Comfortable, cute work shoes

April 1, 2009 5:44 AM

How hard can it be to find women's work shoes that are comfortable AND cute? (UK)

I have foot issues and can't wear high thin heels or, conversely, very flat shoes which don't offer any cushioning like sandals and ballet pumps. I live in Timberlands, boots, and other forms of closed low-to-mid heeled shoes which have better support for feet. This is only really a problem in summer when I want to wear shoes which keep my feet cool and look appropriate with skirts and dresses. (Ugly shoes are less of an issue when teamed with trousers, I find.) I plan to get a pair of Chaco's or similar for casual use, but we can't wear open-toed shoes in the office.

So my question: where in the UK can I find shoes that are suitable for summer workwear, not ugly, and which won't be painful? My feet are about 6 UK but a little wide.

I've looked through the similar threads here on Ask Mefi which have been helpful, but haven't really seen the workwear issue addressed.

Thanks all

posted by Ziggy500 to clothing, beauty, & fashion (15 comments total)

check out the birkenstock line. They aren't just for hippies anymore. They have some nice looking shoes. I've met with legislators in a pair of Birkenstock Londons. Extremely comfortable.
posted by crapples at 6:07 AM on April 1

You could try what American nurses and librarians like to wear: Danskos. I love them. A quick search for "dansko uk" suggests they might be available over there.

Birkenstock makes a line called Footprints which is available in the UK.
posted by bluedaisy at 6:13 AM on April 1

Ecco. The most comfortable work shoes around, YMMV as to how fashionable you find them. They are stocked all over the UK so you should be able to find a pair and try them on.
posted by fire&wings at 6:14 AM on April 1

Not addressing your problem directly, but wool socks have made all the difference with regards to keeping my feet cool, which was one of your concerns in the summer. And if your feet do sweat, wool isn't nearly as awful as cotton socks.
posted by notsnot at 6:27 AM on April 1 [1 favorite]

In the UK, I'm not sure you can find Danskos, but you can probably find Sanita clogs. I highly recommend the Marcelle mary jane - these are my dress-up shoes.
posted by chez shoes at 6:55 AM on April 1

My wife looks her duo boots and I think they do shoes as well.
posted by laukf at 7:29 AM on April 1

I have similar foot issues to you, I think, and I live in Merrell sandals in the summer. I wore them every day while vacationing in Washington D.C. and New York City and never had any problems with my feet being sore. I think these are cute (and not open-toed).

Seen in another AskMe thread: these adorable (to me, admittedly) Mary Janes. Looks like Keen can be bought in the UK or at least online and shipped there. They're really good shoes, too.
posted by cooker girl at 7:30 AM on April 1

Clarks! I think it's even a UK brand.
posted by TrixieRamble at 7:40 AM on April 1

I've recently found and fallen in love with El Naturalista shoes. There a fair number of UK stockists, according to the website.

I'm a wide-footed size 5.5, and I find myself slightly reluctant to take off my Iggdrasils (Mary Janes) when I come home, even after a long day on my feet. I've only had them for a month, so I can't comment on their durability, but I do wear them most days and they still look great.
posted by Ophelia at 7:46 AM on April 1

I have a broad foot, UK size about 4.75, which makes things awkward, as I have to buy either a 4.5 or a 5. But I've had good results from Viva La Diva, which has some lovely shoes in wide fittings. I downloaded a foot measuring guide from the internet (.pdf or here) to get exactly the right size, but this is a little more flexible with sandals where a back strap can be adjusted for fit if you find you're an inbetween size.

Prices go from ridiculously low to the higher end of the scale. These, for example, are £15, these are £12, and these are £20.
posted by essexjan at 8:13 AM on April 1

Those Sanita Marcelles are exactly Dansko Marcelles. Must just be different branding. I have Marcelles and love them.
posted by bluedaisy at 8:23 AM on April 1

I have a pair of kumpfs and love them. They can be expensive, but if you ever get an orthotic insole to help your foot problems, they're just about the only shoe company I found with a significant range of orthotic-capable shoes.
posted by skaye at 10:28 AM on April 1

I really like Naots. They have cork footbeds so they mold to your feet.
posted by vespabelle at 12:46 PM on April 1

Privo, by Clark
posted by kestrel251 at 2:08 PM on April 1

Thanks all, these are great answers... I'm looking forward to checking all of these out.
posted by Ziggy500 at 6:14 AM on April 2