Women's work shoes?

[Ed W]

This is one of those the-guy-just-doesn't-get-it kind of questions.  I have two pairs of work shoes, one for winter and one for summer.  I work in an electronics shop, so appearance isn't an issue.

Number One Daughter, however, works in a department store where she's expected to be nicely dressed each day.  This necessitates 14,000 pairs of shoes, and nearly all of them make her feet hurt.  I've tried to help by pointing out good, practical shoes designed for standing and walking.  My efforts are met with heavy sighs and that patented 'oh, you stupid man' look that so many women develop in my vicinity.  Dunno why.

Do any of you recommend a line of shoes or a shoe store that carries good-looking work shoes suitable for a retail shop?  Yes, I'll probably get the look again, but I keep trying anyway.  I'm a father and a husband.  It's probably genetic.

[FOTD]

There's a footwear store at 58th and Lewis in London Square South ..... Just south of the Sonic on the west side of Lewis.

They have what she will need.

Good shoes are vital to the knees, hips, and back. Dansk and Echo are good shoes.

[RecycleMichael]

I am not a good authority on this topic. My kids are only the third generation of my family to regularly wear shoes.

Here is a shoe joke however...

A woman walks into a shoe shop and sees a pair of shoes made from alligator skin that she likes. "How much for these shoes?" she asked the store manager.

"$200", he replies.

"That's too expensive! Can't you bring the price down?"

The store manager said he can't, and gets irritated when the woman persists.

Finally after arguing with her for a while he says, "There's a pond with alligators behind the store! Why don't you kill an alligator and get your alligator shoes free?!".

"Fine I will," the woman replies.

After an hour, the manager gets a bit worried that the woman might have come to harm with the alligators. He decides to go out and check on her.

When he arrives at the pond, he sees her lugging a dead alligator and flinging it on the ground next to 6 other dead ones.

Before he could ask what she is doing, she wails "Oh my god! This one doesn't have any shoes either!"

[tulsa_fan]

I'm short, I need heels to feel "professional" when I am dressed for work.  I will say my favorite brand is for comfort and style is Nine West, I have two pairs of boots from them with 2.5 inch heels and I can walk in them all day with no problem.   Those other two brands mentioned will get you "the look" again.  They are outdoorsy looking, no heels.  Etc.  Colehan makes heels know and they are pretty good.  My problem, as may be daughter #1s, is I also have 14,000 pairs of shoes, and since my salary doesn't compensate as such to afford quality for that many, I have shoes from every store in the world.  I haven't found too many cheap shoes that are nice to the feet.

Another place to check is the Glass Slipper at 81st & Lewis, last I checked last week, they were having their big 50% off sale and she might be able to catch some good ones.

If she finds the great shoe, please come back and advise, the older I am getting the more important comfort is becoming, but I still refuse to wear flats, or "grandma" shoes.  []

Ahh, what a good subject to me, I'm proud of these other guys for at least attempting answers!  []

[AngieB]

I am a sensible shoe girl...but I still have at least 14,000 pair. I have never been able to walk in heels. Kitten heels, OK. But any higher, no can do.

But high heels are so pretty! I did a little research last week on what is the most comfortable high heel brand...Aerosoles kept coming up as the most affordable. So I ordered a pair so I can start practicing.

Aerosoles are great because they have rubble soles and are more flexible. There are a lot of really great shoes on the their website on sale. The pair I got were regularly $89.99, on sale for $19.99.

But really, give it up. At best, you might be able to get her into some bejeweled ballet flats. Tell her that Tim Gunn says they are always classy and appropriate. []

[Ed W]

Uh, yeah...Tim Gunn.

Actually, I had to go look this up - "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, a reality show in which Gunn gives advice to the fashion-challenged, debuted September 6, 2007 on the Bravo television network. ..."

I didn't have a clue.

She did talk to a guy about orthotics, but when I looked at the prices, I thought she'd be better off with shoes that fit right in the first place rather than inserts that attempted to correct their faults.  

Oh, and I did run across a site that touted 'travel shoes' meant to be presentable yet comfortable for walking.  Of course, I haven't been able to find it again, and this machine is set up to delete all the temporary internet files at the end of the day.  Sigh.

[RecycleMichael]

I recommend this site for shoes...

http://www.feathersclownshoes.com/women.htm

[Ed W]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

I recommend this site for shoes...

http://www.feathersclownshoes.com/women.htm

You're trying to get me killed, aren't you?

[dayzella]

Ecco and Sofft are 2 brands that I wear when I have an event that means standing for hours.  I can't say enough good things about them.  

I have worn the Aerosoles before - they are good for walking because of the bendy sole, but not so much for long term standing.  They show their wear fast, too.  

Clarks of England is more "dressy casual," but they are comfortable and wear for a long time.  I usually save these for pants wearing days.

I have friends who like the Dansko non-clog lines - they are still too chunky for me.

The Aerosoles show up at DSW often.  The other brands are a little higher in price bracket but can be found at places like Dillard's.  I haven't been here long enough to know about local shoe stores

Zappos.com ships to/fro for free.  They don't have deep discounts, but if your daughter is willing to bend on price in order to try on thousands of shoes and find exactly what she wants, then it is worth the slightly higher price to end up with one or two pairs that fit very well and are of good quality, instead of 14,000 that just suck.  A plain black pump goes with almost everything.

The little heel guards and ball of foot pads from Walgreen's help.  Wearing flats to/from work helps.  Alternating pairs so that the same pair isn't worn two days in a row helps.  Keeping the heel below 3 inches helps (but I know that one is hard.)

Tell her good luck for me - I bet she's stylin'

[kylieosu]

www.tomsshoes.com

I wear these to my office job everyday. Most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. Also, they give a pair to a child in Africa for every pair purchased. Pretty neat.

[cannon_fodder]

My friend god married.  My wife and I slept in the brides room the night before the wedding (roommates that god married) - she had a shoe rack outside her closet that had 78 newish pairs of shoes in it.  78.

I didn't look in here closet, and this wasn't a case of keeping her old shoes (I have three pairs of Teva's in descending condition:  Wear out and about (1-4 years), wear fishing/boating (~4-8), and yard work quality 8+ years old)... these were new looking shoes - 156 of them.  Crazy.

My wife just bought a pair of New Balance for work (she is on here feet, so whatever), she says they are worth it thus far.

[tulsascoot]

You should read Steve Martin's "Cruel Shoes"