In your lifetime, you have possibly accumulated dozens, if not hundreds, of shoes. Some of these were worn once, and some of them were worn nearly every day. We get it: Everyone loves shoes. But your love of footwear should not supersede your budget, practicality, and quality. We all need to live within our limits.
So, are you in the market for a new pair of shoes? Good luck! Like a new suit or a new spring outfit, buying new shoes is a trying and costly endeavour. But as long as you concentrate on the practical aspect of purchasing and wearing shoes, then you will have a much easier time than deciding to buy a shoe because it has an eight-inch heel or because it has dark brown ripples on the back.
As you browse the different stores in Burlington Mall, you will encounter many shoe shops that will catch your eye. But how will you decide which shoes to buy? Those $450 Nike Air Jordans may be neat, but how will they endure the blizzards blanketing your city 100 days of the year? Those four-inch heels seem pretty, but can you really wear them all the time, especially if the streets are covered in mud?
It is time to begin shopping for shoes but in a much different way. Here are nine best tips on how to buy shoes at the mall:
1. What is the Season?
Do you feel like you’re buying shoes over and over again? That is probably because you’re not purchasing dedicated footwear, especially for the season. Typically, it is best to invest in at least four pairs of shoes:
- Everyday shoes for going to the supermarket, heading to the movies, or enjoying a stroll.
- Boots for the rain, sleet, snow, and everything in between.
- Dress shoes for work, the opera, a wedding, or a funeral.
- Sneakers for heading to the gym, participating in a move, or being active with the kids.
By having these four pairs, you will not endure wear and tear on a single pair of shoes in one season. In the long-term, you are saving money since you do not need to buy dress shoes or generic shoes every few months or so.
2. Go for a Walk First
Before you saunter over to the cashier, you should go for a walk first in these shoes. By doing this, you can determine if this footwear is comfortable enough for your feet. Indeed, you don’t want to feel like you are about to break your ankle or have your feet sweat, even when it is -10 degrees Celsius outside.
3. Buy Shoes in the Afternoon
Believe it or not, there is actually a good time to go shoe-shopping: The afternoon.
Indeed, because your feet are more stretched out in the afternoon after being active for several hours, you can get the best shoe size possible that really matches your feet. It makes sense. If you are buying shoes first thing in the morning, then you may buy a shoe that is a bit too snug.
4. Wear Your Usual Socks
What type of socks do you normally wear? Tube socks or dress socks? Whatever the case, it is important to wear the socks that you usually sport when you are visiting a shoe store.
Whether they are too bulky or too thin, you can make certain that the socks will be a good fit for your loafers, oxfords, or heels.
5. Examine the Soles
Typically, one of the reasons why our shoes become dilapidated after a while and need to be tossed in the trash is because of the soles. Oftentimes, the rubber is not strong enough to endure you walking all the time. Over time, the rubber erodes and you are walking on nothing but holes and rips.
It is really uncomfortable!
6. Determine the Comfort Level
Comfort is key to purchasing shoes. You don’t want to neglect comfort, even if it is the loveliest shoe you have ever seen in your life. Remember, if you find the shoe uncomfortable, then it is highly unlikely you will sport the footwear unless you find an occasion that necessitates you putting them on.
7. Take a Measurement
Here is something we rarely do these days: Measure our feet.
When we were kids and our parents took us to the store to go shopping for shoes, we always had our feet measured by a clerk. These days, we just put on a size eight or a size 12 and see if it works out that way. However, this is the worst way to do it because you do not know the exact size of your feet.
It may take some time, but the measuring is an appropriate tool to get the best bang for your buck.
8. Quality Over Quantity
In life, we tend to value quantity over quality. This is the wrong way to look at life, including your shoes.
What you should be doing instead is examining the quality of your footwear.
It may be fun to watch television shows featuring athletes with hundreds of different pairs of Nike sneakers, but this is impractical. Whether it is a pair of Dockers or Bostonians, you need to always value quality over the dozens of pairs in your closet.
9. Quality Over Price
Are the shoes you’re interested in too expensive? Or, are they too cheap? On one hand, you can strike a fine balance on cost. On the other, it is imperative that you choose a shoe that will last many years. As the adage goes, “I’m too poor to be cheap.”
Put simply, if a shoe costs $120 but it will certainly endure years of the four seasons, then it is a worthwhile investment.