Dress Shoes that are Stylish and Comfortable

When most people think of shoes with orthopedic support, they think ugly. I am certainly no stranger to this phenomenon. I had to wear orthopedic shoes for the first six years of my life and no matter how many times my mother told me they were “special”, to me the shoes looked hideous. Wearing special shoes meant that I didn’t get to choose the shoes I wanted, that I had limited selection when it came to style and color (yes, this does matter to a five year old), and that I had to wear my “special shoes” all the time.

Nowadays shoe designers have come a long way in terms of producing comfortable, supportive shoes that still look like something you would like to wear out to dinner. The brand Easy Spirit, for example, is known for making shoes for women that can easily crossover from day into night. They have a whole line of beautiful dress shoes with heels less than 2 inches. In addition to dress shoes, Easy Spirit offers fashionable sandals, boots and athletic shoes. Whether you’re looking for something elegant, trendy or just plain fun, chances are you’ll find something that suits your unique sense of style and properly supports your feet.
The Aerosole brand also claims that women do not have to sacrifice style for comfort. Take its “Disco Dance Ornament Thong”, for example. This stylish sandal (complete with tasteful rhinestone buckle) is a fun, playful shoe for a night out on the town that won’t end with sore, aching feet. The half-inch heel gives you a little boost without putting stress on your arch or toes. The upper is fashioned from high quality leather while the sole is made from shock absorbent rubber that will give you traction and stability as you dance the night away.

There are several other brands that are notable for beautiful dress shoes that won’t hurt your feet. Be sure to check out Kumfs, Softspots, Arcopedico, Hush Puppies and Munro for additional styles.

It’s a good idea to keep some general guidelines in mind when you do your dress shoe shopping: Try to keep your heel size between ¾ and 1 ½ inches. Avoid pointy-nosed shoes; a square toe box that is wide and deep enough for your toes to wiggle around in is absolutely essential when it comes to preventing unsightly toe deformities such as hammertoe, claw toe, corns and bunions.