Wider Fit Shoes
Florence - Mary Jane style
For years I have had a problem buying shoes. Like most women I love shoes , I spend hours looking at them in shops and wishing I could buy any pair I fancied but I have a big problem - the shape of my feet.

As I explained in my Fife revue I have short but very wide feet and after wearing my Wider Fit Shoes Ltd 'Fife' shoes for a few months I realised that the main factory making these shoes was in Rushden, a town close to where my daughter lives so I decided my next visit to her would include a trip to see what styles were available that were not in my local store. Thanks to our satnav we found the outlet shop and found they had examples of all the shoes they made in all sizes.
I found a pair I really liked. A burgundy colour in what I believe is called a Mary Jane style, leather with a Velcro bar very similar to shoes made by Ecco and Clarks. The shoes have not just width across the toes but are also deep so that if, like me, you have a hammer toe, they are deep enough to keep your feet comfortable. These shoes also have moulded polyurethane soles which after seven months of wearing have very little sign of wear, they have a seamless toe-box and shock absorbency soles with a twist control insole, it is also easy to remove the lining to insert your own orthotic. The style is called Florence, easy to remember as it was my mother's name, and it is available in beige, black, burgundy, black crinkly patent, espresso, natural nubuck and navy.

When I bought the shoes they cost £65 but with the increase in VAT they are now £69 for the 4E and increase as they get wider with the 8E costing £89. Note that the 6E and 8E qualify for VAT relief (you will know if you are eligible). It is also available in a 2E fitting for £65. If you don't have access to a shop that stocks them, they are available online from www.widerfitshoes.co.uk where post and packaging is £5 extra per order- not per pair. They can be returned free of charge if the size is wrong for refund or exchange.

I find these shoes are ideal if I want to look smart and still be comfortable. I often wear them for a full day, they look and feel as comfortable when I take them off as they do when I put them on. They can be worn with trousers or a skirt and do not look like orthopaedic shoes. I can definitely recommend them to anyone with wide feet.