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Does anyone out there know who makes good quality dress shoes that are comfortable? I usually walk around in cheap ballerina flats, because they look okay, but they are not comfortable at all. Plus, they wear out pretty quickly in this damp humid weather. Sometimes it rains so much I don't have time to get the shoes dry before I have to wear them again; the water does something to the glue that holds the shoes together.
It depends on what type of shoe you want to wear. But first, here's an important message from an almost 40 year old woman. Forget about finding comfortable high heels. They don't exist, because human beings aren't supposed to balance most of their body weight on a platform the size of a pencil lead. So those are out. If you want the high heel look, I have heard wedges are pretty comfortable, but I haven't worn them myself. Aerosoles offer a very comfortable casual to dressy loafers and low heeled shoes. As for boots, the only ones I wear regularly are Ariat hiking boots, which I bought at Tractor Supply. But I'm not really a girly girl. Ariats are super comfortable, and I've done everything in them from pooper scooping my yard to going on long hiking treks in the forests of Alaska.
As for tennis shoes, I always wear Nikes, but different brands suit different people. I wear tennis shoes for my work in the medical field and to exercise. I suggest you don't go cheap on those, especially if you exercise or work in them, so I always get custom fitted for those at a running store. They watch me run in them, size my foot in them, and order my brand and size. It's expensive, but worth every penny, because they last me about a year. In terms of sandals, I usually get leather ones with padding. Clark's is a good brand, but I think a lot of them are ugly, so I'm picky and get the ones with flowers and ruffles. I have a few pairs that I've worn for years. The moral of the story is, don't go cheap on shoes. Your feet carry you everywhere, and it's torture to walk around in pain.
Someone at the shoe store recommended stain-proof slip-resistant shoes from the nursing supply store, but I thought they were a bit plain. They certainly aren't the style of shoe I would wear with a nice dress if I wanted to make a great impression. I want something slightly dressier than a loafer.
Your style may vary but these are brands of shoes that I have found to be comfortable without having to wear ugly potato shoes: Donald J Pliner, Cole Haan, Doc Martens, Grip Fast, Dansko, Gentle Souls, John Fluevog. Tod's and Fendi are surprisingly comfortable also.
The above shoe brands range from girly to industrial, I like having a wide shoe variety. : )
Does anyone out there know who makes good quality dress shoes that are comfortable? I usually walk around in cheap ballerina flats, because they look okay, but they are not comfortable at all. Plus, they wear out pretty quickly in this damp humid weather. Sometimes it rains so much I don't have time to get the shoes dry before I have to wear them again; the water does something to the glue that holds the shoes together.
Try Jambu. Most models are extremely comfortable, although the style may not be as feminine as some would like (no pointy toes).
Also, consider boots. Boots are much more comfortable than shoes, and in many work environments you can get away with them with skirts and dresses. Not high-heeled boots - try Jambu, Dansko, or another comfort brand of boot with a low heel. One great thing about boots is you can usually wear them a half size bigger to get more room in the toe box without having them slide off your feet like with a shoe.
I think corso como makes the best looking comfort shoes hands down. I also love Kenneth Cole Collection (not reaction) ballet flats. They have flaxseed arch pillows.
I find Cole Haan to be pretty comfy.
I prefer boots in the rain. And I add the water resistant spray about 2x a year. I also have ll bean rain flats that are fairly comfy.
I also add insoles (drugstore mostly) to my flats and it makes a huge difference. The 3/4 insole works great.
Find better-made ballerina flats. Even brands with an athletic focus, like Puma, make them. Merrell, Ahnu, Acorn, Clarks ... they all make comfortable dress shoes.
I found a pair of Easy Spirit dress flats that I love. I've never liked their shoes, but this pair is so comfortable. I also find Bandolino shoes to be very comfortable.
Everyones feet are different so its difficult to recommend a particular brand/shoe. It took me a while to find shoes that are comfortable and look nice I settled on Merrells and some Clarks.
Merrell has their Q form footbed, it suits my feet, has plenty of arch support and the styles are wide enough not to crunch my toes but still look good. I can pick up a size 8 Merrell and know it will fit which means I get some great deals on the internet.
Clarks are a more moveable feast, some of their shoes fit, some don't. I have a high arch which means the top of my foot is also high and I find some of their shoes actually hurt when I try them on. Currently I have one pair of Clarks shoes and a pair of winter boots.
I try to stay away from fashion brands as they tend to put style ahead of comfort most times.
I, too, wore the "cheap" shoes for many years, and I got away with it...for a while.
Then the Plantar Fasciitis started. A big contributing factor was wearing cheap shoes all the time. So now I only wear quality shoes, and usually tennis shoes, because I do walk and stand a lot at my job. For dressier shoes, I wear a good quality boat shoe with arch support.
Also, never wear the same pair of shoes 2 days in a row. Alternate what you wear. This allows the shoes to dry out from perspiration and from the rain you've been walking in.
If you have a DSW shoe warehouse near you, go there to try on lots of different brands and styles. Their prices are very reasonable and they sell lots of quality shoes, from athletic to dressy to boots.
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