Thursday, April 30, 2015

Comfortsandalquest 2015

This is just ridiculously frivolous, and I understand that. I do have some guilt over my topic preferences.

But I'd still like to talk about shoes.

I need some comfortable sandals. This is not something I ever thought I would say.

See, I had that boot for a while, and while technically I can go back to exercise and normal footwear, I am still walking around in sneaks because otherwise my foot gets tender.

I cannot wear my sneaks with sundresses. And god willing, it is going to get toasty warm soon, and then hopefully hot as balls shortly thereafter. One of these days, I will be able to wear sundresses. I signed up to live in a swamp. I am WAITING for heat and humidity here.

Yesterday it got quite warm, but I was still wearing a long sleeved shirt. This winter was a bad boyfriend. I have no trust.

What I'm asayin' is, I need sandals. I believe it is time for comfort footwear.

They need to be very comfortable for walking, and preferably cute. But they could even be ugly in an ugly-cute kind of way.

I splurged and ordered this pair, which I thought were ugly-cute adorable and looked ridiculously comfortble because you could adjust three different straps.
Anthropologie.com
They arrived yesterday and I tried them on and asked Nick what he thought and he didn't like the white bottoms. But I told him those were in, and those weren't what bothered me, so he said they didn't look any sillier than some of my other shoes. And also, by the way, he thinks skinny jeans are dumb.

Right.

India, as pictured above, is no help. We went to Nordstrom Rack and I kept telling her we were looking for comfortable sandals. I found myself trying things on and being all, but they're not comfortable. For the first time in my purchasing life, I felt like Maude.

We used to go out shopping and I'd try on whatever looked fabulous, and she'd be all, "But are they comfortable? They are not comfortable."

And I'd be all, "I understand your words, but what do you mean?" And then buy them and mince around in them all happy.

Those days, it seems, are gone.

There I was in the shoe section, rejecting perfectly lovely shoes because they weren't comfortable. This makes me feel older than my forehead wrinkles, I will tell you.

India, my dear love, kept pulling out the highest, pointiest, strappiest shoes and saying, "Try this one! These are comshterble, Mama!"

Oh, younger me, how I love you.

I want shoes that feel like putting my feet into, I don't know, a basket of puppies. I don't need my feet licked, and the shoes don't need to be furry or wiggle adorably. But I want them to feel like soft happy puppy magic.

My super-adjusty sandals are absolutely not the puppy magic of my dreams, and as such are not the answer.

Do any of you wear comfortable shoes? That you'd recommend?

In my fantasy world, they have a platform but no heel, because, well, they just do. (But in my fantasy world I'm also 5'8" and know how to do a smoky eye and regularly wear a tiara and/or veil and/or thigh-high boots, so there's that.) But they really do have to have a comfy footbed. And soft straps that adjust.

I think those are my requirements.

Any ideas?

22 comments:

  1. As someone with marathon runner feet and proneness to injury, I am all about Cole Haan shoes. While pricier than I like, they are cute, but even better, they are always comfortable.

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    1. Smart of you! I will look! I don't have marathon runner feet, but I do exercise a decent amount, and I am now learning the value of buying good shoes and protecting my feet!

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  2. Dansko sandals! Let me find a link for the ones I have.

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    1. Hmm, looks like they don't make the style I have anymore, but they have lots of options. I love mine and have walked hundreds of miles in them. They still look brand new.

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    2. For a while I loved loved loved my Dansko clogs, and walked everywhere in them. And then after my second kid they just stopped feeling comfortable on me. So I do love Dansko, and realize that it's all about which style works. I haven't tried anything but their clogs!

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    3. Their sandals are nothing like the clogs. Totally different materials and much softer/more flexible.

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    4. Ah, OK! Will investigate!

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  3. Naot sandals are amazing! A little pricey but cute and really comfy. I get mine on Zappos - free shipping and a year to return them!

    I have plantar fasciitis so I can't wear anything but comfy shoes. I also wear Orthaheel flip flops but those scream "granny shoes" while the Naots are more dainty.

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    1. Ooh, I just looked at some and they are really cute. The pairs I like have thinner soles (no platform, not really thin) than I was looking for but they're super cute and get good reviews.

      I don't even know that I'm shying away from granny shoes at this point. Well, maybe I still am.

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  4. I have all kinds of problems with my feet, but I like a cute flip flop for the warm weather. I found them at Target and Kohls, they are fabric straps and have a strap like elastic that holds your foot securely. The Target ones have a really cushy bottom, and they had a few different colors at Kohls for less than $20. I bought flowered ones and they go really nice with one of my flowered summer dresses. Good luck! (PS I've been reading your blog since before Nick, so happy you have your family)

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    1. Oh, thank you so much for sticking with me for so long! This makes me really happy!

      I do like flip flops, and enjoy them so much with cute dresses, but have realized I can't wear them for the kind of walking I do. I do a LOT of walking. Or for chasing my kids. They don't support enough for me. Although Crocs (well, I had Target Crocs, which were terrific) ones were good.

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    2. I love the Crocs flip flops although they aren't quite as dressy (?). I've had surgery on both of my feet in the past few years and now get the 20% discount on pedicures (my doctor thinks he's funny). The Target flip flops have a bit of an arch and are cushy as previously mentioned, I can actually walk quite a bit in them because of the back strap. I used to love my Birkenstocks until my husband was calling them lesbian-hippie shoes, whatever!

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    3. I used to think that Birkenstocks were way too hippie for me, but I've learned I'm more of a hippie than I knew. :) But they don't fit me. Otherwise, I'd be in them for sure. And I giggled at Crocs flip flops being less dressy. I get what you're saying.

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  5. They're not sandals per se but love some Toms and Sperry's; Toms now have some variety from the ol' slip on

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    1. Thank you! But I am good in the covered shoe department. I neeeeeeed (and want want want) sandals!

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  6. First, I love India so much! I can just hear her little elf voice (Clara still has hers, I love their little elf voices). So cute!

    I will second the dansko sandal recommendation. I think I was wearing a pair the day we met, ha! I too could not find the kind I have at zappos, don't know if they're making them any more. But now I'm tempted by these:
    http://www.zappos.com/dansko-georgie-black-nappa-leather

    Also, yesterday I saw someone wearing these,
    http://www.zappos.com/eric-michael-cody-natural
    and she said they were super comfy so I went and tried some on this morning. They're not for me (I think the woman I saw them on yesterday maybe has cuter feet than me?) but they were, indeed, super comfortable. The velcro makes them super adjustable. The store I was at did not have this similar one with a buckle or I would have tried those too.
    http://www.zappos.com/eric-michael-izzy-brown

    and I tried these too, they were more stable because of the ankle strap:
    http://www.zappos.com/eric-michael-amy-red

    Good luck with your search! Please keep us posted!

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  7. Laura! I love how you term it the little elf voice. It is exactly like that, and so adorable. So deliciously adorable!

    Thank you for the specific suggestions! Once I started looking, I couldn't believe how many comfort options were out there!! Here is what I have ordered, with the intention of sending all or most back, and the hope that one of them is perfect. Two Naot sandals, one Wolky, one Born, and two Tevas. I liked but didn't love the Dansko. I also intend to go to the Comfort One, where I can try on Dansko sandals in person. I meant to do that today but ran out of time. I like knowing about the Eric Michael - -they are cute!

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  8. Looks like you already have a bunch to try, but I love mine so much I have to say it - Chacos!! I've worn them constantly in warm weather for 7 years (ha, so only 5 months of the year in MN) and they're still in great condition, I walk a ton in them.

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    1. I love the haha, only 5 months of the year! That's still quite a bit! I have never looked into Chacos. I have ordered quite a bit...perhaps in the next round if I send all back. Thank you!

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  9. I have wider feet with high arches and lots of issues (arthritis - at 36!!) that I blame on years of pointe shoes and ballet. I just wore both of these all through Las Vegas and had no issues, save for a little bit of rubbing on my big toe from the Mephistos. They are pricey but amazingly comfortable, but the Danskos were my favorite. And the color is so sassy!

    http://www.zappos.com/dansko-lottie-orchid-full-grain

    http://www.zappos.com/mephisto-beauty-warm-grey-velcalf-premium-light-sand-boa

    (I also have these. Ther are reliable and comfortable but feel a little orthopedic to me at times: http://www.zappos.com/dansko-sophie-white-croc)

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    1. Wow, I know your feet took a terrible beating with pointe shoes.
      HI GUACAHOLIC!!!

      Ooh, the orchid sandals are a beeeeeautiful color!!!

      My feet are on the narrower side (but not narrow), and I have this weirdly short little toe, so I'm trying to get sandals that adjust in a variety of places, particularly in front or that people in the reviews say feel narrow.

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  10. The BOC by Born line worked for me when I was having arch problems. The ones I had were flat, but really comfortable.

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