Hi all,
I did see an off-topic about what people are wearing and decided my off-topic would be okay for this section I wanted to ask what the women here on T.C. where on their feet what particular style of shoes you like and please some help with traditional Turkish footwear. I was once self-employed and sold ladies shoes for my job so have been intrested in different footwear from around the world, Nesrin always has a new couple of pairs of shoes when I visit her I think Turkish made shoes must be very well made.

Im not a Turkish woman, but what I can say for girls in İzmir, they mostly wear sportive shoes! Vans and Converse Allstar seem to have reached to Turkey too and they are in shops and on feet everywhere.

Ofcourse there are also lots of lady-like shoes and I can say that those shoes are pretty expensive for Turkish standards. On the other hand, though in Holland I would pay the same for that type of shoe, I would get less quality. There are loads of pumps and shoes with high heels available, and there are quite a lot stylish shoe-shops with quality leather shoes.

In the Turkish wedding-culture or party-culture, there seems to be a fetish for golden or silver colored open shoes with high and small heels. I for myself think they look horrible and cheap, but you can see them in many many small shoeshops, sold in variable prices from unaffordable to REALLY cheap. I always wondered when one would wear such a footwear, as you dont see them often on the streets, but I was told they are used for weddings or parties. After that I have seen them being worn on a kına-gecesi.


Apart from these golden-silver party-shoes, there is not a significant difference in the fashion for shoes between Holland and Turkey. Sometimes I have actually had the feeling Turkey is just a bit ahead when it comes to fashion, compared to Holland.

Mayokinis were introduced in Turkey something like 2 years ago, none of my Dutch friends had heard of it last summer and this summer I spotted the first one here. The red shiny shoes you see in Dutch shops now, I have seen in Turkey already at the end of last summer.

I am pleased to say that I did not see any CROCS for sale in Oludeniz!! I hate them!! They are so ugly, the footwear of the surgeon originally, I used to wear something similar when I worked in an operating theatre years ago!

I personally like Steve Madden, Nine West & Gianni Binni for dress shoes. They seem to be pretty reasonable and wear good. I'm very fond of New Balance for gym shoes, they are American made and surprisingly hold well. This seems to be the most popular athletic shoe in the U.S. besides Nike. Most of your skateboarders and alternative people wear Vans and Etnies. On the weekends I love to wear Reef & Roxy flip flops. However, they are not a good support shoe but comfortable. You see everyone in the spring and summer wearing flip flops. Oh yes, the Crocs are also kind of popular but for me I would only wear them to garden in. I still have my Birkenstocks and Doc Martens that I occasionally wear. Good luck with your shoe business!

The original Croc is hideous but they have come out with a pretty cute slip on sandal now.

Crocs are a perfect example of people believing the hype! We are told that they are "cool" so people are quite happy to walk around with vile, ugly pieces of brightly coloured plastic on their feet - and pay way too much for the priviledge! I HATE THEM!

NB. One of those rare occasions where I agree with Libralady