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Where to buy shoes?

CaeruleusCaeruleus (51 posts) • 0

One other thought.. If it is a Chinese wedding, attending in a suit is not necessarily the norm. Might want to check on the attire they expect before you run around and pay too much for things.

SpartansSpartans (184 posts) • 0

I'm 6'3 and wear 47 shoes. it's im-po-ssi-ble to find in regular stores, however when I was living in Nanjing I met a laoban that is specialized in tall men clothes and shoes.

Now, I just buy from him. He has great quality looooooooooong legged jeans that won't make you look like a crab fisher and show your socks... Black, blue, summer, winter, thicker, chinos, khakis, you name it.

My legs are 114 centimeters, so regular pants (110) are like hip-hop shorts to me, and to make things more difficult I have a small waist, 32 or 33, I'm glad that that guy has my fit.

He also has some great looking shoes, black classic dress shoes, oxfords, brown shoes, boots, driving... everything. All 45,46,46,47,48,49.

Most of his clients are either from Harbin and many are basketball Players, lol. Let me know what you need and I will ask him. He usually send tons of pictures of options of what you need.

BillDan (268 posts) • 0

"many shops sell your shoe size." (Really? Many? Then what are the names of a few of them -about six- with addresses?)

No. Many shops in KM have shoes that have a little tag that says they are his shoe size, but in fact those shoes are all 43's. I again had this experience a couple weeks ago. I was near the Nanping Jie area, the shopping area, and we saw a store with a big sign that advertised shoes in the size range of 45 to 48. I was so happy I nearly wept. Well I did eventually weep, but out of joy. But because I was so stupid to believe for a split second that this store was not another bait and switch rat hole. Not even bait switch. Something more insidious is going on here. I am convinced now that all of this is an actual organized scam.

I went into the shop and asked to try on a pair of 45's. My size would be a 44 actually and I tend to make due with tight 43's with the padding taken out. I was actually wearing a pair of 45's I had bought in Shanghai in desperation last time I was there. I don't like the shoes and last week the soles fell off as I was hiking. Great. I needed new shoes suddenly.

The girls brought out some shoes that said 45 on the little piece of paper but they looked small. I tried them on and they were tighter than the 43 sneakers I wear as a last resort. I told her these could be 45's and she showed me the tag: yup, has 45 printed right on it. God knows Chinese shop keepers would do something like put this tag on shoes of any size.

I tried a pair of 46's. The same. The girl said they have 48's. WTF. My feet are ot that big, but I said okay. I figured maybe 48's wold fit like 44's or 45's. I swear to God Almighty, those damned shoes were as tight or tighter than my 43's still. 48's! I showed the girl my 45's -had the tag in them- from Shanghai and said that the 48'sd should be larger than them but are not. She was not moved, and showed me the 48 tag again on her shoes. As if that trumps everything. I asked for a pair of 43's and she got some off the shelf and I held them next to the 48's and they were all but the same exact same size. I was getting cranky but managed myself well enough. Hate when something like this ruins my whole day or decade. I saw no point in trying on 47's.

I want to inform the local Chinese shoe retailers here that putting a tag on shoes that are obviously 43's that says 45 or 48 or whatever does not really make that shoe that size. The shoe does not grow magically. Total deliberate scam.

lemon lover (1006 posts) • 0

Having a complicated size 47 myself I do not even try to look for shoes in Kunming. I have to stock up in Europe and even there it is hard enough (And often made in China).
But one tip that will not help you for your wedding but others living or travelling around these parts of the world.
HANOI. In the center of Hanoi at the back of the "Water puppet teatre" there is a shoe market and some of the shops there sell shoes in large sizes (Mind you not to much choice either but better than Kunming)

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