Yet another question about comfortable-yet-stylish women's shoes

June 26, 2015 8:40 PM

I've read many of the previous questions on this topic, but none seem to be looking for exactly what I am: stylish, professional, closed-toe flats with a pointed toe that I can walk in for miles without getting heel blisters. More obnoxiously specific criteria inside.

The only flats I've ever tried that don't give me heel blisters are Tieks. They are the most comfortable thing I've ever worn on my feet. But I want something sleeker--in particular, something with a pointed toe (an almond toe might also work). I work in a business-attire environment and I change into heels when I get to work, but I want a shoe that I can walk 2 miles in and yet won't be embarrassed to be seen in if I run into my boss before I've changed shoes. Maybe that's too much to ask?

More specifically, I'd love a shoe that:

- is soft leather or other flexible material that won't give me blisters, yet doesn't slip off my feet
- can handle getting rained on (does that rule out suede?)
- can be worn with skirts/dresses
- has a pointed toe (ideally), but I'm also open to an almond toe and possibly loafers
- doesn't necessarily have support or cushioning -- blisters (mostly on the heel) are the only comfort problem I tend to have. (I've tried all sorts of bandaids/moleskin/pads, and nothing has worked.)
- can be totally flat or have a slight wedge, but no heels
- is under $150
- is not black

For an idea of what "stylish" means to me, here are some that I like the look of, though many of them don't look like they are made of particularly soft/comfy material:

Born Tinley
Corso Como Nappa
Tom's Jutti
French Soles
Corso Como Morrison
Miz Mooz Bindi
United Nude Teka
FP Merit

I'd love to know if anyone has had blister-free experiences with any of these or other shoes with a similar look (bonus points if you are normally prone to blisters). I've bought so many flats that seemed comfortable out of the box, but by the time as I'd walked far enough in them that they couldn't be returned, I had bloody open wounds on both heels. Yuck.

Thanks so much for any advice. Sorry for the length -- I can't believe I just wrote this much about shoes!

posted by Latifolia to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (24 answers total)

Geox! Leather - some styles perforated for airflow -- with super comfy (though not cushy) insoles and completely office appropriate. I have several, including non-black colours, and wear them like crazy. The Lola style would be a good start.
posted by HoteDoge at 9:43 PM on June 26, 2015 [2 favorites]

I own a pair of Corso Como that look really similiar to the Morrison linked above (mine have a flatter heel, and I bought them years ago). They are sincerely extremely comfortable. I frequently walk considerable distances in them (2 miles sounds about right) and have no complaints, except that you should go up a half size.

I also own a pair of Corso Como Famenka that I keep an ebay alert out for, because they are so comfortable, although these are more casual looking for sure.
posted by Ideal Impulse at 10:09 PM on June 26, 2015

And I tend to be prone to blisters, especially on the heels, and these shoes still work for me!
posted by Ideal Impulse at 10:10 PM on June 26, 2015

I own these shoes which are $158 but are otherwise perfect and I love them.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 10:23 PM on June 26, 2015 [3 favorites]

I recently went on an epic shoe shopping journey to find summer shoes. Everything depends on the shape of your foot.

Mine are apparently wide at the toe, and normal at the heel. (This is newish; I think my toes spread thanks to the combat styles I've been favouring. Anyway.)

I know that Geox runs narrow, generally. The Hush Puppies ballet-style flats I saw (both pointy toe and rounded and almond toe styles) tend to have a medium width except at the toe box, which narrows in sharply at the toe joint. This is also true of most Clark's options to a lesser degree. You can get Clark's in a wider width if you need room just at the toe, but they're consistent all along the shoe, which means the heels might be loose (blister potential). I don't know what's going on with Sam Edelman styles, they're a normal width but long. Fryes are pretty, but I found the flat styles to be petite all around. Make of that information what you will.

My feet only made sense in Cobb Hill and Naturalizer shoes (and only in a few styles). I got these for occasional wear; might fit you if your feet are like mine. I'm not sure how they'd be for extended walking, though. I also got these from Cobb Hill, they're not as fashionable and very slightly slippy at the heel (on me), but entirely supportive.

Also - consider the height of the back of the shoe. The insertion point of your Achilles tendon might be higher or lower than average. My Achilles is placed fairly low. When the back of a shoe hits my heel too high, there's friction (and blood). So I once checked some shoes that did fit properly, and found that the backs of shoes that feel ok are as tall as half my thumb. I now test that out when I look at demo shoes from the display.

Also, if your feet just hate all the shoes you try, lace-ups (e.g. brogue styles) are the best way to get a reasonable fit, ime.
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:44 PM on June 26, 2015 [5 favorites]

Second the Geox, although I find some of their models are cut a little bit narrow, so if my feet swell as I'm walking, they can get uncomfortable. (I have duck feet, tho. Really wide ball of the foot.)

It seems too blindingly obvious to mention ECCO, but I assume you've tried their flat models? I live in Hong Kong and walk/MTR everywhere. It's hot, so I constantly wear sockless flats to the office. I pretty much live in ECCO flats.
posted by frumiousb at 10:46 PM on June 26, 2015 [1 favorite]

(Eccos are great but don't come in half sizes just fyi.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:47 PM on June 26, 2015

(Eccos are great but don't come in half sizes just fyi.)

Many European shoes don't, since they have the 36/37/38/39 sizing. I would recommend trying them anyhow, since I'm normally a 7 1/2, but I do just fine in an ECCO 38. FWIW. But individual fit will always be an issue...
posted by frumiousb at 10:52 PM on June 26, 2015 [1 favorite]

Born shoes are really comfy-- I have several pairs but have never gotten a blister, and I have wide feet. I'd try those!
posted by easter queen at 11:35 PM on June 26, 2015

I don't own those particular Born flats but the Born shoes I do have (oxfords) are perfect. The leather is soft. I wear them on 8-12 hour days and they are amazingly comfortable. I think I've convinced myself to buy another pair.

I don't know about blisters though. Blisters will depend on if your heel slips around in the back of the shoe repeatedly. So this will depend how these shoes fit on your feet. Not our feet unfortunately.
posted by bobobox at 5:05 AM on June 27, 2015

I love Duo, they were recommended on another Ask and so far I've bought boots, heels and two purses. They're having a sale now too, shipping is a little high as they're based in the UK, but I'm very pleased with the quality. The shoes are comfortable as well.
posted by lunastellasol at 6:22 AM on June 27, 2015

I have the same Frye shoes as Nimmie Amee and adore them- they never gave me blisters, but they do take a couple wearings to stretch comfortably to your foot (ymmv, I have on the wide side feet)

I have been incredibly tempted by these m.gemi shoes which come in some interesting colors and I just think are super pretty. They are a smidge out of your requested price range, but for all leather and quality goods might be worth the splurge.
posted by zara at 7:26 AM on June 27, 2015 [1 favorite]

The linked Frye pair don't have pointed toes, but the Frye Regina Ballet does (dig around and you can find it cheaper elsewhere). When breaking shoes in, use Band-Aid Blister Block Stick; it's a miracle product.
posted by kmennie at 7:43 AM on June 27, 2015 [5 favorites]

I agree with Nimmie Amee, kmennie, and zara - Frye flats are the best. I am incredibly blister prone--even sneakers, Toms, and other 'comfort shoes' have left me with bad blisters. My Frye flats are the only shoes I've ever owned haven't.

Some are a little more expensive than $150, but they last forever, are so comfortable, and can survive being worn in the rain. I used to work in a fairly conservative office setting, and got compliments on my Frye Regina Ballet flats.

I might recommend trying some on in person before ordering them online, as the sizing seems to vary between the different models.
posted by cimton at 9:04 AM on June 27, 2015

I have the Miz Mooz Bindis in two colors and they are some of the most comfortable flats I've ever worn. They are made of incredibly soft leather. I'm sad that they appear to be an older model and I haven't found them in more colors in my size.

My only caveat is that I bought them slightly big (I usually wear either a 9.5 and a 10 and I got these in a 10), so I stuck some heel liners (Fab Feet, the Target version of Foot Petal brand) in them.
posted by capsizing at 11:58 AM on June 27, 2015

Dancewear stores that sell shoes might be a good place to look. Dance shoes tend to be traditionally graceful and also comfortable, but many have suede soles so stay away from those for streetwear. Styles and colors are sort of limited but you can always find tan and sometimes red or brown if you don't want black.

If the soles are normal leather but the heel caps are suede, a shoe repair place can swap those for normal rubber/plastic heel caps. (As a bonus, I was surprised how much less expensive dance shoes are compared to regular "fashion" shoes - even with the shoe repair bill my classic T-straps were about 2/3 the price of regular new shoes.)
posted by Quietgal at 12:40 PM on June 27, 2015

I thought of the Frye Regina flat when reading your question, too! It's the most comfortable flat I have, and I walk a lot.

I can tell you that it will probably do really well in the rain because of this unfortunate incident: When I first got my dog (a Great Dane), she peed in the right shoe in the middle of the night. I found it in the morning filled to the brim with pee (not leaking, not spilling over...frankly I was impressed with the dog's aim, though I'm sure it was accidental.) Because they're fairly pricey shoes the pee didn't deter me from wanting to try to save them. I rinsed them out and washed them with saddle soap repeatedly using hot water. I did wash the mate just so any color variation wasn't as noticeable, but they turned out just fine.

They're really fantastic quality, I have wide wide feet (I went up a size to accommodate because Frye runs a bit narrow) and I tend to rub through the leather on the sides on all my shoes. I can't believe how well these have held up compared to other, similarly priced flats.

I have the Frye Carson Ballet flats and hate them, so I think the Regina style is truly something special.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 1:04 PM on June 27, 2015 [2 favorites]

These Franco Sarto flats hit all of your criteria, I believe. I own these and absolutely love them. Comfortable and real leather. Sorry for the messy link, on my phone.

Franco Sarto Women's Hawk Ballet Flat, Nude Lizard, 7.5 M US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9ND9N4/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_6mWJvbMH8B92F
posted by elisebeth at 1:13 PM on June 27, 2015

If blistering is an ongoing problem for you across multiple shoe purchases, you might want to try a product like Band-Aid's friction stick. It's essentially a clear silicone layer that eliminates the friction between skin and shoe that causes those blisters in the first place. It's magic, invisible, doesn't feel gross on your skin, doesn't hurt the shoes any, and it has saved many a pair of otherwise unwearable shoes for me. Also way, way cheaper than shoes.
posted by Andrhia at 2:09 PM on June 27, 2015 [2 favorites]

My narrow heels (on otherwise medium-width feet) are very prone to blistering in flats. Finding shoes with a lower than usual back definitely helps, as well as looking for soft leather and a straight back (not curving inward visibly, unless it's a soft elastic). My last pair was the Sam Edelman Felicia Flat, which were amazing on my heels but not dressy.

I will say that you needn't rule out suede; I know people who live in Seattle and happily wear suede shoes with a good waterproofing spray applied every season. My local cobbler sold me Kelly's Water Protector spray for about $10 and it's the best waterproofing spray I've tried, much better than the random one I got off Amazon that stained my light-colored suede boots.

Something else you can try: shop Nordstrom online (or in-store, but the selection is larger online) and order one or a few pairs of flats that are stylish and well-reviewed for comfort/soft leather. Try them on. If they seem OK at first wear, go out for a walk. If your heels end up blistered/bleeding after a longer distance outdoors, RETURN the shoes. And try again. This is why I'm suggesting Nordstrom specifically, because they have an awesome return policy and will totally understand that you're returning used shoes because they killed your feet.
posted by serelliya at 5:46 PM on June 27, 2015 [1 favorite]

Arche shoes (sorry, my phone won't let me get the link right) are the only flats I can step into and wear without blisters and they have great arch support. But, they are hella expensive because they are hand-made in France and don't stand up to rain very well as most, but not all, are nubuck. See http://www.arche-shoes.com/store/pc/home.asp
posted by mollymillions at 9:03 PM on June 27, 2015

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I have new hope for my poor heels.
posted by Latifolia at 12:17 PM on June 28, 2015

Tom's Jutti flat is amazing. It's the only ballet style flat I've ever been able to wear for more than like, 20 minutes at a time. Highly reccomend it.
posted by annie o at 3:32 PM on June 28, 2015

Try putting in some heel pads/gels. I've found that can solve heel blisters, as the back of the shoe fits better.
posted by kjs4 at 8:03 PM on June 28, 2015