to you, you are a young spring chicken!
      Hugs, your aged friend, x.

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  6. Yes I have a pair of black suede ankle boots which fit perfectly when I get them on but the left one especially caves in at the back every time, hubby has to push my foot in it.!!

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    1. Well, Polly, that is EXACTLY what's been happening. Left foot. Back caving in. TP got out the Rohan shoe horn and we did get me in but I made an instant decision ... NOT going through THIS palaver every time! Maybe it's something to do with the way they insert that hard bit in the left foot. I dunno, but not fit for purpose eh?
      Hugs, x.

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  7. With age I have gone up a half size with some brands plus my left foot has always been a tiny bit bigger than my right . Bra's and shoes I just hate to buy as you never know how they "really feel" until you have worn them for a time and then you cannot return them! LOL

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    1. Soooo right, LadyJicky, both are things that we have to work ourselves into to discover whether they work for us, and in so doing they become non-returnable used goods. I'm starting to think that going a half size bigger may be the norm and the way forward when aging.
      Thanks for popping in with your experiences, hugs, x.

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  8. I will admit that I have gone up one shoe size during the last 30 years. I have more Nine West shoes that any other and not really had problems. I'm not familiar with Gabor but did see that Nordstrum does carry them. The ones they have are anywhere as cool as the ones you ordered. I hope you can return them.

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    1. Yup, what I'm hearing from you all is that the feet very often do get bigger with age. I never knew that! Oh return them I did, but as the company didn't offer free returns, it cost me £17 in postage. Yikes!!! Perhaps Nordstrom has just started out with the brand. I've only had one pair of Nine Wests, bought in London, and they were heavenly-comfy!
      Hugs, hun, x.

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