Recommend a pair of sandals that are comfortable to walk in and not TOO casual?

[emily_in_nc]

As the subject says, I'm looking for a pair of sandals that are very comfortable/easy to walk in but not as casual as Keens, Tevas, and that ilk for going out to nicer places (not super fancy but not pizza either).

For instance, we're going out to a nice, semi-dressy (their website says "casual smart") restaurant tonight that is 1/2 mile from the place we're house-sitting. We love to walk and are living as car-lite as we can for now, but the sandals I have that don't kill my feet are clunky and not feminine. I used to have some black leather sandals that would fit the bill just fine (can't even remember the brand, maybe Naturalizer?), but they finally fell apart b/c I wore them so much!

My problem is that I have narrow, low-volume feet (measure a 7A, but since you can't find A, I need a B/medium that runs narrow). This makes it hard to find shoes that fit as so many are cut too wide or too high-volume.

They don't have to have heels, but if they're flat, they need to have at least a bit of cushiness and support for walking. I won't be walking marathons in them, but more than just from car to restaurant and back.

Any recommendations of something I should take a look at/try on that might fit the bill? I buy shoes infrequently and don't have many pairs so am not familiar with that many different brands/styles.

Thanks so much!

[ny biker]

Most of my shoes are from Clarks. They're very comfortable and most of the styles they sell look nice. I don't know if they'd be narrow enough for you, but Zappos carries them and they offer free return shipping if the anything doesn't fit.

[Crankin]

Much to my dismay, I recently bought a pair of lower heeled wedge black sandals... Aerosole brand. To me, this brand screams old lady, but they are stylish. I wear a size 5.5 or 6, and I have narrow heels. Go to Shoes.com. They carry a huge range of sizes and these were cheap: 49.00 for dress shoes. I am wearing them to a reunion, where I'll be standing for a few hours.

[MelC]

I go almost all minimalist now but my go to used to be Keen and while they are best known for their sporty they actually have some nice non sporty items too.

[TrekDianna]

I go almost all minimalist now but my go to used to be Keen and while they are best known for their sporty they actually have some nice non sporty items too.

+1 on Keens. They some nice sandals that are not the standard Keens styles but are still very comfortable.

[Artista]

I love my Clarks. They made the only flat, pretty sandals that I could wear last summer while my ankle and foot were recovering from the fractures and sprains. The pair that I chose have nice cush and some arch support.

[emily_in_nc]

Keens tend to run wide, though. I do have the Keen Commuter bike sandals, which are cut narrower and fit perfectly in a 7, and I know that the Whisper line is supposed to be narrow as well but also very casual. Any suggestion for specific Keen models that are just a bit dressier but also narrower, like the Commuters?

Crankin, do you know the specific Aerosoles you purchased? I used to wear a lot of Aerosole shoes back 10-15 years ago (to work, mostly) and never thought of them as "old lady" (heck, I was in my 30s for most of that time!)

I'll look at Clarks, ny biker & Artista. Don't think I've ever had anything from them.

Thanks all!

[TrekDianna]

La Paz and La Paz wrap are two that come to mind immediately -- emerald City 3 point and Emerald city sandal and possibly Naples.... darn, now I need to shop.

[Koronin]

The only brand of shoes that are not tennis type shoes that I own are Columbia brand. This includes one pair of walking shoes and 1 pair of sandles. It's the only brand I've found that are comfortable for me to wear. (This does exclude flip flops.) For tennis type shoes I own LA Gear and Sketchers non slip work shoes.

[MelC]

You are right, I reread your post and picked up about the narrow foot issue second go round. They definitely have some models that are narrower than others but i have a wider foot and tend to head for the roomy toe box.

[malkin]

Order 5 or 6 pairs at a time from Zappos until you find some that work.

[Crankin]

Emily, these http://www.aerosoles.com/eng/product/bravado/bravado, are what I bought.

They no longer seem to have them on the Shoes.com site, but are available directly from Aerosole.
I know I'm an outlier here; I despise Clarks, etc and besides, they are too wide for me. I've managed to find stylish, more comfortable shoes at a local place that has a discount room, or other places like Sierra Trading Post. I've never worn high, high heels, but being short, I like wearing shoes with heels. And plus, wearing dress flats seems to hurt my feet more than heels. Another site is Shoebuy.com.
My DH is a male Ismelda, which is how I know about this stuff.

[Fredwina]

I just got a pair of these:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/72458?feat=630-GN1&page=women-s-boothbay-sandals
They do run true to size, although we have an actual LL Bean store in ALB

[Wasp]

Have a look at Merrell Evera MJ leather pumps. I bought the scarlet one's on Amazon for $109.95
They look like a dress shoe, but are made to cycle in. I have worn them on my hybrid bike and found them to work really well. I have worn them all day shopping and found them to be comfortable.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks everyone. I looked at all that folks suggested and none are quite right. Definitely don't want pumps in the summer heat -- it's gotta be sandals. Love the Aerosoles, Crankin, but they're a bit dressier than I was looking for at the moment. Some of the Keens looked promising and were cute, but reading the reviews, sounds like they would likely be too wide. I found a few on Zappos I'm considering. These are probably the top contenders at the moment:

http://www.zappos.com/trotters-kat-luggage?zfcTest=fcl%3A0

They have velcro straps so could be adjusted somewhat.

[Crankin]

Emily, I saw some other Aerosole sandals that might be more casual/what you are looking for. I needed the ones I chose to wear with skinny jeans, to give my jeans/camisole outfit a bit of a dress up look, and be able to stand up all night. After all, this is a collective 60th birthday party for a bunch of people who look very good to start with and I want to feel "tall."
I've been drooling over those Merrells Wasp bought.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks, Crankin. I did go to the Aerosole site but didn't see anything else that really moved me. I love the ones you got and think they would be perfect for your occasion, but I need something more general purpose. Since getting back from Belize, I have very few pairs of shoes, and every pair I have needs to serve multiple purposes since we may end up living in an RV eventually and having very limited storage capability. So I can't afford to be Imelda -- I need to make every item I purchase really count. That's what's tough.

I have a big ole blister on my left foot from the black thongs I ended up walking to dinner in last night. It was worth it as I was not going to wear my clunky Tevas (or worse yet, my walking shoes!), but OW, it hurt. I had to walk most of the way home barefoot!

[amb]

I am partial to Dansko sandals. The one I have (in both brown and black ) they discontinued last year but it's from the Sausalito line very similar to these:

http://www.onlineshoes.com/womens-dansko-sara-black-waxy-p_id207447

I think they are cute enough to be fashionable yet still super comfy and can be worn all day.

[emily_in_nc]

How does the width run on Danskos, amb? As I mentioned in the original post, my foot is on the narrow/low profile side, and as a result, I have a lot of problems finding shoes that fit.

Thanks!

[Triskeliongirl]

I got some Naturalizers recently as DSW that are dressy but comfy. I too have narrow feet and a very narrow heel. If they have worked for you before try them again. They have a new line that is dressier than what they used to make

[emily_in_nc]

I got some Naturalizers recently as DSW that are dressy but comfy. I too have narrow feet and a very narrow heel. If they have worked for you before try them again. They have a new line that is dressier than what they used to make

I wish I remembered the ones I had before -- I'm not even certain they were Naturalizers. But they were so ancient it hardly matters at this point -- I probably bought them 10 years ago. I did find these that might work in the narrow width:

http://www.zappos.com/naturalizer-cadence-banana-bread-leather?zfcTest=fcl%3A0

I definitely don't want clogs. They bother the bump on the top of my foot and are hot -- I'm looking for something for summer.

[Wasp]

Have you looked at Naot shoes? They tend to fit narrow. Price wise they can be more $ than other brands, but you get what you pay for. I own several pair and find the comfort and quality well worth the price. Plus some models have interchangeable footbed which prolongs the life of the shoe.

[Crankin]

I also own 3 pairs of Naot shoes. I love, love, love them. The store I mentioned with the discount room sells them, and I do have a narrow heel, so they fit. And I fit perfectly in a size 36 in their dress shoes.

[zoom-zoom]

I have a pair of Keen Naples that I LOVE and can dress up a bit, but I have a WIDE foot. Danskos would be a great choice, but like others have said, they really need to be tried-on. The more traditional stapled clog style models tend to fit wider, I have found. Some of the less clog-like Danskos don't work on my duck feet at all.

[amb]

I think the Dansko sandals are probably M width - my foot it neither wide nor narrow. Many of the sandals have buckles to adjust the height. I have a high arch myself. I have also tried on Naot brand in the past as others have suggested. If I recall, they were indeed a little narrow for me. They are spendy indeed but high quality sandals that will last years! Good luck.

[Irulan]

I have a very narrow low volume foot. Naot & Merrells seem to work for me. I have to have adjustable straps because if they don't adjust, they are way too floppy. I had to have my Chaco strap shortened 4" so they weren't dragging on the ground and they are still very long.

[emily_in_nc]

Ahhh...thanks for the suggestion of Naot! I had never heard of them, but I found several styles that say "narrow to medium", and the reviews indicate that they are super comfortable and walkable; that would be perfect. I have never spent so much on a pair of shoes in my life (other than hiking boots), but these might just be worth it. May wait for a sale. I put a couple of pairs (Laura and Kayla styles) onto my Amazon wishlist while I'm thinking about it. These really do look the most like what I have in mind of anything I've seen so far, and it says they fit narrower feet. Perfect -- thanks!

[GLC1968]

I have a wide foot, so my go-to styles won't help you (though I've been on a similiar quest to replace a pair of black sandals I own that are falling apart for a whole year with no luck!!). BUT, my mom has a narrow foot, lives in FL and only wears sandals. This is her latest pair and they looked dressier than I would have guessed by the photo (and super cute) if you can stand the toe thing.
http://www.zappos.com/merrell-stellabloom-aluminum?zfcTest=fcl%3A2

If the toe thing is not your style, these might work too (I tend to prefer slides):
http://www.zappos.com/merrell-shudra-squash?zfcTest=fcl%3A2

Both styles come in multiple colors.

[Irulan]

I love Zappos and Shoebuy.com for the free return shipping

[Irulan]

Also, I just got these from Land's End on sale. They might still be having 30% off
http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-terrain-sandals/id_250478

[emily_in_nc]

GLC -- I love those first Merrills -- thanks. I don't mind the toe thing at all; actually wear quite a few thongs. My in-between toe got very toughened up in Belize!

I think slides would have a tendency to slip off for walks of any length so am looking specifically for something with a back-strap. Should have said that in my original post.

Sheila -- Sorry, I missed the Ariat link. I do really like those but think I'd have a hard time walking in 2" heels since I am not used to wearing heals at all any more. If I still worked in an office I'd get them for work, though!

Irulan -- do you find the Lands End sandals comfortable? A lot of the reviews said the straps were stiff and hurt the top of their feet. That would drive me crazy. I want soft, comfy straps. Anything that rubs is going back right away.

I will probably order from Zappos because of their return policy.

Thanks ladies...still thinking/looking and waiting for sales. :D

[Wasp]

I have a pair of Keen Naples that I LOVE and can dress up a bit, but I have a WIDE foot. Danskos would be a great choice, but like others have said, they really need to be tried-on. The more traditional stapled clog style models tend to fit wider, I have found. Some of the less clog-like Danskos don't work on my duck feet at all.

Finn shoes tend to fit wide to really wide foot. I have a pair of Phuket 2533 sandals in black nappa, they are incredibly comfortable. The footbed conforms to your foot making them more and more comfortable the more you wear them.

[ny biker]

I would not wait for a sale. Sandals and boots are seasonal items. Once they're sold out, there is no restocking, just waiting until next year. I have learned this the hard way. If you see something you like, buy it.

[Irulan]

Irulan -- do you find the Lands End sandals comfortable? A lot of the reviews said the straps were stiff and hurt the top of their feet. That would drive me crazy. I want soft, comfy straps. Anything that rubs is going back right away.


Because my foot is low volume, the straps are kind of loose. Not too loose though. I imagine when my feet puff up from heat that they will be just about right.

[Irulan]

Irulan -- do you find the Lands End sandals comfortable? A lot of the reviews said the straps were stiff and hurt the top of their feet. That would drive me crazy. I want soft, comfy straps. Anything that rubs is going back right away.


Because my foot is low volume, the straps are kind of loose. Not too loose though. I imagine when my feet puff up from heat that they will be just about right.

[Chile Pepper]

Ariat makes some shoes that look similar, but fit me perfectly. And I'll always recommend these shoes be tried. Not as well known. They specialize in equine riding apparel. But make many other styles. Their shoes are all meant to be walked in, all day, every day.

Ooh, I love these! Do you wear the same size in both their boots and sandals? I have a pair of Ariat boots from my riding days, which I wear all winter long. They have just a bit of room in the toe. Half a size down for sandals/shoes?

[spokewench]

I have some Merrells that I wore walking two weeks on vacation in Germany (no toe thing) that are wonderful!

[emily_in_nc]

I would not wait for a sale. Sandals and boots are seasonal items. Once they're sold out, there is no restocking, just waiting until next year. I have learned this the hard way. If you see something you like, buy it.

Good point. I will wait at least until my next credit card cycle. Since we just moved into the house we're house-sitting in, we've had a lot of start-up costs, and I am already dreading seeing this month's Visa bill! Quite a few of the expenses were bike-related, always a high priority, of course. :D

[tulip]

I really like Jambu shoes.

[Triskeliongirl]

I have a pair very similar to these but with more of a heel. The straps are soft and comfortable, and support of footbed is amazing. Before you buy from zappos check out the naturalizer website. They are running a 20% off sale with free shipping so they could be cheaper there.


I wish I remembered the ones I had before -- I'm not even certain they were Naturalizers. But they were so ancient it hardly matters at this point -- I probably bought them 10 years ago. I did find these that might work in the narrow width:

http://www.zappos.com/naturalizer-cadence-banana-bread-leather?zfcTest=fcl%3A0

I definitely don't want clogs. They bother the bump on the top of my foot and are hot -- I'm looking for something for summer.

[Irulan]

I have a pair very similar to these but with more of a heel. The straps are soft and comfortable, and support of footbed is amazing. Before you buy from zappos check out the naturalizer website. They are running a 20% off sale with free shipping so they could be cheaper there.

The thing that we low-volume feet people run into is that many things with fixed (non-adjustable) straps don't work because even if the footbed is correct, the shoes are still to big because of "strap slop".

[emily_in_nc]

The thing that we low-volume feet people run into is that many things with fixed (non-adjustable) straps don't work because even if the footbed is correct, the shoes are still to big because of "strap slop".

That's true. That's why I much prefer to try on shoes before I buy, but I hate malls and much prefer mail-order, so Zappos is a nice option since they have free return shipping. Since the Naturalizer Cadence do come in narrow width, though, there is a good chance they'd be okay, even with fixed straps.

I'll check out the Naturalizer site -- thanks Trisk. :)

[deeaimond]

Hi Emily, Have u tried ECCO sandals? I too have low volume feet and i have been wearing their sandals for years. I wear them all the time, and i'm currently wearing the black Odense sandals. the leather is so soft and comfortable. they also have models with thicker sole for more walking perhaps, but they are really worth every penny. I googled ECCO Sandals and the zappos page came up. Good luck with you sandal search, I'm tempted to buy another pair of the Odense ones because I really do like them and it's usually a year or 2 before the next season comes around where I see something I like.

[emily_in_nc]

Hi deeaimond, I have never worn Ecco. Just looked at them on Zappo's, and all the ones I like that are not really casual/sporty look like the heel/footbed would be too thin for comfortably walking a ways to dinner or another event. I am also wondering if they would be a bit too wide -- a couple of reviewers of ones I looked at more closely said they ran wide. I have both a narrow (not super narrow, measure an A width) and a low-volume foot. But thanks for the suggestion!

I am still waiting for my next credit card cycle so have not pulled the trigger on anything yet. Leaning strongly towards a pair of Naots, though!

[Irulan]

Naot does come in different widths but aren't labeled as such. It's more a styling kind of thing. You can line up several pairs and see which ones are narrower in the forefoot.

[emily_in_nc]

Naot does come in different widths but aren't labeled as such. It's more a styling kind of thing. You can line up several pairs and see which ones are narrower in the forefoot.

Plus, on their website, they show them in categories of "medium width", "narrow to medium width", etc. That's how I picked the three styles I'm most interested in.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, I love Softspots sandals. (http://www.zappos.com/softspots-womens-sandals~4)Very comfy to walk in, and have good shock absorption. Also dressy looking.

Clark makes very nice upper end sandals. They may be called Artisan? Not sure. But something like these a (http://www.zappos.com/clarks-lucena-pewter-metallic?zfcTest=fcl%3A0)re what I'm thinking of. Also dressy/casual and good to walk.

And I just found this Softwalk when (http://www.zappos.com/softwalk-bolivia-black-tumbled-nubuck?zlfid=111&recoName=zap_pdp_acc&zfcTest=fcl%3A0) I was looking for the Clarks. Looks very wearable!

Thanks Sheila!

I like those Clarks, but they don't have my size in the color I like. The Softwalks are not my style, but I do like a couple of the Softspots. Will read reviews and consider.

I'm getting a bit overwhelmed here...probably have enough suggestions to work with now. Thanks, ladies! :D

[ny biker]

Clark makes very nice upper end sandals. They may be called Artisan? Not sure. But something like these a (http://www.zappos.com/clarks-lucena-pewter-metallic?zfcTest=fcl%3A0)re what I'm thinking of. Also dressy/casual and good to walk.

Of the Clarks subbrands, I think Artisan is probably the nicest looking. Privo is more sporty. I generally find shoes and sandals in both categories to be comfortable. Unstructured may be the most expensive, but they are also the most comfortable and made with very soft leather.

In terms of size, usually I wear an 8.5 in Clarks, vs a 9 with most other shoes. Occasionally I will find I need to go up to a 9 or down to an 8.

[Kernyl]

I also have narrow feet. I just bought some sandals from Clarks that would probably fit the bill. Can be dressed up or down and comfortable to walk in. I would check them out.

[emily_in_nc]

Yep, I've got a pair of Clarks on my possible list. I seem to recall trying on Clarks in the past and needing to size down 1/2 size. For those of you who wear Clarks, was that your experience? I see that ny biker says it was hers.

Thanks!

[emily_in_nc]

I wear a 7 in most street shoes but will size up to 7.5 in running shoes or hiking shoes to give myself tons of toe space to avoid any chance of black toenail (been there, done that). However, in sandals, I am often a 6.5. Seems when I did try on Clarks in a store a couple of years ago, the 6.5s came the closest to fitting. Not sure if it was just that particular model or not...

[malkin]

The thing that we low-volume feet people run into is that many things with fixed (non-adjustable) straps don't work because even if the footbed is correct, the shoes are still to big because of "strap slop".

Fixed straps don't work for people with high-volume feet either, because the shoe simply won't fit around our big fat Flintstone feet.
At least you guys get to feel like Cinderella!

[Crankin]

OK, forgive my dumbness, but what are low volume vs. high volume feet?
I suspect mine are low volume.

[emily_in_nc]

This is a very non-technical definition, but I was told by a fitter at REI that my feet were very low-volume since they basically "rattled around" in trail runner shoes and hiking boots in the right size by measurement. In other words, my feet were far from the tops of the shoes when inside the correctly sized shoe. So I always need extra inserts in any of that type of shoe along with thick or two pairs of socks. There may be a more technical definition, but that's mine. :D

[Irulan]

yeah I don't know about technical, but it's about how your foot fills up a given shoe, the volume of the shoe. Myself and son #1 have low low volume feet - on sneaker and tie shoes, if it's not a low volume shoe, we can pull the two sides of the lace holes together, totally covering the tongue of the shoe. DH and son #2 are the opposite. They have very high volume feet, and sometimes there are gaps on either side of the tongue of a tie shoe, so that the socks show through on either side under the laces. Son #2s feet are so high volume that he can't get certain brands of socks over his heel/instep: they don't spread wide enough.

Volume is different than width. Think of it more as how much space the whole of your foot takes up, the thickness of it.

[Artista]

Emily, I checked out my Clark's sandal size. Surprisingly, I purchased a half size larger than I usually wear. My feet are "normal volume" and just a hair on the wide side.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, I checked out my Clark's sandal size. Surprisingly, I purchased a half size larger than I usually wear. My feet are "normal volume" and just a hair on the wide side.

Thanks Artista -- looks like it's kind of all over the map, then. Just like with most sizing!

[emily_in_nc]

Okay, I finally pulled the trigger this morning as I found a fantastic sale on these Clarks Artisan Lucena's. They're $110 at Zappo's, but I got 'em for half that (with free shipping and returns!) at Amazon in my size in black: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WHZ3NA/ref=pe_309540_26725410_item

It's possible these are a last-year's stock or some such; otherwise, I can't understand the large price differential, but I'm going with it. I decided to try my usual size (7) in a narrow (AA) width and hope for the best. Since they're super adjustable, as long as they're not way too narrow or way too long, I should be okay. I'm really an "A" width, but very few shoes come in that width -- you normally have a choice between AA and B. Imagine if bra manufacturers tried to do that! :rolleyes:

Will keep you posted!

[emily_in_nc]

Just to follow up: I finally got the Clarks Lucena sandals I ordered (amazon free shipping isn't the speediest, but can't beat the price!) today, and they are wonderful. The size I ordered (7N) was right, and the velcro adjustments in two places allow me to customize the fit. They're soft and super comfy right outside the box. I can't believe I got 'em for 1/2 off the Zappo's price.

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread and helped me find a great pair of sandals that look good and that I can walk in!

16368
Happy feet!

[mariacycle]

They look great! I hope they're comfortable too :)

[emily_in_nc]

They look great! I hope they're comfortable too :)

Super comfortable -- that was my #1 requirement (well, after a good fit). I didn't have any other pairs of sandals that were actually comfortable to walk in for any distance at all. I wouldn't hesitate to wear these to walk out to dinner (2 miles round trip or so). That they're cute is a nice bonus!

[GLC1968]

Those are cute! I'm glad you found something you like!

I actually came by to post about these:
http://www.rei.com/product/849163/jambu-shasta-sandals-womens

I bought them the night before we left for Kauai because I really didn't want to wear my water sandals everywhere. These look slightly dressier (and better on a foot than in a photo!). OMG - they are AWESOME. Super duper comfy and really cute. Oddly enough, even though my foot is really wide open in them (which was nice and cool), they also felt really secure and stable.

I might just have to go buy a pair of the black as well. ;)

[emily_in_nc]

Those are adorable, GLC. How does the width run?

[GLC1968]

You know, they looked narrow when I saw them in the store (so I almost didn't try them on) but because of where the band over the toes falls, I think they'd work for either narrow or wide feet. They are so open-feeling that width doesn't seem to matter much (as long as one's foot fits the sole, of course). The strap around the ankle has a velcro closure, so it can be adjusted. This was key for me when I sunburnt my feet on the open kayak in Hawaii - it allowed me to wear them super loose the next day!

[emily_in_nc]

Those are something I'd have to try on since the front strap is not adjustable. Some shoes designed similarly, the strap is just too long, since my feet are both narrow and low-volume.

Pleased to report that I wore my new sandals (Clarks Lucenas, discussed above) today to two museums in downtown KC, and they did great! Just the slightest bit of rubbing outside my left pinky toe, which probably means I could have tightened that strap up a little more, since my left foot is slightly narrower than my right. But after doing lots of walking and standing, my feet still felt good. Yay!