Blue Sport Shoes to match towelling robe for swimming. Dress of the day 541.

 

Angela Lansbury wearing blue Sport shoes with a royal blue towelling robe by the swimming pool. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

I am on the mailing list for Crocs but I still look at all the similar style and cheaper brands, especially for the deals of 20 dollars or 20 pounds or less and the colours which I want. 

I wanted a darker blue to go with a towelling robe which I wear for swimming. 

The Towelling Robe

The towelling robe is neater than carrying around a bulky towel. I can manage with a tiny face flannel size to dry off my feet but often forget even that. (Which increases the risk of athletes foot if you don't dry your feet and leave them all day in wet shoes, so I dry my feet and change into another pair or Crocs or Croc style colourful synthetic clogs.)

The towelling robe was originally a wrap around. I found that a nuisance. It constantly came undone. Even when done up, it could be too revealing. It tended to hang sideways. The hem was always a different length on the two sides at the front. It always looked untidy. It always looked as if you were half undressed. I looked a towelling caftans and thought, what a pity I can't find a dark blue towelling caftan. What a pity this is not made from the same fabric in a caftan. I can't be bothered to cut it up and sew it into a caftan. I don't want to risk spoiling it. If only they had made another version with a zip down the middle. Wait a minute - why don't I add a zip.

Adding Zips

I looked up zips. Expensive for a long one. But I had a towelling wrap and I wanted a zip up version. 

So I bought the zip and sewed it in. Best thing I ever did. I have worn this item again and again. Hurray for whoever invented the zip. Hurray for all the people who make long zips, zips in different colours, and sell them. Thank you to all of them. 

Shoes

Now time to turn attention to the shoes. More colour co-ordination needed. The blues are not a perfect match. However, a lot better than my previous garish mis-match of multi colours, a swimsuit with orange or pink, a robe in dark blue with dark red zip,and shoes in bright red, or bright pink and yellow.

These shoes are a brand called Sport.

Advantages of the Sport shoes

They were not available in my usual size, 5. I have one foot size four and another four and a half. Add socks, and I have room in size 5 shoes.

It was a risk buying the 4. But they turned out to be a tight fit. When my feet are swollen larger, just about ok if you pull and twist them on, with the rotating strap to the front, a snug fit. At least I can get them on.

Disadvantages - the fit

The style is wide and wide enough. But at first the shoes seemed to press down on the top of my toes. Maybe I just need to dry my toes and be careful they are not prone to athletes foot and swelling. Change out of the wet shoes. 

When I read up on the history of Crocs, I read that they had invested in researching and using a flexible material which moulds to your feet, extra comfort, no risk of chafing or pressing. 

A cheaper shoe might not have this. I inserted a toilet roll support from a finished roll. I used this to keep the wet shoe top raised. That seemed to help. You could also insert a plastic shoe shaper. Or just ram in newspaper. (Only in dry shoes because otherwise  the newspaper might leak coloured ink).

Disadvantages - the look - the shape

The shoes were slightly different shapes. The left shoe tow was slightly wider and had a piece of extra black moulding (rubber feel) inside. I broke it off. Never mind.  As luck would have it, I needed a slightly larger toe space anyway.

Disadvantages - The look - the edges

A day later, inspecting the shoes carefully, I noticed that the holes in the top had ragged edges. You could pull the tiny thin pieces off or cut them. At a distance you don't notice. If you are a fusspot, this might annoy you. 

The same applies to my bright yellow and pink pair.

Shoe Searches

Once you are on the shoe search system, offers will find you. I searched several websites as well as constantly reading newspaper articles, Wikipedia accounts of companies, about pages of companies, and signing up for email notifications of price reductions.

 The websites often force you to sign up for emails and notification. I like getting informed of price reductions. But my gmail is so full I need a new computer.

Crocs are easy to find if you already have a pair. Their website is on the Crocs. It even says Boulder, Colorado, so you know where they started.

The other thing I look for, is whether I will fall over in the wet, if the shoes slip about in a shower, or by the pool.

Useful Websites

www.crocs.com

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