Hi friends!
I’m taking Massive Action and making progress towards getting our shoes out. I’ve met with and selected an awesome designer, who is so dedicated to the project and is off making designs now. I’ve also done numerous other things, including putting in for a significant SBA loan to start funds to make new lasts, retool, prototype and manufacture. It’s a lot of work and has been such a joy to work on.
A big part of putting my package together for designers to be briefed on, was to look at who’s already making shoes for swollen feet. There are some companies out there, but none of them meet all the all needs we’re looking for. I think they’ve got the comfort down, but now we’re looking for a style that’s attractive and in the correct size ranges with good adaptability. Literally, there is no one on the market today that has everything I’m wanting to bring for Lipedema and Lymphedema patients. And there is NO company I can find (aside from like $1000 custom made boots) that are a calf boot with adjustable features, going over 23.5 inches. I’m so excited our community has stood up and said, “yes we will do this!”
Anyway, when I was starting this venture, I made a promise to you that I would share what I find is on the market now for swollen feet, etc. Some of us cannot wait for a new shoe line, believe it or not. So here’s some of what I’ve found. (Disclaimer: Wherever possible, I’ve included affiliate links to help offset the costs of the shoe project.)
Aravon Shoes – I have three pairs of their sandals. Their sole is right, but the straps are sometimes not long enough. I bought my mom some and we took them to a shoe repair shop to have straps lengthened. I also had this Aravon Faith loafer below, but wore them working in the yard one day and ruined them. Of course, now I can’t find them in my size!
Comfy Footgear – (not an affiliate link). This company has some really great ideas and their shoes are all attractive. I don’t think they’re expandable enough for most of our needs, but they have two specific styles that I’m in love with, and wish they had in my size to even give it a try. They don’t. But these are totally adorable and I’d buy all the colors if they were sturdy and came in a 13WW.
Pandere shoes – I truly love this company. They are owned by a lady Laura Oden, who has lymphedema. She built the company out of necessity because she could not find shoes, especially in two different sizes. Necessity is the mother of invention. For me, what I don’t like about Pandere is the aesthetic look of their shoes’ patented expansion system, which is based on some string type tie things. For me personally, I am looking for something that looks a bit more mainstream and less medical in nature. But I love what they’re doing. I don’t have an affiliate link with them, but I do want you to try these shoes if they feel right for you.
Pedors Shoes – These are shoes for folks with some extreme swelling. And we have a lot of ladies who fit into this category, whose needs may not be met with my first collection as I’m trying to hit the most folks in round one with the funding I have available. I think these shoes are hideous clown shoes and they make me want to cry, but they do serve a purpose for folks who just need something to protect the feet until something better comes along. I may or may not have heard someone in the shoe design world say that whoever made these shoes is, “Lazy.” Like they just threw some fabric on a sole and put a $120 price tag on them. I really hate these shoes and it makes me mad that this is what the fashion world has offered up for us. We can do better, people! Really, who wants to walk around in these with their mother of the bride dress on. I just can’t.
Silverts – So this company has been around for ages. They have done a ton of research on adaptive footwear, and I applaud that. It seems like their target customer is more of maybe a senior citizen or someone who doesn’t have the occasion to dress up or get out of the home too much, honestly. I actually showed my designer some of the adaptive features to think on, while incorporating them into something more mainstream and possibly, attractive. The materials used in most of their shoes seem to be a non-technical fabric, so I’d venture a guess that they aren’t very sturdy and are hard to keep clean for folks who still get out of the house and work, etc. They didn’t have anything as far as something I’d wear. I also don’t think they carried my size in the women’s collection so I would have had to pick a men’s style anyway. I’d prefer to just go with a new balance tennis shoe if I’m doing that.
Drew Shoes – I own three pairs of their shoes. The footbed and sole feel great, and occasionally I can find them in a fun pattern (mine are blue and white floral). They look a little rockabilly, which I love in their Mary Jane style. However, their Mary Jane style is not good for people whose feet swell up, because we puff out of the giant opening. Someday, I’m going to make a MJ with a heavy technical fabric over the opening so they look like Mary Janes but are really a full coverage shoe. Anyway, here’s their MJ in red (c’mon, that’s cute!), and the boot I own, which I love (it did take some getting used to because the look was different) because it has zippers on two sides, and it comes in my size. The third pair I own are hideous and I cried when they came in, and I won’t wear them. They’re a black Mary Jane (different style, I guess) that look like my great grandma had in the 1960s and I hate them a million times over. Yet I cannot throw them away because I paid like $200 for them.
I’d try these, if they came in my size (they don’t). I suspect my swelling would now have 10 places to puff out instead of just one or two, and they’d be returned, but they’re not terrible looking anyway.
These are the ones that make me cry. I will burn mine someday in a big ceremonial retirement of the ugly shoes.
These also make me want to cry for all of humanity. I do not want to wear these ugly shoes. I’m not dead, yet. And ‘m not going bowling.
And finally, Owlkay has a style I really love. It comes in different colors, and is expandable. I bet it’s not sturdy enough for us, and needs to have padding around basically anything that touches an edge, but this idea is really cool. I have to admit I’d try these…if they came in my size. (not an affiliate link).
We of course, have your crocs, and your sketchers (both I think are not sturdy and won’t last long), your Orthofeet (not big enough and holes in all the wrong places), your new balances, but we all know about these. I hope some of these brands are new to you and you see something that puts a sparkle in your eye.
After doing all this research, it gives me such joy to know that I really might be making something that fills an actual gap for us with lipedema, and can make a difference. I’ll keep you posted on progress as we move towards calf boots for us (pre-sales March 23 for Fall 23) and adjustable loafters that are actually attractive!
Until next time, stay well, and keep moving!
Susan
