0845 680 0251
Top 50 most memorable shoe stories


Since our launch in Autumn 2003 we've been following all the best shoe stories; some of them funny, others inspiring and many just plain weird.

But we don't want to shoe-story-following to end there. If you think we've missed one out let us know - if you're the first to suggest a good story that we add to the list, we will give you 10% off your next order (you must have a valid account).

Email editor@shunews.shudoo.co.uk with a link to your story suggestion and be sure to include the email address of your Shudoo account.

Part One - Stories 1 - 25 | Part Two - Stories 26 - 50 | Your Suggestions


1 Shop owner threatens shoplifters to hand over shoes
Shop owner Gabe Fidanque was losing  up to $1000 a month thanks to shoplifters.

When caught he threatened them with police action unless - now get this - they handed over one of their shoes!

Last year Fidanque was told he could face jail himself. What we want to know is, what did he do with the odd shoes?

Police stamp out anti-theft trick - BBC News
2 Theresa May dons wellies on stage at Tory party conference
Famous for the "nasty party" comment as well as her sexy kitten heels, Theresa May is no stranger to eye-catching shoes.

She took to the stage at the 2007 Conservative party conference in leopard skin wellingtons!

Does she get the thumbs up from you?

The leopardskin wellies taking the Tory party conference by storm - Daily Mail
3 Shoes. Journalist. George W Bush. You know the story
Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi rose to noteriety overnight after throwing shoes at US President George W Bush.

It was all in a days work for Bush who later joked "If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe that he threw,".

It seems Mr al-Zaidi hs set a new trend - see #10 below.

Shoes thrown at Bush on Iraq trip - BBC News

Michele Obi of My Fashion Life says "Finally one thing to praise Bush about – his reflex skills!"   Louise Roe - Presenter of Clothes Show London says " This story was just the perfect, hilarious end to Bush's term in office!"
4 Imelda Marcos shoes for auction
How would you feel if your collection of 1,220 pairs of shoes were about to be auctioned off by the authorities?

OK, well most of us don't have as many shoes as Imelda Marcos, but still it must hurt!

Imagine the size of her shoe closet.

Philippines may auction Marcos' shoes, gowns - USA Today

Nick Ede of ihatemylook.com says "Imelda is simply one of the few women who can possess so many shoes and have so little taste – she should take a leaf out of her shoe competitor Mariah Carey and think about what she buys rather than just buy!"
5 Peter Mandleson's EU shoe import battle
Peter Mandleson won a political victory, a shoe one at that. In 2006 he was supported by his EU compadres in blocking imports of shoes from Asia, all in the name of protecting European manufacturers.

The news angered many in the retail industry, who predicted customers would have to foot the extra 10% cost.

Mandelson angers retailers with levy on Chinese shoes - Times Online
6 Shoe bomber has no regrets
Shoe bomber Richard Reid stunned us all when he said he had "no regrets" and that he wasn't "crazy".

Luckily for us all he has been jailed for 110 years.

Shoe bomber Reid: no regrets over mid-air death plot - Daily Mail
7 Woman moves house to accommodate £50k worth of shoes
How do you solve a problem like not having anywhere to fit £50k worth of shoes? Buy a new house of course.

Carolyn Smith just needs to buy two pairs of shoes per week or she gets unhappy.

And now she's amassed over 400 pairs she needs more space to put them in.

We had to buy a bigger home... to house my £50k worth of shoes - The Sun

Nick A of Heels of Wheels says " Just think of the rise in house prices if everyone starting buying second homes for their shoes."  
8 Botox in your feet. Seriously
Aching feet after wearing heels? Hmmm, somebody forgot their foot botox injections didn't they?

Our fashionista friends across the pond have taken to plumping up the balls of their feet with botox. Apparently it can keep you in your heels for longer.

At £295 a pop will you be having a go?

Fashionistas turn to Botox injections to protect feet from ultra-high heels... as the first 8inch stilettos are launched - Daily Mail
9 Blue Peter's "Guess Whose Shoes" competition
Show celebrity feet on screen. Urge people to ring in and guess who they belong to. Award the winner a prize. Competition over. If only things were that simple.

14,000 children (and pushy parents) called in to enter the competition, but little did they know the phone lines had failed, leading to the competition being fixed.

Dear oh dear..

Blue Peter phone-in received 14,000 calls - Guardian
10 Britain's continued obsession with the Chinese and shoes
What must the Chinese think of us? First we ban their shoes from coming into the country (see #5) and then we throw our own at their Prime Minister (like our friend Mr al-Zaidi - see #3).

People. Shoes are for having fun with, not for protest.

Shoe thrown at Chinese Prime Minister - The Telegraph
11 The problem with having a supermodel wife
What does the French President have in common with Rod Stewart? They both know the downside of having a supermodel wife - she's always going to be the taller one.

On a trip to Britain last year Nicolas Sarkozy gave himself an extra lift, whilst his considerate missus opted for a pair of designer flats.

Love's young dream. .

Carla brought down to size by petit Sarkozy - Metro
12 Victoria Beckham defys gravity in heel-less boots
She looks a million dollars at the best of times, and if she's got something to launch you can bet your bottom dollar Victoria Beckham's outfit will turn heads.

But who really could have expected Posh to wear boots without heels?

These Antonio Berardi creations are just mad! How she walks in those things, we don't know.

Victoria Beckham reveals space-age Antonio Berardi boots at Macy's - NY Daily
13 Britain's oldest shoe
Ever wondered about Britain's oldest shoe ever, ever, ever? Fear not, we have the facts right here!

It was found in May 2005 in Somerset. It's a size 10. It survived because it was oxygen starved and erm... it's 2,500 years old.

Want more, you'll have to read further on The Independent.

Britain's oldest shoe was a size 10 - The Independent
14 High heels good for your knees; PROVEN
According to researchers at the University of Warwick you're more likely to develop knee problems as a result of scrubbing rather than clubbing.

Apparently there is a link between dancing in three-inch heels and a reduced risk of knee problems with heavy housework, such as scrubbing, having the opposite effect.

Who would've thought it?

High heels may be good for your knees - icBirmingham

Chantelle Znideric says "As an image consultant most of my clients specify ‘comfort’ as integral in my choice of shoes for them, but after this bit of news I think there will be a few changes of heart"
Vivien Wilson of Vivien of Holloway says "After all if you walk properly in high heels it definetly improves your posture, I am transformed body and soul when wearing my favourite heels."
15 High heels may improve your sex life
According to Italian urologist and lover of high heels Dr Maria Cerruto says wearing high heels improves your pelvic floor muscles; which, you guessed it, boosts your sex life.

One to remember next time you need to explain your shoe purchases!

High heels 'may improve sex life' - BBC News
16 Rudey Nudey causes lock down
Rudey Nudey causes lock down A man in Oregon, USA, caused quite a stir when he was spotted sitting on a bench on the basement floor of a nearly vacant medical building. Did we mention that he was wearing nothing but a pair of women’s high heels?!

The starkers man caused a building lockdown by police.

We’re all for letting your shoes do the talking... but come on, one must know when to draw the line!

Mystery nude man in heels - Fox News
17 Chop chop - Cosmetic surgery for feet
Nip a bit in here, chop a bit off there... We are living in the 21st Century and cosmetic surgery is commonplace.

But surgery on your feet? Now that’s a whole different kettle of fish.

Foot and toe tweaking can cost thousands – but hey, you can’t put a price on beauty!

Surgery on your feet to fit your shoes - Times Online

Susannah Baron of Figleaves says "Ouch, there must be easier routes to beautiful feet than this - like a good pedicure and flattering shoes."
18 Poor old Heather Mills
Celebrity sweetheart (ha ha ha) Heather Mills was left in the cold after no-one bothered to turn up to her celebrity shoe auction.

The estranged wife of Sir Paul McCartney was launching an auction of celebrity shoes on eBay to raise funds for the Mines Advisory Group charity.

Heather Mills feels a right heel as no one turns up to shoe auction - Daily Mail
19 Madonna in gun shoe outrage
Madonna made the front pages once more after controversially stepping out onto the red carpet in none-other than a pair of shoes with hand gun heels.

With all of the current campaigns for the end of gun crime, Madonna’s shoes caused quite a stir as many believed that she was sending a bad message to her fans.

Madonna controversial gun shoes - Metro

Natalie Robinson of Style Icon says "Fashion is controversial as is Madonna. She's never been afraid to express her style. Fashion allows us to do this."
20 Diablo Cody says 'NO' to $1 million dollar shoes
Surely any girl would kill to wear a pair of $1 million dollar shoes. Apparently not if you’re Diablo Cody.

Designer Stuart Weitzman offered the pair of shoes to the Juno writer to be worn at the Academy Awards – but Diablo turned them down!

The shoes contained more than 1,800 Kwiat diamonds. *Drool*

Diablo Cody passed on the chance to wear $1million shoes to oscars - Digital Spy
21 Kinky Boots hits the big screen
2005 saw the release of the Golden Globe Award-nominated British comedy film about a traditional Northampton shoemaker, who turned his hand to making, well, kinky boots!

Charlie Price, played by Joel Edgerton, turned his hand to producing fetish footwear in order to save the sinking family business and the jobs of his workers.

Kinky boots the film released - Wikipedia
22 Shoe tree mystery continues to baffle
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?! No, no. It’s just a shoe in a tree.

The curious mystery of a tree on the A40 which has, for 30 years, been bedecked by dozens of pairs of shoes, has proved so intriguing to the British public that more than £265,000 of heritage lottery funding was granted to The Chilterns Woodlands Project to help provide a definitive answer.

Despite the thick flow of funds streamed into solving this modern day mystery, the case remains unsolved.

Shoes being hung in tree in Buckinghamshire for over 30 years - The Telegraph
23 Finally, heels that WON'T cripple you to tears!
In the blue corner we have Fashion. And in the red corner, introducing Comfort.

DING DING DING.

Fashion and comfort have for years gone together like chalk and cheese. However, things were set to change.

Design student Aimie Whiting created the ingenious three inch polyurethane high heel shoes which compress when worn, relieving pressure and strain on tired feet.

HALLELUJAH! All hail Aimie Whiting!

The 24-hour high heel - party all night with no sore feet - Stuff.co.nz
24 The British Army bounds into the fashion industry, sort of
The army took steps on unknown territory when they entered the tropical world of... shoes.

Armed Forces were breaking new ground because this was the first commercial product to be developed in association with the Army and sold for profit.

The trainers were said to stand up well against more well known brands.

British army launches running shoe - Times Online
25 Heels are good for your feet! Well, they're not bad...
Well, they're not THAT bad anyway... You can say what you like about heels; that they can give you blisters, bunions or whatever else you care to throw into the mix of potential ailments, but it has been confirmed that wearing high heels does NOT increase your chances of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

Wahoo!

Now if that’s not an excuse to buy a cheeky new pair of heels then I just don’t know what is!

High Heels Acquitted of Causing Arthritis - Red Orbit
Part One - Stories 1 - 25 | Part Two - Stories 26 - 50 | Your Suggestions