I recently suffered one of the most disappointing moments in the realm of shopping: I ordered the most fantastic pair of shoes online and then when they arrived, I put them on and was completely let down. What is it about the way shoes appear in a picture online that is so different from the way they look in real like??? Obviously finding the right size and width can be an issue, but I’m talking style and sexiness. The right heel height, the right shape and the proper fit are deceiving on a screen no matter what detail of description is provided from the manufacturer and distributor. Is there a better way to figure out what’s hot and what’s not other than the primal technique of trial and error?
A while back I was looking for a pair of shoes for a special occasion while I was at the mall one day. I found the most fabulous pair of 4 inch peep toe heels with black and pink patent leather. The heel was the perfect height and it’s shape wasn’t odd looking like some shoes that I think of as older women’s shoes, where the heel comes straight down from the back (I think you know what I’m talking about). The colors were a perfect match for the dress I planned to wear and platform was just enough to give them some kick without looking like I belonged in a cage under strobe lights. Overall, it was a very successful purchase so I was surprised to see the less than flattering image of these exact shoes a few weeks later on the store’s website. If I had been doing that same shoe search online, I never would have chosen the pair because the length looked oddly disproportioned and not flattering for any foot. As I stared at the image, I tried desperately to figure out some sort of correlation between what I liked about the shoes and what seemed so off about them in the photo. I couldn’t come up with any solid answer.
It stands to reason that trying a pair of shoes on first is the best way to know if the style is right for you, but I challenge you to figure out exactly what it is about those online images that doesn’t exactly coincide. Because it seems to me that the image should justly reflect what one would see when they glance at a table in a shoe store and take a snapshot in the mind of what that shoe looks like. Once you’ve figured it out, the key to simpler online shopping will fall in your lap! But please don’t forget to share any discoveries!
