I’ll say it before you do – I’m not really the creepers type. Not only am I not an achingly cool hipster, but I also have size 8 feet and a slight complex about them. And creepers do not flatter the larger foot.
When I first spotted them on the feet of my favourite bloggers, creepers brought back woeful memories of shopping for school shoes. As a gangly and awkward 14 year old with size 8 feet, finding school-appropriate shoes that did not resemble cruise liners was a near-impossible task. My lovely mum would take me round the shops but every trip ended in tears and the subsequent purchases earned me the (short-lived, thankfully – the high street soon caught on to the plight of the big footed teen) nickname ‘Boat Feet’.
So, when creepers became a stylish footwear choice and not just medically prescribed, I stayed well away. This was one trend I would not be trying…
Zara dress and blazer, Cos shoes via eBay, Topshop hat, Wallpaper Rose collar
I first tried these shoes at Cos in Westfield Stratford City with Gem, during our LFW stay. I wanted some ‘edgy’ shoes to wear with my rather boring jeans-and-jumper outfit and spotted these in the window, so went in to try them on. Of course, the ones in the window were a cute size 4 and looked positively petite in comparison to my clunking size 8s. But I quite liked their ugliness, and had half-decided to make a purchase when I spotted the £125 price tag. Back on the shelf they went.
Idly browsing eBay a few weeks later, I spotted the exact pair, in my size, languishing at £10 with only a day left on the auction. So I bided my time, swooped in with a last-second bid and won them for £48. Come to me, ugly shoes!
When they arrived I was initially horrified by the absolute SIZE of them. They are GINORMOUS. My first thought was to pair them with skinny floral trousers and an oversized knit but after looks of horror from my boyfriend, an exclamation of ‘they are HORRIBLE’ from my brother and even a ‘I’m not really sure about those shoes, Jen…’ from my mum, I went in another direction. By wearing my creepers with a cute, girly dress, structured blazer and hat, their ugliness is balanced and they don’t look quite so monstrous. They’re not my favourite shoes, but I like the edge they add to simple outfits and think, with a little practise, I’ll grow to love them.
Here are my tips for wearing creepers:
- Team bulky shoes with a delicate dress to balance your outfit
- Add pretty accessories, like this lace collar from Wallpaper Rose
- Don’t overdo the prints – keep it sleek and simple
- Avoid mannish tailoring and loose-fitting pieces
I’m not going to lie Jen, I think they look pretty cool on you.. I don’t even think they make your feet look big (def don’t look like size 8’s here)
I agree
I’m not sure how tall you are but the average height girl wears size 7.5. I stand at a whopping 5’7 and wear size 10/11 shoes. Your feet are fine:-)
Love this outfit Jen, you look lovely 🙂 x
sweet monday
Normally I’m a huge fan of your outfits…but sorry, I don’t understand why anyone would want to buy ugly shoes? 🙁
Love your very diplomatic comment, Lucy! I agree that the notion of ugly shoes is an odd one – feet are not the prettiest body part to start with, so why make them worse? But there’s just something about these shoes… I don’t think fashion has to be cute and pretty and lovely all the time. It feels quite good to try something more… clunky 😉
I’ll never make a diplomat, so apologies if I was my usual too blunt self – no harm intended. I agree that fashion doesn’t have to be pretty and lovely all the time; we’d not have a lot of the couture ranges if that was the case. I just don’t find them inspiring…a bit dull and fashion should never be dull 🙂
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I usually really don’t them, but they look really good on you! I like the style of them and what you’ve paired them with.
Catherine, XO.
As a fellow size 8, I am glad you’ve addressed this subject. You wear them really well and make them look cute.
I love them!
This is a look men really don’t get isn’t it? My bf hates them with a passion.
[ Becky at life/style/flash. blog]
Men do NOT understand these shoes. At ALL. Ah well. What do they know anyway? 😉
I LOVE ugly shoes!!
I’d never considered the balancing act of wearing Creepers or flatforms before…in my head I was wearing them with everything!
Definitely think they give a subtle edge to your outfit here and I like it 🙂
Rosie x
You look FABULOUS! This is your best outfit yet! Everything works perfectly!! Stunning huni xx
Thank you lovely lady! Glad you like 🙂 x
I just can’t do it!
These are however a compromise for me from the leopard print, red and black, huge soled pairs I’ve seen. But alas at only 5′ 3″ I fear these would make my legs look stumpy.
Well done you for getting out of your comfort zone!
Lauren
http://www.thestyletag.com
Lauren, I can’t even consider the big, patterned, rubber-soled styles. They bring me out in hives. But these, I (kind of) like 🙂
I’m only a size 4 1/2 but I’m still not sure if I’ll look good in these, although the extra height would be welcomed xxx
I wouldn’t wear these shoes, but they do look good with this outfit!
I also have size 8 feet. It’s such a pain!
I have the exact opposite problem – my feet are weirdly small for my height and shape – and although I think you look lovely with creepers, I completely understand the whole foot complex. I’ll definitely not be wearing brogues, considering they make my feet look even smaller, but maybe creepers would be worth a try? xx
I love this outfit! I had to wear chunky shoes at school because I had to wear insoles and they were NOT cool back in the day, funny huh!?
They don’t even look big on you at all, they look so good!
Ginger Pickle ♥
x
You’ve styled the shoes well. They look great with the dress. I definitely wouldn’t wear wear them with skinny jeans though.
I love how you have styled the shoes, they don’t look big on you at all!
Pretty-quirky.blogspot.com
I have size 8 feet and I would never wear these so I admire your bravery.
I used to wear enormous Doctor Martin shoes while everyone else had pretty high street shop shoes so my opinion is hugely swayed by the emotional scars of my unfortunate shoe history.
It’s great you can get big shoes in most places now but I hate when they call a 41 an 8. It’s not people!! 🙂
Now, I always get confused over this. What IS an 8? A 42? It’s different in every shop and it infuriates me!
It’s a 42 but for some reason it gets called a 41. Weirdly, the best big foot champion on the High Street is New Look who go up to a 43. This makes me very happy as I wrote to them when I was about 13 complaining about the ordeal of big footed people to get school shoes. I like to think I was the catalyst. I know I’m not but still…
I’m still undecided about the creepers/flatforms trend. I like these ones as they’re not too clumpy and look great with the feminine dress. I’m still too scared to even try on flatforms, I’m definitely a heels girl no matter what’s “in fashion”! x
I love the creepers and would’ve gladly had an eBay showdown against you to obtain them. As your shoe-size counterpart, I’ve also got a massive complex (I had the same Vans trainers as a boy at school, so everyone said I was wearing my ‘John’ shoes), but it seems times are changing. I’m quite happy to stay away from all things dainty and even play up their size, ‘ugly’ shoes are now my addiction. Love this look and counteracting the girliness of a dress but also love playing to type and wearing them with rolled up jeans and a shirt.
You are my ugly shoe inspiration! They suit you so much and really work well with your cool London style. I don’t think I’m quite cool enough for them really… but it’s nice to pretend! 😉 x
nice shoes 🙂 i loveee creeper so much! x
It’s not so much they make your feet look big Jen but I have to say they aren’t ugly in a cool way they’re just ugly 🙁 Please don’t think I’m a hater everyone, I love your style Jen but the shoes get a thumbs down from me. Just being honest. However, great style is about pushing boundaries and trying new things despite what others think 🙂
Tabitha, how could you… 😉
Of course I don’t mind. I know they’re an odd choice, they’re not particularly attractive and I’m still not sure about them myself! I like hearing what other people think though, and it’s always good to get a mix of opinions. Be as honest as you want in these comments – you’re always welcome 🙂 x
i honestly have a serious hate relationships with creepers….but to be honest i really like them with your outfit!! this is the only pair that i have seen which looks actually pretty good!!
great job on the styling 😀
http://kellinasthoughts.blogspot.com/
I have size 9 UK feet and constantly wear creepers of the London Underground variety. I have female friends with size 10, 12, 13 (my brother has size 16 feet as a trivia point) who wear creepers. They don’t make feet look bigger, they make them look more badass.
I like your outfit choice. I’d say wear creepers with whatever you like, as long as rock them with confidence.
http://siansfatshionrags.blogspot.com/
I love creepers and I’m a fan of your shoes!
Laila x
thekittenswhiskers.blogspot.com
Love the outfit until I get to your feet, they look like bumper cars!
they dont make your feet look big at all!
@mrsmarsa
I’m a size 9 and have been since I was a teenager, I know all too well the woes of shoe shopping. For years I have squeezed my feet into too-small shoes just because nowhere did a size 9 (even now its still a bit of a fuss) and I’ve paid the price because my feet are completely mangled. I recently bought my first ever pair of Dr Martens though and despite initially worrying they made my already massive feet look even bigger I am absolutely head over heels in love with them! (mostly because they are the COMFIEST shoes I have ever owned.) I totally relish having big stompy footwear and my favourite thing is to pair them with my feminine clothing for the juxtaposition.
New Look do a size 9.
A round of applause from me for making a hideous shoe look nice! I won’t lie, I think they are horrible shoes but they look good with the outfit you’ve chosen. Well done!
Nicki xx
You really can wear any type of outfit and shoes and make it look perfect!
They don’t make your feet look big at all 🙂
Shannen Xx
I had shoes like that in the 90’s, I’m not going back there again!! 🙂
I agree, I don’t think they make your feet look big at all. I have a huge crush on creepers & I love the subtlety of these ones! They are quite masculine but I think you’ve styled them perfectly! I love love your outfit! My favourite one since reading your blog 🙂
Rebecca x
Totally feeling your pain regarding the shoe-size complex! I have size 8 feet (bordering on the size 9 sometimes, bad times for me) and constantly find myself worrying that certain shoes advertise the fact my feet are big! It probably doesn’t help that I’m a lover of skinny jeans as they probably just emphasise my feet size a little more..
I can’t make my mind up about creepers, I probably wouldn’t wear them myself but I prefer the ones you’ve bought as opposed to the rubber soled/leopard print ones that seem to be popping up everywhere!
Lovely post (apologies for my rambling mini-essay!) xx
I am not a fan either (unless some hot rockabilly man is wearing them) but these are the best creepers I have seen. I think you pull them off perfectly. It’s funny to think how many of us ‘boat feet’ there are now. It’s the people with sizes bigger than an 8 that I feel for. My sister is a size 10 (she is 6’4 to back it up) and she still can’t get fashionable shoes 🙁
At first I wasn’t a fan of creepers/flatforms but I have slowly begun to come around, its all about finding the right pair! To be perfectly honest here, they do look quite big in the close up photo, but what shoes wouldn’t in this style of photograph. I think overall you’ve styled them really well and obviously taken extra effort in deciding what works for them and what doesn’t, they look great on you!
Wow this is one amazing outfit! You look great x
great style!!!
Girls party dresses
I had a discussion about these flatforms with my boyfriend last night, our landlady has a pair in boot form and he just doesn’t get it. I like hers, i think…but wouldn’t wear them because they’re not my style plus i have size 9 feet and at 5″11 im in no need of the extra inches.
Boyfriend called them orthopeadic shoes and wondered since when did promoting feet that didn’t grow properly bcome fashionable? Haha.
I’m not convinced by creepers, I must say. They’re not hideous enough to cross that line into being awesome again (or is that just me that swoops on things declaring “This is horrendous! I must own it!”).
These ones are fairly non-offensive though. Not sure I’ll be investing though.
I’ve got tiny feet, so perhaps they’d bulk them up for me some? I actually quite like some styles of creepers – some are horrendous, but these ones are actually pretty nice. And I definitely need the height…I don’t think I’d pay much for a pair, but if I could find some nice ones on the cheap to give a try, I’d be tempted!
these are flatforms, not creepers in any shape or form! lovely though! 🙂
Finally. There is a difference between flat forms and creepers people! You do look beautiful though.
Finally. There is a difference between flat forms and creepers people! You do look beautiful though.
I find creepers a bit too reminiscent of the Spice Girl shoes from Buffalo I used to want when I was a tween!
I love your hat in this picture – you remind me of Molly Ringwald!
this flatforms arent that bad! a bit ugly yeah but you pull it off brilliantly
xo katrina
theyoungbridgetjones.blogspot.com
Oh, I really didn’t like them at ALL but I do like them in this ensemble! They just go, really well. And I am actually fascinated that they look okay even though you have large feet. Because I am convinced that the reason brogues and their ilk don’t suit me is because I have big feet (well, relative to my height – size 6 is big for a 5’1er!). Maaaybe not. In short, I like!
I have size 10 feet but am 6ft, i love my creepers. I wear mine with shorts and leggings and they balance my height. In terms of what other people think im used to having big feet and nothing will make them small, so i just wear what i like and if people don’t like it its there problem. 21 years practice 🙂 but i think your outfit looks cute but i find square ish toes appear smaller.
To be absolutely honest, i think they’re really gorgeous, Jen! I myself just recently embraced my very first pair of flatforms after shunning them for months when the trend first broke out. And being plus sized i obviously have my normal doubts and qualms about flat shoes but after a knee injury, i find these are great shoes to practice wearing heels again 🙂
http://alittlehoneyformyheart.wordpress.com
I love creepers and I love how you’ve styled them here 😀 everyone around my way is wearing them with denim hotpants (I’m a tad too old for that look!) and I wanted a more grown up way to wear them so thank you! 🙂
These shoes are amazing and you wear them perfectly. I’ve had flatforms for a while but the ones I have are only plimsolls with huge soles. Do you know where I could buy any of these beauties?