shoewawa
Lesley James writes…
At this time of year, it’s a simple and quick fix to buy cosy, girly slippers as a Christmas gift. For those of us with size 2 feet (34) and under, this is not an easy proposition, though – and don’t dare suggest kids’ slippers to me! Children’s slippers are, in the main, emblazoned with Barbie, butterflies or look like glove puppets!
I’m not talking about mule type slippers, or flip floppy things, which are fairly easy to buy. I am talking about real, girly, fluffy slippers, which keep your toes and heels warm on cold winter mornings, and whose soles stand up to trips to the garden! So where do you buy grown up slippers in size 2 that keep your feet warm yet don’t make you look like an escapee from Loony Tunes?
Faced with this dilemma, I went on a Little-Feet slipper quest to:
1. My Local Market
Yes, I was shocked, too. I discovered that many of the imported slippers sold as size 3, were, on closer inspection, stamped as 35, which can sometimes be a 2. From 15 pairs on offer at one local market stall, I found three pairs that fitted me. All were cosy, enclosed and machine washable. The added bonus of market buying was that the most expensive pair was £5.99! The negative side? The styles are mostly boring and dull.
Advice: buy one pair to customise with gold ribbon or frippery of choice, or buy the most dated pair to cultivate a vintage look.
2. Marks and Spencer
This time of year, M and S redoubles its stock of slipper styles. Each year I manage to find one ( yes, all of one!) pair to fit a size 2 foot.
Advantages: they usually last more than one season and can also survive the washing machine.
3. Spain, The Canaries, Italy
Never miss an opportunity to stock up on size 2s when on holiday in Europe. Even the most humble, dated-looking shoe shop stocks some slippers in size 2, so don’t shun a shop because it appears dusty: therein lie the bargains! The designs are often lovely. My fave place for slippers is Majorca, where I bought two pairs (for under a tenner) of bronze, metallic leather slippers, lined in quilted cotton. Delish.
Advanatges: Slippers are light to pack in your suitcase and a good investment.
I am almost inarticulate with the bliss of this discovery. The answer to Little-Feet’s prayers, and the Christmas list solved. Celtic Slippers are funky rather than glammy, but they are SO warm. Not only does Celtic list some of its adult styles in size 2, but they also offer a range of kids’ styles (which are identical to the adults’) in a size 1 and below. Even better, they have a rubbery sole, which is perfect for forays onto the garden patio, and you can choose from a huge range of very pretty colours. Because they are lined with springy sheepskin, you must ensure that they fit you very snugly indeed, or you will find that they become too loose when worn. I have bought two pairs of size 2s from Celtic, one pair recently, the first many years ago. I found that their current adult size 2 can be a bit big, and contacted them about this. Customer services were helpful, and they have a good returns policy. Celt bootee slippers also survive the washing machine!
Now the BEST bit: Celtic also does a range of boots, for indoor or outdoor wear, which are very similar to Uggs. They also offered to work from a drawing around my foot when I contacted them. WOW!
And so, toes now aglow, I embark on my next Little-Feet stocking-filler quest: TIGHTS! How do we tiny-tootsied lovelies cope with the trauma of tight-wearing? Do you know that baggy-ankled look? And do fishnets cheese-wire your tiny toes? Many manufacturers also mistakenly assume that wearers of ‘Small’ tights have size 5 feet, so which tights actually fit those of us with size 2 feet? More on this soon!
Related: Small shoes for small feet – a guide
Another excellent article highlighting the plight of women with small feet. I will definitely take a look at the Celtic Sheepskin website.
I received a pair of “small” size slippers as a Christmas present last year from Next. Unfortunately their idea of small seemed to be a size 3-4 so swamped my size 2 feet.