Moderators Note:
RF.com does not endorse or promote any particular merchants. Please, do your research and buy at your own risk.
This thread is meant to be a resource guide for boots and shoes for women for Renaissance and re-enactments, for all price ranges.
This thread is NOT meant to promote any one product over another, nor is it meant as an open forum to rant about how bad someone's product is. What may have been a bad experience for you, may have been an exellent experience for another.
If you come across a new source for ren-type shoes or boots, or ones that may be altered for such use, please add that link so that we may have as comprehensive a list as possible.
http://www.flyflot.co.uk/Index.html
http://www.hottershoes.com/HotterSite/pages/home/default.asp?sNoLoadFlash=true
http://www.footwear4you.co.uk/brand/rohde-shoes/9/1
http://www.pillagedvillage.com/~pillaged/cgi-bin/cart.cgi/CC_700L.html
http://www.renstore.com/
http://revival.us/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=233
http://www.solesthrutime.com/CatalogSlippers.html
http://www.wulflund.com/costumes-shoes/footwear/renaissance-boots/
I have Dreamshoes, they're from a long time ago when the original maker still made them, and I love them. They are made by Renboots, I think.
I'm also hoping to purchase a pair of Medieval Moccasins when we go to RenDezvous in April at Scarby. Queen Bonnie has some and they are beautiful.
Sticky please, Trill?
I bought a pair of Son of Sandlar lace-up peasant boots closing weekend of TRF. Good deal for the budget I had, and I got nothing but positive feedback from anyone I spoke to who was wearing them. I think they're going to be very comfortable.
A good friend who has a pair of Sandlar boots also has a pair from Mystic Soles (formerly Bald Mountain) that she's had forever, it seems. She likes both makers very much. I did try on Mystic's boots too, and they looked and felt wonderful; unfortunately for me, I can't afford custom-made boots right now. Maybe someday :).
Well, there's no link, but I very strongly recommend the local thrift store. True, it's a very hit-or-miss source, but when it hits, you can't beat the prices! :)
I suggest looking at places like Ross and Marshall's. They usually have a good selection of women's boots for good prices. I got an originally-$70 pair of boots at Ross yesterday for $20.
I'm more of a "make your own" kinda person but I don't make shoes.
What we do instead is go to Thrift Stores or Goodwill and find comfortable boots of some sort and then go to Michaels and get fur, leather, twine...stuff like that and a glue gun and go to town.
I made my daughters boots for last year for 6$ and they looked great!
This year...she bought a pair at Ross for $20 and we don't have to do much to them.
Me? I wear Jesus sandals as Merlin and Doc Martin 16 eye with the kilt.
I just bought the most wonderful, comfortable shoes at BARF this weekend from Heart & Sole. They were a pair of unisex ghillies. The price was $58, which is way cheaper than the $70 my husband paid for his at Bristol last summer. They have women's shoes, men's shoes, and gorgeous boots.
They don't have a website yet, but one of the partners is Lady Nicolette, a member of this forum. If you renmail her, she can let you know what faires they will be at and also more info about the styles of their shoes and boots.
Keith, the other partner, spends a lot of time with you to make sure you get a correct and comfortable fit. I have the worst feet in the world, hammer toes, bunions, planter fasciatis, inflamed tendons and usually wear orthotics and limp. I put these shoes on, walked out of the shop, and wore them for 2 days straight at faire.
You can't beat the prices and excellent customer service.
Also posted in the men's section.
We're so happy you enjoy your shoes, Renee! Keith is actually also a forum member although he works so hard making shoes he's not in here frequently...His forum name is willin here and he is a moderator of a couple of areas hereabouts...
We will now be known at most faires as Dream Shoes and will have a website up soon.
Also posted in the men's shoes section.
For pirate-esque and Viking-esque boots, check out https://www.shiekhshoes.com/store/c-40-seboot.aspx (https://www.shiekhshoes.com/store/c-40-seboot.aspx)
I got some pirate lovelies for $26. Granted, these shoes aren't the highest quality, but they're the most affordable I've seen, and with the most variety of choices. ;)
let me add a little to your list;
http://www.revivalclothing.com/
http://www.jelldragon.com/viking_costume.htm
http://www.medievalshoes.com/
Some friends of mine love shoes they got from NativEarth. They do handmade leather boots, shoes and bags from what I understand. A bit out of my personal price range, but I've heard they are well worth it.
I'm a fan of the discount warehouse stores like Shoe Depot and Famous Footwear myself - $30-40 for a decent pair of leather shoes that last a couple seasons at least.
Yet another to add to the list
http://www.windwalkerfootwear.com
All of the Acts on my stage at Arizona Ren wear the boots
as well as almost all of the Stage Crew
I have 3 pairs of their boots/shoes
for the most comfortable sandals around here is my favortie link. Not only do I love their shoes for faire wear, the sandals I bought for pirating have become my go to shoes for the summer!
http://nomadicstate.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=11&zenid=26r1ie29ol7425v3n0h96qca40
The trend this year is thigh high boots in a variety of heel sizes. The next big trend is flat soled boots. That being said, there are a TON of sites with thigh high (or knee-high) flat soled boots out there.
Check out http://www.victoriassecret.com. Make sure to go through the coupon codes found at retailmenot.com and actually go THROUGH the website ebates.com to get a percentage back of your purchase (this isn't an ad, just some tips I've learned).
I just got four pairs of boots from VS that all will work for Ren fair, and I paid $150 for $600 worth of boots.
Right now they have 20% off and also a 'tiered' offer.
Just thought I'd share! They carry a ton of brands, and sometimes you can find some really nice stuff.
If anyone wants more info on how I save a ton of money online, without getting scammed (I've tried a ton being a web designer), let me know.
For a look at authentic reproductions of historical women's footwear, please visit http://www.galleryhistoricalfigures.com (http://www.galleryhistoricalfigures.com).
Artist and historian George Stuart thoroughly researches and then cobbles the footwear for his exquisite Historical Figures creations. While the quarter life size boots, shoes and sandals won't fit you, they can be an excellent source of authentic designs.
About 30 of his most elegantly dressed women Figures are now on display at the Museum of Ventura County.
Very happy to pass on any questions or comments to Mr. Stuart.
Enjoy!
Garb the World is now selling over 30 documented shoes for great prices, they are made by an artisan in Pakistan. There are some shoes in stock, and ordering specific sizes and colors takes up to 2 months. But Tudor shoes are only $60! With hob nail construction.
http://www.garbtheworld.com/items/periodshoes.shtml (http://www.garbtheworld.com/items/periodshoes.shtml)
Here's another for the list...
http://www.olderealmmocc.com
I bought these recently:
(http://assets.clarksmcr.com/products/2/0/3/20342881_A_p.jpg)
Clarks Finest, £44.99, and free P&P.
Those are adorable Kate. Do you know the style name?
I just got a pair of Quest shoes from Heart & Sole. They look like Mary Janes but have a fleur de lis type design on the front. Aside from the fact that they are so pretty, they are just as comfortable as my ghillies from them.
I wore them to work, because I couldn't wait till faire, and all I can say is "marshmellows." Like your feet are surrounded by cushy softness.
And I got compliments from 3 people. I told them these were hand made shoes, and their eyes just about popped out. And then I shocked them by telling them the totally reasonable price, and it blew them away.
I love my Heart & Sole shoes. The best I've ever worn, from my rotten, always hurting & sore feet. Not with these.
Love, love, love.
Quote from: Lady Renee Buchanan on June 09, 2011, 09:30:12 PM
I just got a pair of Quest shoes from Heart & Sole. They look like Mary Janes but have a fleur de lis type design on the front. Aside from the fact that they are so pretty, they are just as comfortable as my ghillies from them.
I wore them to work, because I couldn't wait till faire, and all I can say is "marshmellows." Like your feet are surrounded by cushy softness.
And I got compliments from 3 people. I told them these were hand made shoes, and their eyes just about popped out. And then I shocked them by telling them the totally reasonable price, and it blew them away.
I love my Heart & Sole shoes. The best I've ever worn, from my rotten, always hurting & sore feet. Not with these.
Love, love, love.
How did you acquire them? over the internet?
Dona, they don't have a website. You can renmail Lady Nicolette on the forum for more info.
For those of you who are looking for steampunk or more victorian wear (depending on your fest, I've seen one more encouraged) there are a lot of delightful choices now. They aren't the absolute best for walking everywhere, but some have a lower heel and are so lovely!
http://www.victoriantradingco.com/store/catalogimages/1a/i16892.html
They have them in a bunch of colors AND they go up to size 11 (talls girls like me say yay to that). The other colors are at the bottom of the page, under the image. They are different versions of the boot.
They also have "edwardian" boots. The price isn't so bad, about $100 for a pair of quality leather boots, with a smallish heel. Lovely!
(On a side note, I LOVE this magazine, it has all sorts of neat things).
I have a pair of the Nativearth shoes that were previously mentioned and they are very comfortable.
http://www.nativearth.net/
I bought the court slippers with the Vibram sole at TRF a month ago or so and wore the shoes all day without my feet hurting. The only caveat is be careful with them because some dirt got into the shoes (as you would expect it to) and I wasn't wearing socks so I ended up with huge blisters on each heel. That was no fault of the shoes, just me not wearing any socks or hose with them as I should have.
The shoes are expensive, but if you are a regular faire-goer they are so worth the purchase. I was wearing a pair of Steve Madden shoes I bought ages ago that, while they looked alright, after a few hours my feet were killing me. That didn't happen with the Nativearth shoes. :)
Hello!
I'm just starting an online shoe business with a focus on historical and steampunk fashions. Eventually it will include handmade replicas, but for right now it's only commercially available footwear. Also, the website isn't retail-ready yet so product offerings are currently by newsletter or email only.
If you want to sign up for the newsletter follow the link below. If you're interested ONLY in what specific footwear I can find for your needs, use the link below and click on "contact us" to send me a message with a description of what you're looking for. I'll do my best to find it!
http://thecordwainersapprentice.onlybusiness.com (http://thecordwainersapprentice.onlybusiness.com)
Thanks!
Elizabeth the Bold
The Cordwainer's Apprentice
Today I purchased a pair of mary jane style shoes from New Balance, of all places. They have the same footbed as their sneakers so they are uber comfortable. They are available in multiplevwidths and start at a size 5. Also, they are real leather, and come in brown and black. They were a bit pricey for my taste, but well worth it if they will save my feet at faire, and still well under the cost of the handmade knee high boots I *really* want. These are my compromise shoes until I save up for the boots.
Was looking for some shoes at DSW the other day and came across these:
http://www.dsw.com/shoe/blowfish+dolly+flat?prodId=272817&productRef=SEARCH (http://www.dsw.com/shoe/blowfish+dolly+flat?prodId=272817&productRef=SEARCH)
They weren't at all what I was looking for, but they'd probably work pretty well for a ren costume. They seemed pretty comfortable, too. I probably would have bought them just cuz if I had more money. :)
Don't know how long they'll carry them, but if you need some shoes, might be worth a shot.
I just ran across this Etsy store (https://www.etsy.com/shop/SevillaSmith?ref=shopsection_shophome_leftnav) that looks promising, so I thought I would revive this thread with a new link! At least, I hope it's a new one, and not one already posted... :) The shoes are gorgeous, and the reviews seem genuine and absolutely satisfied with the product. They are not custom made, but they are made to size, and if I had the ready cash I would definitely try a pair! There are several different styles, also. Worth the look, at least... :)
(https://img0.etsystatic.com/073/0/10132515/il_570xN.811292584_mr1o.jpg)