In my quest to satisfy the Imelda Marcos in me and increase my shoe collection, I have been searching the internet for shoe stores in Madrid that specialize in larger sizes.
I wear a US ladies� 10B in regular shoes and go up to a 10.5 in certain styles and heels. Needless to say, shopping for shoes (or anything larger sized for that matter) is a nightmare here in Spain. I usually wait until I go to the States for a visit and stock up there, but it just seems so ridiculous to do.
I have found several stores and thought I�d share them with you in case anyone else found themself in the same predicament. I have yet to go to any of these stores, but when I do, I will post back on my experiences/price/quality, etc...
Calzados Record Plaza Santo Domingo phone: 915 470 837 metro: Santo Domingo
also located at: D. Ram�n de la Cruz, 63/phone 913 092 822
description from Spanish yellow pages: Zapatos de todas las clases para mujer del 33 al 43. Especialidad en encargo de carteras. Zapatos y complementos de tela para bodas, comuniones, etc.
Special Shoes Calle del Espejo at the corner of Costanilla Santiago metro: �pera
Tall Gal Calle Marqu�s de Urquijo metro: Arg�elles
description from yellow pages: En CALZADOS CORDONES encontrar� toda la moda s�lo en n�meros extremos: N�meros de mujer: 32 al 35 y 42 al 45. N�meros de hombre: 47 al 52.
If anyone else has experience at these, or any other store, please post!!
Many thanks, Chica! Let me know if they have sales in December, please.
That's the one thing I did not buy in Spain, shoes.
My son is a 15 and I am a 10, so finding shoes was out of the question. One Corte saleslady actually laughed in our face when I mentioned my son's shoe size ! We felt like geeks! :lo: :b: :cheers: , Chica
Posts: 697 | Location: Florida | Registered: 24 August 2001
I went to the Cordones place in Opera. If you are NOT a at least a 42 (or the itty bitty sizes) they bascially kick you out of the store. I waled in, the guy gave me a strange look and asked me my size. I told him 42 and asked if they have boots. He told me NO! and walked away. That pretty much meant, get out of my store because I don't believe you and stop staring at my lovely shoes.
Maybe the guy just has a foot fettish!
Posts: 331 | Location: San Diego | Registered: 14 December 2002
sedusa, if you don�t mind me asking, what is your US shoe size? According to my conversion table, I should wear a size 40 here in Spain, but have yet to be able to get my foot into a 41. So, I suppose that my European shoe size is a 42 or higher. I have "been kicked" out of enough shoe stores for having big feet...I don�t want to be "kicked out" of a shoe store for having small feet!!! :jeje:
I checked out the website for Cordones and they do indeed have a great collection of shoes for those with a, err..greater understanding!
Sedusa, just wondering if it is the same on the mainland as it is here in Lanzarote with regard to shoeshops. Here, they put their smallest size on display. I often see shoes I would love to buy but the smallest size on offer is, say a 38. I take a 35 or 36 but unfortunately I have hugely wide feet (see thread on nicknames!!! ) so absolutely nothing fits me!! There are some fantastic shoes on offer here at the moment for upwards of size 40!!!
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They usually display about a 37. I know this because I have a friend with a 37 and always can just pick up the sample and try it on. GRRR!! And of course when I get the shoe in my size it looks so big and ugly. Sue, have you tried Clarks or DR. Scholls. My mom has an American size 9 but a double wide foot. She went to Dr. Schools and had a field day there. I think she bought near to 5 pairs of shoes.
Chica, I wear a 10, but in sport shoes and boots I wear at least an 11. In Spain I was a 41. But looking for boots was a bigger challenge. All the 41's were way to small. So when I went to the big feet store I asked for a 42 and I think the guy thought I was bluffing. I'm 5'10" (179 cm), does it look like I would have a 37???
Posts: 331 | Location: San Diego | Registered: 14 December 2002
Hey ladies, thanks for this thread, it will surely be helpful for many in the future.
Chic wrote...
quote:
I usually wait until I go to the States for a visit and stock up there, but it just seems so ridiculous to do.
I agree with you 100% Chica. I do this for clothes and the only thing I actually do buy here are shoes (also have trouble finding a selection in my size 45).
Booklady, as a general rule don't count on sales in December. Remember, the holiday "rebajas" (sales) start here after the epiphany. In other words, no discounts till January 7th
Omg, thank you so much for this post. The last time I had to buy shoes was a nightmare. I am also 5' 10'' and wear a size 10 in the U.S. and I had to settle for a 41 in Madrid which was the highest I could find. Ouch! Talk about blisters!
This is me going shoes shopping this xmas!
Posts: 65 | Location: Soto del Real | Registered: 10 February 2003
My shoe nightmare was in the backwaters...up in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. I'd been wearing the same pair of hiking boots, alternating with ugly-but-comfy sandals, for 6 weeks on the pilgrim trail; I was ready to look and feel like a girl again. Santiago has lovely dresses, scarves, underthings, haircuts, manicures...even arm/leg waxing (which is a totally hair-raising tale in itself!) but just TRY finding a size 9 (41) shoe in that town!! I was made to feel like a circus freak, with the poor messenger boy sent running to the stores up the street and store managers shouting into the telephones, looking desperately for something remotely more feminine than an "orthopedic" model!
Gratia dios, I did find a very fashionable pair of mules, but they are ORANGE leather! (I still wear them, they ARE fab. And they come with a story, too!)
God, I love that country. But when/if I move there, I will keep my Ebay/Paypal accounts active for shoes' sake. Reb.
Posts: 385 | Location: a pueblo in Palencia, via Pittsburgh USA | Registered: 15 February 2003
! We felt like geeks! :lo: :b: 
) so absolutely nothing fits me!! There are some fantastic shoes on offer here at the moment for upwards of size 40!!!
And of course when I get the shoe in my size it looks so big and ugly. Sue, have you tried Clarks or DR. Scholls. My mom has an American size 9 but a double wide foot. She went to Dr. Schools and had a field day there. I think she bought near to 5 pairs of shoes. 
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