The construction of men's shoes vs women's shoes (light, look, cheapest)
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There may well be many others, but this is the one that came to my mind. I have to say that for me, European shoes fit generally better and last longer. You will have to pay for that quality though. The best pair of loafers I have ever worn were made in Germany. The brand doesn't exist any more. They were glued, so I'd have to find a replacement sole exactly like the one they came with. But they are are leather lined, and with excellent cork orthopedics. I had to stretch the toe area, but after I did that, the shoe became very easy to wear. I don't know where I can find similar shoes.
It is an intriguing thought to try some men's shoes. Some of the women's oxfords look an awful lot like men's oxfords now. But in my experience, for comfort and fit, you will pay upwards of $150 per pair for leather shoes. if you are having trouble finding good shoes, expand your price point. Order some shoes from Zappos to try on to see what fits. There is a pretty big universe of comfortable shoes out there.
My new pair of Red Wing USA 606s with the Aztec SuperSole Duel Density 2.0 sole. These are my rooftop boots from now on. I just got them the other day. They provide maximum traction in those conditions.
I posted this awhile back ^. The other day I sent my BIL and Sister a message telling them that my youngest Nephew shares a birthday with a celebrity. It just so happens the little guy was born on the same day as a Rock legend. Neil Young and him were both born on November 12th to be more exact. I knew he wrote this song for his 1972 album Harvest that was released just two days from now in 1972 on February 14th. Neil wrote this song about a ranch hand who was taking care of the farm he bought at the time. I never paid much attention to Neil's feet until last night. It makes perfect sense now. He's wearing Red Wing 877s......I'll be damned!!
As for the OP's question -- which was about why women's' shoes aren't better made, not about comfort…I think as one person stated….that because women have so many more shoes, and women "tend" to buy more for looks than FUNCTION….that manufactures don't make the shoes to last as long. They don't' have to. And women still buy them. So why should they.
That said, I buy for comfort first, looks second. And I buy mid-range brands. And I'll buy two to three pairs of the same, or similar shoe. So if and when one ever wears out…and have another of my favorite pair already in the wings. I'll buy an Easy Spirit or Aerosoles mule, and wear it everyday for YEARS.
Women's shoes are created less "sturdily" so that they WILL fall apart fairly quickly, necessitating the purchase of new shoes. This is logical from a marketing perspective considering the fact that women do more overall spending as it is (either for their entire households or personally as far as fashion and the like). It is, plain and simple, a way to cash in even more on an obviously steady source of income for marketers/stores. Planned obsolescence is nothing new. In fact, it's very, very old and still very, very reliable, in certain markets and for certain products.
By the way, my husband owns more pairs of shoes than I do. We always laugh about it. He has five pairs. I have three pairs, including my sturdy, utilitarian sneakers for hiking/walking. I can't stand shoes and can't see the big fuss. I wish I could wander everywhere barefoot without getting sunny-tarmac burns, parasites or tetanus.
^^ Shoes are just another thing that women get suckered into spending lots of money on. Make up, skin care, clothes and accessories. Women fall for it all hook line and sinker. Guys aren't spending money on looking good and staying young like women are. They're not slathering chemicals all over their face and squeezing their feet into high heels. I love seeing a TV feature about plastic surgery…. the WOMAN has plastic surgery -- face lift, tummy tuck and bob lift, and the husband is bald, has a gut, and crows feet.
I don't think it's as much solely(no pun intended) construction quality really as it is the overall purpose and design which in turn determines the construction quality. Men's shoes are generally more substantial and rugged. Even dress shoes are durable. Men's boot fashions are for the most part based on a rugged aesthetic and a lot can pull double duty as work/street wear. Most womens' shoes are designed for fashion. Even boots are designed mainly for looks. Only when you get into specialty wear like hiking, athletic shoes, and work boots does durability start to come into play.
I am very picky about what I put on my feet. I look for comfort first and foremost, and style secondary. I have to walk a ton during the day. I don't have a lot of shoes because I don't follow trends and I don't have much money to buy quality shoes. I don't know where I originally found this pair, but they quickly became my go-to shoes for anything that didn't need to be dressy. LOVE LOVE LOVE these shoes! I've worn them *a lot* for about 6 years now, and they really need to be replaced. I need to find the cash to buy another pair at some point....
I am very picky about what I put on my feet. I look for comfort first and foremost, and style secondary. I have to walk a ton during the day. I don't have a lot of shoes because I don't follow trends and I don't have much money to buy quality shoes. I don't know where I originally found this pair, but they quickly became my go-to shoes for anything that didn't need to be dressy. LOVE LOVE LOVE these shoes! I've worn them *a lot* for about 6 years now, and they really need to be replaced. I need to find the cash to buy another pair at some point....
Those shoes are Goodyear Welted. See the stitching around the sole? That's why they lasted six years. Most of my boots are too. That's why I like Danner USA and Red Wing USA. You can send them back in for repair to get refurbished and resoled at a fraction of the cost of buying a new pair. Your old pair is already broken in and fitted to your feet. Ariat also offers that service on my cowboy boots. So long as you don't put your toe through the leather or ruin the upper, it can be recrafted.
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