Pointe Shoe Problems

Pretty much every ballerina struggles at one point or another to find just the right pointe shoe. (If you haven't then I greatly envy you) During my six week intensive I was in between three different brands at once! (Russian Pointes, Capezios and Grishkos) That's quite the stretch and it took a toll on my feet as well. Now it's harsh but is 100% true, some pointe shoe fitters just aren't educated enough with feet and the anatomy of the body to know the right shoe to put you in.
That is truly the key, find a fitter that you can trust, is educated and wants the best for you, not just to make a sale. I've had fitters pushing certain shoes on me just because they are more expensive or have been in stock for a long period of time even if I wasn't so sure about them. Trust your instincts. If you don't absolutely love the shoes then don't buy them. These things are expensive and you may have to dance in them whether you want to or not as many dance stores don't take returns.
Try on a lot of shoes while you're at the store. Make an appointment and allow yourself time to weigh as many options as possible. Even if the fitter doesn't think a certain shoe would be good for you, ask to try it on for giggles because who knows, it could end up fitting like a glove. (This has happened to me on a few occasions)
I'm currently struggling to find the right shoe because while taking a trip to New York, I was fit in a pair of Grishko Triumphs. They're a new model and I absolutely love them. However, the makers are very inconsistent with their shoes. So inconsistent that it got to the point where I could hardly get my foot in one pair of 5 XXX but another pair of 5 XXX fit just right. SO frustrating. So I found that I'm just going to have to try on every pair of shoes before buying them to make sure they fit. One thing you can do is order shoes in bulk (meaning many pairs at once), go to the store once they're in and only buy the ones that fit. Many of my friends do this.
I'm currently using that method with both Grishkos Triumphs and Capezio Tiffany's. Very different shoes but I really like both.
Thanks guys! If you have any comments, questions or requests then leave a comment below!
Ballerinablogger ~