The shoe. I have to break in new ones all the time due to my job (postman). After they are broken in I’ll switch back and forth between them and they are still comfortable, so my foot hasn’t changed any.
I’ve found that a fast way to break in shoes are to get them completely wet while you are wearing them. Let them dry (I usually put them at the base of the refridgerater we keep in the garage to dry quicker) and they should be broken in.

The foot remains as is; the shoe is the one that “conforms.”

September 5, 2008, 1:12 AM EDT

Agreed. Except blisters are sometimes involved.

In my state, it is against the law for shoes to give blisters to people.

September 5, 2008, 1:20 AM EDT

Holy cow! Where do you live? I think I can book a moving truck for Monday…

If I told you, EVERYONE would want to move here.

September 5, 2008, 1:43 AM EDT

You don’t think your foot calluses appropriately to the new points of abrasion?

Breaking in a shoe might not change your foot, but depending on how high the heels are, the shoes could very well help you change and tone your butt and legs.

….I would also add that you shouldn’t have to break in new shoes. If they aren’t comfortable in the store, they aren’t fitting your foot correctly to start with….

An excellent point, Snoopy! Good dog!

WHY would anyone leave the store, with ill-fitting shoes?

September 5, 2008, 2:44 PM EDT

@Snoopy You are correct! That is the advice the podiatrist I worked for gave our patients, especially diabetics. If you get blisters or callus from new shoes, they aren’t the right shoes for you.

In a bad shoe situation, it can change your foot. That is a very good reason to buy well-constructed shoes of natural materials.

My father worked in a shoe story to pay for law school. He said that if the shoes don’t fit in the store, don’t buy them.