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I wear clogs and/or mules all the time. Never had a pair of Birkenstock but would like to try a pair. As expensive as they are I'd like to know how they fit with fallen arches and swollen feet. Note: no sandals please........
Birkenstock is the most uncomfortable shoe I have ever worn! Some say it takes a while to break it in and then you're good to go. But I couldn't take the radiating pain on my legs. I think they're all hype. But enough consumers like them so ymmv.
Have you tried any on? They are different due to the molding in the footbed. The cork will feel strange to your feet at first as there's no cushy padding, but it will mold to shape over time slightly. You'll feel it in the arch particularly. Might be too much arch, but its hard to predict. Your toes will "learn" to grip the ridges in the sole and this is good for them. People comment on how long they last without breaking down. The shoes fit loosely (so your toes exercise harder), so for swollen feet they might be great. Its really hard to predict how they'll work with YOUR feet. Maybe a Birkenstock website can tell you more about choosing one for arch problems.
I tried a pair once. I found the footbed uncomfortable; it felt like sandpaper against my bare feet. The leather straps had a hard edge and dug into my feet uncomfortably. I never got them wet, but the metal buckles on both shoes rusted badly and totally disintegrated after a couple of years.
I don't find them ugly at all, and they are extremely comfortable. I have a high arch and very narrow heels; Birkenstocks work with my weird foot shape.
Ugly must be in the eye of the beholder. What I find ugly are high heels that misshape one's leg and posture.
I practically lived in Birkenstocks in my late 20's, they have an "earthy" look, not a glam or stylish sandal, obviously I thought they were very comfortable. But now almost 50 years later & after decades of wearing cheap sneakers & working on my feet I need custom orthotics & I'm not sure if even the high arch Birks would work for me, but I would go back in a minute if they would.
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