Please help shoe me - pregnancy slip-on edition

February 22, 2018 3:28 PM

Hi all - I'm pregnant and starting to have difficulty getting shoes on now. Sigh. I'd love a pair of shoes that are truly slip on without me bending over to put my heel in, are not ugly, and are comfortable. I've read some random internet articles about this, but I'd love some first hand anecdotes and advice if you have them. Some additional details below.

Honestly, if I thought I could get away with it I'd just wear large fluffy booty slippers to work but I'm not that desperate...yet. In lieu of that, a comfy slip-on shoe that can go with multiple kinds of outfits for work or casual would be best.

I do have some ballet flats, but it's cold, wet and icy here right now... once it warms up I'll be happy to just wear those or some slip-on sandals (assuming my feet don't swell up...ah, pregnancy). I need something to wear until it gets warmer.

I have very limited energy so going to multiple stores to try shoes on will be tough and plus I never know if they will be comfy in the long run. I guess what I'd like is for you to tell me what worked for you, and maybe that can help me narrow down which online store to shop at, or which real life store to make one trip to when I have some energy.

I have narrow feet, and am typically somewhere between women's size 7 and 9 depending on brand.

Thanks!

posted by FireFountain to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (15 answers total)

Best answer: Congrats on the pregnancy! I am right there with you!

Would a shoehorn help? I have a relative with mild mobility issues, and to avoid bending over to put on shoes, he uses a giant shoehorn that's like 3 feet long. I think he got his at Ikea but I feel like I've seen them at drugstores too sometimes.

If your office is warm enough, you could wear the ballet flats around the office and comfy slip-on boots to and from work. That's what I did during my first pregnancy. This time around, I'm in a more casual office and rocking some very ugly slip-on sneakers from Target, looking forward to when the snow is gone and I can go around in flats again.
posted by beandip at 3:58 PM on February 22, 2018 [6 favorites]

Also pregnant!! Congrats! I havn't foudn my solution yet, but the shoes that I am wearing hte most are some boots that I have that are old and loose enough for me to slip on without needing to tie and untie them. I shimmy around to not get the heels stuck, but I'm still fairly mobile (31 weeks) so who knows how i'll be doing in a few more weeks. I also have some of these tabi shoes that i've owned for quite a while that are perfect because they don't have shoelaces, they just have tabs on the side to keep the boot closed. The downside is that they are cotton and not very weather resistant.
posted by ruhroh at 4:07 PM on February 22, 2018

How do you feel about clogs? Many people find Dansko or Sanita clogs very comfortable- they are the shoe of choice for a ton of nurses, teachers and others who are on their feet all day- and will work with most outfits.

If you are extra clumsy or prone towards spraining your ankles I would not recommend them since they're a little tall.
posted by charmedimsure at 4:07 PM on February 22, 2018

Best answer: Merrell Moc, fuzzy lining. SUPER comfortable and supportive. Runs true to size.
posted by Dashy at 4:24 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

If you don't have arch problems, you might consider Rothys. I have a pair and they are fine for me if I don't have a walking-heavy day. I would probably love them more because they are super flexible, easy to get on and off, and never leave blisters but they are not quite wide enough for my orthotics.
posted by honeybee413 at 5:09 PM on February 22, 2018

I struggled mightily with shoes during both of my pregnancies, so I feel you. Have you ever tried out FitFlops? They have many different shoe styles and they are surprisingly roomy. I usually wear a wide to extra wide, and these fit me well. Ditto with Keens.
posted by cabingirl at 6:21 PM on February 22, 2018

And just noticed the narrow fit bit, sorry...maybe that tells you what shoes to avoid though?
posted by cabingirl at 6:22 PM on February 22, 2018

Response by poster: beandip, you are blowing my mind right now with that giant shoehorn thing. I so did not know that was a thing and just googled, and, wow. Also your suggestion of bringing flats to work is something I just didn't even think of (my pregnancy brain fog has been insane). I will plan on doing that until I sort out better shoes.

And thanks to the rest of you - definitely some good ideas and brands I had not considered. Feel free to keep ideas coming and, thanks again.
posted by FireFountain at 6:37 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

I bought a giant shoe horn at the dollar store, and I love it for putting on my riding boots, work boots, and snow boots. It's not just the thing about being lazy and having to sit or bend down to put them on, it's so nice to slip the shoe horn down the back of the boot and my older boots don't scrunch down. Shoes are a piece of cake, too.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:53 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

A boot jack makes taking boots and shoes off without bending over super easy too. For $10, totally worth it.
posted by fshgrl at 7:02 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

Nthing the shoehorn: they're a convenience if you can't bend over, but also better for your shoes regardless.
posted by batter_my_heart at 7:56 PM on February 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

Birkenstock makes a plethora of truly slip on styles. The ones with a soft footbed have a much shorter break in period, so I would go with those if you’re a first time Birki wearer. So supportive even if they’re not high fashion.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 12:30 AM on February 23, 2018

+1 Birkenstock. I lived in mine when I was pregnant.

Other slip-ons that I've discovered since that I would have tried if I'd known about them back then and might work for you: Sanita clogs, pretty much all of the shoes made by Alegria, and Klogs brand slip-ons. I also have some old-fashioned Doc Martens oxfords that I just keep tied a little loose and slip on and off, I don't have to bend over at all to put them on and they're super-comfy.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 6:08 AM on February 23, 2018

I have some Chelsea boots that can be slipped on without bending over. Maybe you could find some with a wide enough opening at the top that you could just jam your foot in without bending over? Mine are kind of stretched out but I think I've always been able to slip them on, and bonus: they look like real shoes!
posted by jabes at 8:41 AM on February 23, 2018

Remembering back when I was pregnant, I am on team "large fluffy booty slippers" all the way. Hone that withering look that only a pregnant person can give if someone dares (and they won't, if they are smart) to criticize your footwear/clothing choices. Being pregnant is a unique experience on your body. Being comfortable in whatever ways possible is important!
posted by jillithd at 6:47 AM on February 26, 2018