Costume Footwear - A Cautionary Tale

[Grendel67]

Hi All.

Last year I attended Dragon*Con in Atlanta. I had an excellent time, both in and out of costume.

I was visiting a friend who lives in Atlanta, and who was also Director of the "Rise of the Independents" discussion panels. The costume, that I had schlepped all the way over from the UK, was a Darth Maul custom made (for 6' 3" frame) with full length hooded cape and full head latex mask (my wife wouldn't let me 'shave' for the weekend). Sadly I was unable to pack my dual lightsabers as I was already at my max weight allowance due to the pride component of my costume . . . .

my Frank Thomas Titan 101 Goretex boots !

Over the course of the weekend I spent about 15 hours in costume, wandering around the exhibition areas, chatting to new friends, and posing for numerous photographs - the highlight of my weekend, I have to say.

However . . . .

Although the boots I had were great, and a good fit, I had failed to consider that for hours of motorcycling a "good fit" would be acceptable, . . . . but for hours of walking round hotels and up and down the staircases and 'hills' of Atlanta, a "good fit" became a "tight fit".

I had expected blisters and a bit of ankle chafing from wearing boots for such long periods (remember, these are designed as a protective static boot, not a walking boot), but what I was not prepared for was the damage to my toenails.

Both of my big-toe toenails were hammered relentlessly by the continual striding/stalking/prowling - an absolute must for any Sith - but it wasn't until about a month after I returned from Atlanta that I realised how much damage I had actually done . . . . when one of my toenails came off while I was cutting it. Two weeks later I lost the second one (came off in my sock), and then only a month ago I managed to lose a third toenail.

So . . . .

If you are going to a costume event and intend wearing your costume all day (or on consecutive days), and will be striding/stalking/prowling or marching, please don't repeat my mistake. Make sure your boots fit well and are comfortable for all activities . . . . unless, of course, you actually want freaky no-nail toes . . . . !

 

[Dynofiend]

Same thing happened to me as Iron Man. Shoes were a tiny bit constricted and the laces not tied on the inside of the foam boots. 30 hours of walking = bruised toes for 3 weeks and the nails are off too!

 

[Alpha Proto]

In my latex coated Lizardman costume everyone thought the heat bothered me. The thing that I could not stand was how bad my feet , and neck hurt. The weight of the costume was setting a bit on my shoulders, but it was all falling into my feet!
I had a cheap pair of sandals on in my 50+ pound Lizardman costume. The circulation in my feet and legs was horrible after 6 hours in costume. My feet were hurting for weeks.:cry

DO NOT WEAR SANDALS in heavy costumes.

 

[Scapey]

One of the rules I have for my section of the UKCM Colonial Marines is "Accuracy is nice, but comfort is more important when it comes to boots".

Colonial Marines wore Vietnam issue jungle boots in "Aliens", and whilst replicas are available that look great, anything other than the real thing are likely to kill your feet.
I found out the hard way.

 

[flyaway]

Thanks for the warning, I reckon I'll be spending my free time today reviewing my planned footwear on my costumes!

 

[Hogosha]

As far as the replica jungle boots go..... You are right, they are horrible when it comes to comfort. I would always put good inserts in them an they worked out fine.

 

[Lycanthropica]

One of the only cons to being in a wheelchair, not feeling how uncomfy my stupid costume shoes are!

 

[Little Fett]

Sorry to hear about your injuries, brother.
Footwear is all too often neglected by costumed because of either price or more often accuracy. Bad shoes coupled with vision restricted by masks, helmets, or color contacts can be a recipe for disaster.
I have the misfortune of owning a pair of these for 3 different costumes

And they are a serious hazard, especially on escalators. i have nearly fallen a number of times, and the open toes make for misery in crowds (especially around girls in heels:facepalm).
for everyone out there who's been there, here's my 2 cents on footwear;
Never wear tight shoes. No matter how accurate they are, or how long you've had them, if you're gunna be wearing them for any amount of time, your shoes CANNOT be the least bit tight. constricted toes lead to aces, numbness, and swelling, which will only compound the issue.
Keep 'em clean. If you're anything like me, you wear your costume shoes a few times a year, and throw them in a box in your closet for the rest of the year. not good. If you can wash them, do it. If not, after each day of wear, let them air out outside or in a dry well ventilated area for a day before tossing them back in storage. A dusting of antifungal shoe powder can work wonders too, before and after a day of marching. It'll keep your feet dry (which will cut down on blisters) and stink free.
Think hard before you buy. Really consider all your options before buying what could literally be the Acilles' heel of your costume. if it looks like you could break an ankle wearing them, don't buy em. That being said, some cushy inserts can work wonders.
Above all Watch your Step. This is a must around stairs, escalators, coffee tables, and crowds (for the good of your feet and those of the costumers around you). I'm serious about those coffee tables. If your vision is the least bit restricted, these con sharks will find you and put you face down on the ground. To help with vision, take off masks and helmets when you're not marching, prowling, or having pictures taken. Its worth breaking character to avoid a painful and possibly expensive faceplant in full costume.

Ok, sorry for the book, but I think this is a serious unaddressed problem in costuming.

 

[BornKilr]

As far as the replica jungle boots go..... You are right, they are horrible when it comes to comfort. I would always put good inserts in them an they worked out fine.

Exactly. I wear knock-off jungle boots on a regular basis and I always buy a set of the thicker, gel type inserts and usually an additional arch support piece and I can wear them all day.

 

[fleefromme]

i took my teddy bear barbarian costume for a test run at the Renascence fair in tuxedo, ny and i was soooo glade that i did. the sandles i wore for the costume had great support, but they cut into my foot. my injury wasnt as bad as sum but at a con i would have been miserable.

 

[faille]

I'm basically reduced to tears after a day of con in high heels. I honestly don't know how others do it with a smile on their face all day. Never lost a toe nail, but have ended up with Morton's Neuroma I think (where the toe goes kind of numb) and definitely have had black and blue nails. It is slightly comforting to know that it's not just heels that have this issue. Don't think I would have thought of that being a problem for boots

Part of why I want to do Cheetara so badly.. glue some vibram soles to my feet and be DONE!!

 

[andveryginger]

Having worked in a place where it's not unheard of to wander a mile or so between offices, I learned the importance of good footwear. It's really one of the few concessions to accuracy I'll willingly make. Sore feet make me cranky and the last thing I wanna be is cranky when dealing with 50,000+ of my closest friends!

 

[verdaera]

I think trying to break in shoes before con is a good idea too.

I have worn some pretty heinous shoes for costumes before, the worst was a pair of historical replica shoes with a pointed toe. The manufacturer sized them all according to length instead of accounting for the lost toe space in the point. When in doubt I say go a size larger as your feet will swell and you can fix extra room with insoles. I always pack cushy gel bandaids for my heels and little toe if shoes start to rub, too.

Last year, my most absolute comfortable costume was a hobbit.... I went barefoot!!
I thought the hard floors would hurt my feet, but no. Brought sandals for when I was outside or got yelled at by security (only once). You just have to be aware of personal space to avoid getting stepped on.