Oh, shoe-t!

March 31, 2011 8:25 AM

Looking for shoes. There are multiple catches.

I am about 16 weeks pregnant. I will expect some amount of ankle swelling to begin in another three months. I wear a 7 /12 wide in a woman's size. The wide is important because the vast majority of styles that do not come in wide do not fit.

They must be slip on because starting around 29 weeks or so, I am expecting, like last time, I will not be able to tie laces or reach down to velcro straps.

They must be appropriate for a relatively casual work environment, and they must stand up to lots of walking.

A few years ago, a coworker of mine had some shoes that looked like loafers but have the sole of a sneaker. Something like that in slip on form would be wonderful.

posted by zizzle to clothing, beauty, & fashion (17 answers total)

Some nurse mates shoes come in comfortable, non-ugly variety.
posted by mooselini at 8:32 AM on March 31, 2011

Zappos search for 7 1/2 W loafers. Many brands on there like Naturalizer, Clarks, Easy Spirit are known for being comfortable walking shoes, and almost all of these are work appropriate. Take your pick.
posted by brainmouse at 8:33 AM on March 31, 2011

And I also suggest the classic Dansko clog, favorite of people who have to stand all day everywhere.
posted by brainmouse at 8:35 AM on March 31, 2011

Keen makes fairly wide (even though most aren't marked/labeled as wide) cute and comfortable shoes. For size reference I have found keen at REI and comfort shoe stores they are worth a look/try http://www.keenfootwear.com/wall/Shoes/women/na/16,527
posted by estronaut at 8:48 AM on March 31, 2011

Aerosoles.com is searchable by size and they have a selection of 7.5W shoes that are slip on. Zappo's may also carry the styles for cheaper.
posted by pointystick at 8:57 AM on March 31, 2011

Here is an endless.com search for 7.5 wide (C/D and E - then have wider options available) loafers and slip-ons. It found 963 options, and you can reduce further by deciding the type of shoes, color, etc.
posted by insectosaurus at 9:02 AM on March 31, 2011

Okay, so this is a bit embarrassing to admit but....

Crocs. Not the ugly-ass holey ones, but the regular ones. Browse around that site and check it out, there are a lot of really nice women's shoes that don't look like the standard crocs but are just as comfortable and easy to wear. I too wear a 7.5 wide, and I found that the Marnie in 7 fits like a dream. You may want to try some on first (is there a crocs "boutique" near you?) but they're now my absolute favourite shoe.
posted by AmandaA at 9:03 AM on March 31, 2011 [1 favorite]

Congratulations!!

I second the Crocs. They are extremely comfy and they actually have some cute styles. They have Mary Jane style that slip on. When I worked in the veterinary field, I wore Crocs all the time as well since we are always moving about and on our feet. My feet never hurt after a long 10 hour day or wearing them. Also, my sister-in-law wears them all the time and she is ALWAYS on her feet because of her job.
posted by zombiehoohaa at 9:08 AM on March 31, 2011

Also, I have wear a 9.5 wide. I never felt like the Crocs were too tight of uncomfortable.
posted by zombiehoohaa at 9:13 AM on March 31, 2011

Some pretty cute Hush Puppies. They have a slight heel.

Another Pair from Hush Puppies

A flatter black pair, not as cute.

Naturalizer Referee, which a teacher friend of mine has, and loves!

Good luck with this. I hate shoe shopping, and have it down almost to a science for myself.
posted by bilabial at 9:14 AM on March 31, 2011

Shoes for Crews
posted by AlliKat75 at 9:30 AM on March 31, 2011

I was going to suggest Crocs as well. I have a hard time going back to wearing regular shoes, especially since my feet are huge and I also need wide width.

They're durable as all get out too. It took two years of constant use (every day, from wake till sleep) to wear the treads off a pair of $7 knockoffs. (At which point, you shouldn't walk on ice with them on. Speaking from experience.)
posted by royalsong at 9:45 AM on March 31, 2011

Please don't get Danskos. They have a tendency to make your ankles roll outwards. This can make you fall down. I broke my teeth after my ankle rolled in them. Others have broken ankles. I would hate for you to fall while pregnant.
posted by Logic Sheep at 11:38 AM on March 31, 2011

I just bought these for my trip to Europe, and maybe they will work for you. I actually had to order a size down because the shoe seemed to be a bit wide.

But they are slip on, totally cute, and really comfortable. Free shipping, too!
posted by elisebeth at 11:51 AM on March 31, 2011

Congrats!
The Clarks Unstructured line is quite accomodating for wider feet-- they come in the wide width and the leather is quite soft and squooshes for your feet while providing support under the sole. They seem to have some ballet flats, loafer types and I have the Un.Poem mary jane looking ones-- they are slip ons for me even though they have the top strap, I don't need to undo them to put them on. Ooh, sale.

In contrast, I would say that my Danskos are much more rigid in construction in the uppers- the leather eventually molds to my feet and they are really supportive if that makes any sense (I love Dansko professionals, but once every 4mos or so I do roll an ankle as Logic Sheep says).
posted by tangaroo at 8:41 PM on March 31, 2011

I have wide feet, ankles that frequently swell, and I'm loving the Klogs I just got from Foot Smart. They're probably the comfiest shoes I've ever worn that weren't athletic shoes. They are a bit clunky (I got the "Austin" shoe), but they have some styles that are also slip-on, but not as bulky.

I would also look into some fabric espadrilles, like these, for the summer. They have a good sole and are comfy for walking.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 9:00 PM on March 31, 2011

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

I'll take a look at all of them!
posted by zizzle at 3:40 AM on April 2, 2011