Confession. I'm at the shoes again

[Laschwen]

I am back at the pointe shoes.

 

I had sworn off even looking.

 

I am barely even taking class.

 

I don't see how camp is going to happen next summer with our finances today, but they are not fixed.

 

And then Gaynor Minden sent out a notice of a very nice sale on 2 pairs of their pointe shoes. I need 2 sizes. I ordered almost immediately.

 

I had just ordered a book and video from them with some of my early Christmas money from my mother so I guess I got on the list for sale notices. There went the rest of the Christmas money. Merry Christmas to me... ..in a while. My size has to be cut to order.

 

In my own defense, I have not yet tried on a "regular" heel in their shoes. The High heel ones are baggy all around the sides. I was told by the fitter that I am a perfect candidate for the sleek heel which isn't offered in my length or I'd have them before now. The fitter did say their insert for those with "fine aristocratic bones" (ie, bony feet) and the regular heel might work for me. Of course I did ask if they would cut sleek heels for me on my order form. One has to ask.

 

I ordered the "regular" vamp despite my short toes. Their short vamp just looked ridiculous in the 13 that came in with the wrong width last summer, and the "regular" one I tried at the store fitting didn't bug me. It might offer more side stability too.

 

As long as I am confessing, I ordered their hard shanks. I know. It sounds like I am being a big fat cheater, and I might be... a little....but I tried the extra flex and wondered how that was supposed to be enough support for my body weight. I guess their is a little old school stuck in me.

[Sabastianni]

No need to "confess" because that would imply guilt but there's no reason to feel guilty. ENJOY THEM and Merry Christmas to you!

[skyish]

I received the same e-mail Laschwen and even "I" wanted to order 2 pairs! At this point I need to mention that I've been using the same pair for 2 years, and I even machine washed them and nothing happened and there is no need for me to order 2 pairs now because I know I won't go through both of them before 2012. Since the currency is pretty high for American Dollar here, I'm proud that I didn't fall into that trick. (And I believe that my current pair will last for another 6 months; because you know GM's die because of the fabric only, and their fabric is still good).

 

However, I'm using supple shanks, and apart from the fact that GM's are 3/4 shanked, I feel that supple is too hard for me and they are almost carrying me around. But I'm also really scared of Feather shanks, because I have no chance to return/change them all the way from here... One day, if I win the lottery, I will risk it and order a pair with feather shanks

[Sabastianni]

Skyish - did you say you machine washed your pointe shoes? I'm curious - did you do that to clean them or was there some other reason? I would have thought they would fall apart. Did it soften the boxes?

[skyish]

Sabastiani- Maybe you do not know, but Gaynor Mindens are not traditional shoes, they are made of plastic; both shank and the box. So, no, neither one of them got softer. I had to machine wash them because for one of my solo parts we had to dye them in black with eyeliners and eye shadows, so they were pretty slippery and were leaving marks on the floor and on my tights. So I tried to clean them in various ways, none of them worked, well in the end I just got mad and threw them in; so voila =) Well I don't advise it to anyone though. They may shrink. I took various precautions for that, they shrank yes, but only a few millimeters so it doesn't matter much.

[Laschwen]

Skyish;

 

I was thinking of you when ordering two pair.

In fact, your story of how well they hold up was another vote of confidence in my choice of shoes; not that I really have much of a choice though. I was still impressed.

Apart from those who need for two sizes, the two pair could last a very very long time for adults who don't wear them all the time, so I figured the second pair could be for dying another color, your proof of wash ability aside.

How many of their customers do you suppose really need to order 2 pair at a time?

 

Ordering two pair might be the way to compare the two different kind of shanks. You could rotate the shoes for strong days and tired days maybe too???

[CDR]

Oh dear - I too have an obsession with shoes though usually not dance shoes! Just enjoy them!!

[Laschwen]

I actually had written down Latin Ballroom shoes on my Christmas list for this year a short while ago, but that was gone from my memory when the GM sale notice hit. So was the new printer the practical side of me might have thought of instead. The one I have is 7 years old and near death if not already dead. Last I checked, it was still putting up a fight at least.

 

Last Christmas I got myself stupid expensive dress boots. It often is something to do with footwear..........Maybe it is an obsession, but I prefer to think of it as a special need category because of my unusual size.

 

Oh well. I am guessing I will hear that the wait will be around 3 months once every detail is confirmed later today. By the time the pointe shoes come, I will likely be able to think of them as a Birthday present.

 

Wish me luck on the special request for sleek heels.

[robynn]

I ordered the "regular" vamp despite my short toes. Their short vamp just looked ridiculous in the 13 that came in with the wrong width last summer, and the "regular" one I tried at the store fitting didn't bug me. It might offer more side stability too.

 

As long as I am confessing, I ordered their hard shanks. I know. It sounds like I am being a big fat cheater, and I might be... a little....but I tried the extra flex and wondered how that was supposed to be enough support for my body weight. I guess their is a little old school stuck in me.

 

Since you and I have had some of the same battles with shoes (and it sounds like a similar obsession), I'll mention that even though the 12.5 GM is a size that they list for sale, when I ordered mine they had to make them to order. Because of that, they emailed me to let me know that it would take 3 to 5 weeks, and gave me the option to cancel. I was concerned about the time, and since they were making them for me would I still be able to return them if they didn't work, and I was assured that I absolutely could return them, so rather than custom the whole thing I ordered the only box they make for the 12.5 (4 box), Narrow, regular vamp (which they assured me is for shorter toes) and regular heel (which they assured me was lower than most). I also ordered Extra flex. In the end, the fit was excellent but the shanks were a little too supple. I kept them, because the softer shank really makes me pull up and work, but I turned around and ordered a hard shank to try.

 

In both cases, even though they made them when I ordered, it only took me 3 weeks to get the first pair, and maybe 2 weeks for the second. I also always get a fit kit, and employ the cool blue oval for the GM's, and the box liner for my Bloch's when they break in and get a little wide.

 

Best of luck, I know you'll persevere.

 

Edited to add: Also, I noted when looking through the GM catalog that shows the shoe sizes of the professional dancers next to their pictures, that my feet are bigger than each of the four Trocs that were pictured. So I suppose our earlier thinking that GM needed to make bigger sizes because of those dancing men and their bigger feet, wasn't the case at all.

Edited December 16, 2008 by robynn

[MJ]

I received the same e-mail Laschwen and even "I" wanted to order 2 pairs! At this point I need to mention that I've been using the same pair for 2 years, and I even machine washed them and nothing happened and there is no need for me to order 2 pairs now because I know I won't go through both of them before 2012. Since the currency is pretty high for American Dollar here, I'm proud that I didn't fall into that trick. (And I believe that my current pair will last for another 6 months; because you know GM's die because of the fabric only, and their fabric is still good).

 

Wow Washable Toe shoes! I've tried washing technique shoes and they usually shrink a bit.

 

Happy Holidays All!

[dancepig]

Merry Christmas to you Laschwen! I keep a pair of GM's for the days I have tired feet, and I have recently moved to the sleek heel. I never thought to try the sleek heel because I have a problem with the heels of all shoes staying on my feet. However, I need a more tapered shoe than GM provides and I was told the sleek heel is a tiny bit more tapered, which it is, don't know why But, with the box liner and some more adjustments to the box, it sort of works. And, I will admit, I do use the hard shank because the extra flex shank was throwing my up and too far over the box. Enjoy your Christmas gift!

[Laschwen]

 

They say the sleek heel is just as high as the regular heel, but narrower toward the back of the shoe. It shouldn't cause a problem for falling off the heel on it's own. When they say tapered it usually has to do with the box, but I don't think they meant that this time. I think they meant the narrowing of the heel.

 

I just hope they stay on better than the Sansha Etudes I tried last summer. Those were some low heels.

 

I haven't had anything come in response to my request for making a sleek heel in my size. I put the request in the comments box on the order form first and then again in my confirmation e-mail to someone who let me know that what I ordered was not a stock shoe and would take a while. I wonder if she might be trying to fulfill my request?????? Wouldn't that be something? I'll take the regular heel and the sockliners at this point, but I would be thrilled to have the sleek heel considering it was a 2 pair order and will likely last....forever....???

[dancepig]

They say the sleek heel is just as high as the regular heel, but narrower toward the back of the shoe. It shouldn't cause a problem for falling off the heel on it's own. When they say tapered it usually has to do with the box, but I don't think they meant that this time. I think they meant the narrowing of the heel.

 

 

The heel is narrowed, but the box is also a slight bit more tapered than the high heel and the regular heel. I never did use the regular heel, so don't know if the heel height is the same as the regular, but I know it's a lot lower than the "high heel", which would stand to reason.

 

My dancewear shop has been selling Gaynors since they started, and she has a very good relationship with them. She called Gaynor and asked if they had a shoe that was more tapered than the standard box, and the rep suggested going to the sleek heel and more

[dancepig]

Laschwen - I just re-read my signature lines - ha - you need to realize "life is short BUY the shoes" hahahaha

[Laschwen]

That is a great philosophy of life.