Hello ESB,
My mother has bought a dress for the wedding, and although it looks a bit blah in the photo, in real life it is a lovely fluttery silk crepe with soft sleeves and a bias cut that really suits her (six foot, size 16 (UK)) figure. It fits with the 30s garden party feel of our wedding and most importantly she chose it, loves it and feels great in it.
Due to a number of circumstances (mostly that she’s retired and going on holiday to the Pyrenees and then Provence for 3 weeks: I am impossibly, bitterly, jealous) she is away for all of June. As we are getting married in July she wants to get shoes and accessories now. In London it has been raining solidly for 2 weeks, the early summer drop has not arrived at the shops and she is stressing. I do not like my mother stressed.
It’s her birthday soon, so I thought I’d buy her the shoes. She doesn’t like being too much taller than my father (she’s 2” taller in bare feet) and wants a wedge as the wedding is on a lawn. I found an excellent pair at Marais, but her preferred colour (blush) doesn’t come in her size. I could get the denim but she’s not sure about them. She loves your new wedges but says they are too high, and too black, she doesn’t want black.
So, summery shoes to go with the dress, UK 8, US 11, pop of colour, maximum 4cm heel, no sequins crystals or faff?
Please help the internets are failing me…
--The shoe designer who can’t buy her mother shoes
*****
Do you get to be that picky when your feet are SIZE ELEVEN?
If she's not willing to go any taller, I say buy the micro wedges in denim or jet and be stoked about it.
Agreed, the jet is pretty and not too black.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Love the jet.
DeleteThird vote for the jet!
DeleteI'm sure you have already, but have you tried calling the two stores in the UK that carry Marais to check for colors/sizes?
ReplyDeleteHarvey Nichols
109-125 Knightsbridge
London SW1 7RJ
020-7235-5000
www.harveynichols.com
Poste Mistress
61-63 Monmouth Street
London WC2H 9EP
0207 379 4040
Not sure how hard it is to ship to the UK, but this site, Barefoot Tess, http://www.barefoottess.com/ specializes in shoes that are size 10 and up.
ReplyDeleteyucks
DeleteWhat about the Cole Haan Air Camila in Nouget Nappa?
ReplyDeletethose are 6.67cm high, and they are UGLY
DeleteI don't know if you want to ship shoes from the US, but here are some nice ones from the Nordstrom's website, which allows a detailed search, narrowing down by size.
ReplyDeletePurple wedges
Tan patent leather
I like the purples!
Deletejet! she'll look great.
ReplyDeleteI like the Jet, although if I were accessorizing that dress I'd pick up the reds or greens in it before the blues.
ReplyDeleteI like these, but maybe they are too tall? Hard to tell.
I also like these but maybe it's too much beige? (wait, are even THESE too tall? I think I'm being unhelpful)
[these are all wrong but found them while hunting and wanted to share: DIANE VON FURSTENBERG wedges]
I like these. There is a wait list for the size 11, but they recommend going down a 1/2 size, so you could get her the 10.5. They also have the same shoe in pale gold. Good luck!
ReplyDeletethe wedges are too high, but this flat version is terrif.
DeleteJust a hair over 4 cm but this mini platform comes in excellent colors!
ReplyDeleteNice shoes, but size 11 will look like bigfoot in those...
DeleteI dunno, I work in a shoe store and in general, women with size 11 feet are so tall or broad in the shoulder and hip bones that their feet don't seem unusually big. And they generally have gotten to the point where they just want cute fucking shoes and not worry if some one is going to call them bigfoot.
DeleteAs someone who is a size 11 (UK 8-9) and, yes, tall but not broad I worry all the time about my feet looking huge. Some shoes that I have loved just look awful and, yes, you do get to be picky even with a size 11 foot. The marais in jet look great, otherwise in the UK try Hobbs who have got much better in the last few years and usually have a UK 8 and 9 in most styles.
DeleteHow about these babies?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.victoriassecret.com/ss/Satellite?ProductID=1265803233946&c=Page&cid=1334717247208&pagename=vsdWrapper
They come in size 11 and are really affordable. Good luck and happy wedding!
Whoops sorry, didn't see the 'fancy link button'
DeleteHow about these? (They're described as "skin colour", but lord help anyone with skin that colour...)
ReplyDeleteoh my. those are pretty cute, and the crossed straps prevent the foot from looking too boat-ish.
Deleteeven the orange and red colorways are OK.
Agreed! These are really cute! I'd go for the red colorway personally, but it could also work for the dress in question
DeleteMy mom's size 11. Nordstrom always has something.
ReplyDeleteMICRO WEDGES IN JET. SO PERFECT.
ReplyDeletebonus: darker = smaller looking feet.
Go to Selfridges. Repetto or LK Bennett are good and available in the right size. Plus a million more brands - lots available in larger sizes. Get a good Sales Assistant and you'll definitely find some.
ReplyDeleteAn East London Bride x
I love the Marais shoes but I should just say, I have the micro wedges and they are pretty narrow - almost to the point that I wish I had ordered a size up... not 100% sure if you can do this if you're size 11 (and maybe she's a narrow size 11) but just bear in mind if you're having them shipped from the US you might want to order in more than one size. Oh, and poste mistress is a fabulous place to shop, though I think they only carry a few of the Marais styles (I'm obviously a UK-based Marais stalker)
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone you are brilliant as usual.
ReplyDeleteAlloallo : Thanks for the heads up, I was just about to order the Maris Micro Wedge in denim, but she does have wide feet so I wont.
ESB: I love the I love the Open Wedge and am getting them in Clay, but for me not her.
East London Bride: my mother refuses to go to LK Bennett and starts muttering unkind things about the Duchess of Cambridge if I mention it.
Kirsty: I think you have it with the Giamo espadrilles. I'd completely forgotten about Yoox. genius idea. Red or "Skin"?
This post is bullshit. I wear a size 11 and yes, I get to be that picky too!
ReplyDeleteWTF: "women with size 11 feet are so tall or broad in the shoulder and hip bones that their feet don't seem unusually big"
That's like saying women who are a size 16 are big all over so their huge butts don't really look that big.
Much love to those who actually tried to help and yes to Nordstroms who always carries 11s and sometimes up to a 14.
--Size 11 shoes, Size 4 dress... not some weird huge woman with huge feet.
I like jet!It's fantastic!
ReplyDeleteif she's set on the marais, maybe you could paint them? they are made from cotton canvas... i think you could paint them without it looking too DIY or tacky.
ReplyDeleteI'm 6 feet tall and wear size 12 or 13 (US) and my podiatrist told me to only wear orthopedic shoes with custom orthotics. You'd think I'd have the most hideous, old man shoes, right? But people compliment me on my cute shoes all the time. (I dont really follow the orthopedic shoe advice.) Thank God for Zappos.com, Barefoottess.com, Nordstrom.com, Endless.com. I've even had luck on occasion with Payless.
ReplyDelete