ISO: Cute but Comfortable Wide Width Sandals

[fci5767]

I'm getting ready to purchase a few pairs of sandals. I have wide feet and plantars fachiitis in my left foot. I've worn some cute narrow strap Birkenstock sandals in the past and love my Dansko clogs that I purchased this winter.

I'm wondering what brands of sandals those of you with wide feet wear. Cute is important but not as important as comfort.

Thanks!

[Aubergine]

i've been through plantar fasciitis myself the past year, and a bright friend who is an MD foot doctor recommended Crocs....have you looked into them? it's what he wears, as do many medical professionals who are on their feet all day; i'm about to get a pair, since a local store started carrying them. they have a website. the material is some kind of plastic that is truly kind to the foot. i'd urge you to check that out as you go along your decision path.

i must add, i've been a staunch leather-footwear advocate for years; no vinyl for me nor my kids. but, the Crocs convinced me to try something different. i've been wearing clogs since my teens, and Crocs are based on that style of footwear.

[cangoss]

I have double-wide feet (they have spread due to arthritis) and wear Ecco and Munro sandals. Eccos have some styles that run wide, and Munro comes in wide and double-wide. You can find Munros at Nordstrom and shoe stores that specialize in bad feet and good fit.

[DebGo]

these are darling and come in wide:
sandals (http://store.nordstrom.com/product/product_brandboutique.asp?styleid=2858883&boutique=sandal_shop_women&category=2376778~2372808~2372949~2383590&NextStyleID=2855502&PrevStyleID=2893975)

[gertdog]

I have Dansko, Born, and Clarks sandals and find all of them very comfortable, but find the Danskos to be the most durable (I wear my shoes pretty hard). I also still love my Tevas and since they adjust both at the ankle and across the front of the foot they can be comfortable for wide feet.

I have a pair of the Crocs that Aubergine mentioned and while they are incredibly comfortable, they can get quite sweaty when it's warm out (even the "vented" ones). I wore mine a lot last summer- they were the only shoes that still fit at the end of my pregnancy. When it was hot they made my feet sweat and they got a little slippery. I still love 'em but wouldn't make them my everyday shoes.

[blazedog]

if you like the Dansko last, go for Dansko sandals. I bought the Lolita's last summer and lived in them. I have wide feet also. The Danskos are also pretty cute -- especially in some of the fun colors. They are durable as I lived in them from April through October in Southern California -- the light leather looks a little shmootzy but the sandal itself is in great condition.

[HejazSunKat]

Another thought is Easy Spirit. I'm pretty sure they offer wide widths and I'm coveting several cute pairs in their spring line right now. I don't have the width issue but my feet are long (size 9's).

[EllenL]

Not to get this too off-track, but is anyone leery of wearing backless sandals? I've worn them for years but lately I feel like they're an accident waiting to happen---that they slide/move around some and that I sometimes step out of them. I know someone who broke her foot when this happened.
I hate worrying about this stuff, but at 50+ and a family history of osteoporosis, I feel it's something I need to consider....

[KAnn]

Dankos! They have been a lifesaver for me the past few years....clogs and sandals.

[fci5767]

I'm going to go try out a few brands this week. I suspect that the Dansko sandals will be too narrow. At least they look that way online. I'm also going to check out Easy Spirit, Sofft and some of the others.

Aubergine, I think my feet would slide around in the Crocs. I hate having sweaty feet.

I wish comfortable but cute sandals didn't cost so darn much. Oh well, comfort is worth the price.

[KAnn]

I have very wide feet (and bunions on each side of my feet). I had two surgeries to remove neuromas. The bunions cannot be removed surgically as my problems originate with metatarsal bones that are about an inch too short and Danskos have truly given me back my life in terms of walking. I need to thong stlye to accomodate my bunions but the width is fine.

[Cookin4Love]

I, too, had plantar fasciitis this year--and it was a bear to get healed up. In fact, I ended up having several cortisone shots in the sole of my foot to get over the hump. Unfortunately, all the clog-type shoes I wore trying to soothe that pain resulted in damaged tendons on the top of my foot, so now I'm trying ot heal that up, with little success.

For wide widths, try Naturalizer. I find lots of shoes there. I've also had lots of luck at DSW and other shoe outlet type stores. I don't wear wides, but I do wear a size 11. I see lots of wide shoes in those places when I'm shopping. Right now, I can't wear anything backless, anything that goes between my toes, or anything that puts any pressure on the top of my foot. Fun, fun, fun.

Good luck, and happy shopping. :-)

[fci5767]

For wide widths, try Naturalizer. I find lots of shoes there. I've also had lots of luck at DSW and other shoe outlet type stores. I don't wear wides, but I do wear a size 11. I see lots of wide shoes in those places when I'm shopping. Right now, I can't wear anything backless, anything that goes between my toes, or anything that puts any pressure on the top of my foot. Fun, fun, fun.



Ouch, that doesn't sound fun at all. Hopefully, you will have a speedy recovery.

I never find wide widths in my size (9) at DSW. I rarely go there because of that. Maybe I'll try again.

[mobear]

Not to get this too off-track, but is anyone leery of wearing backless sandals? I've worn them for years but lately I feel like they're an accident waiting to happen---that they slide/move around some and that I sometimes step out of them. I know someone who broke her foot when this happened.
I hate worrying about this stuff, but at 50+ and a family history of osteoporosis, I feel it's something I need to consider....

EllenL: I have had problems with my knee and achilles tendonitis. I finally figured out that the mules or backless sandals are the cause of the achilles tendonitis, and they aggravate an existing knee problem. It is because of all of the muscles that have to stay tense to keep the shoes on and from sliding off of my feet. (I figured out the connection in using massage to treat the tendonitis, and the increased aggravation in going back to the sandles.) It is very hard to find cute sandles that are not backless in the last few years. However, I think there are more coming out this year with the current fashions. Anyway, I think it is well worth it to avoid wearing them if they do not feel safe for you. IMHO

[Joanie B]

Beth, have you seen the TV ads for the wide shoe warehouse somewhere over in Raleigh? I never been but sounds like wide-foot heaven to me! Also, some of the shoe stores at the old Burlington outlet complex on 85 often carry wide widths in some brands at good $$$$, if you're up for a road trip westward. My officemate lives in Dansco year-round, loves her Dansco sandals, and probably has 15-20 pair of the beauties, price be darned, Nordstrom's or bust. Altho she does have normal toesies...

I'm a (usually) 7 1/2 wide w/like a AA/AAA narrow heel, for pete's sake, and end up using 2 or more heel huggers in most shoes to keep the buggers on my heels while my toes have all that beachfront to wiggle. I'm another sufferer of heel pain and high arch as well, but it didn't take but 1 cortisone shot (and an alergic reaction!) and a round of painful, custom high-$$ inserts to convince me to just live with the pain!

[Laurielee]

Beth, I have wide feet and am dealing with PF in both of my feet now. I can barely walk :( )

I have these sandals and love them. Zappos is great because they have free shipping even on returns.


http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/10527876/c/1640.html

Laurie

[fci5767]

Beth, have you seen the TV ads for the wide shoe warehouse somewhere over in Raleigh? I never been but sounds like wide-foot heaven to me! Also, some of the shoe stores at the old Burlington outlet complex on 85 often carry wide widths in some brands at good $$$$, if you're up for a road trip westward. My officemate lives in Dansco year-round, loves her Dansco sandals, and probably has 15-20 pair of the beauties, price be darned, Nordstrom's or bust. Altho she does have normal toesies...


Thanks for the info and suggestions everyone. I also have achilles tendinosis in addition to the plantars faciitis so I'm not supposed to wear open back shoes, but of course I do.

Joanie, I"ll check out the stores in Burlington. I work in Hillsborough so it's not too far from there. That's a pathetic outlet complex, though. I expected so much more when I went there for the first (and only) time. It's got Le Creuset so it's not all bad :D.

Hmm, I never heard of the wide shoe warehouse, I'll do a search online.

[Chelle D]

Just chiming in with another plug for zappos. I wear a 12 Wide and find a lot of cute things there and have had to return a pair or two. Return shipping is so easy and free, you can't beat that.

[fci5767]

Joanie, I took a look at the website for the Wide Shoe Warehouse. Looks like nothing special. Not worth at trip down there.

I'll probably end up ordering from Zappos but I'm going to try some on locally first. That will save the "back and forth" shipping plus I'll get a better sense of how different brands will fit.

Thanks!

[Laurielee]

Beth, on Zappos in addition to no shipping charges, they ship either overnight or 2 day, so at the most you are waiting 2 days for your shoes. if you order in the am. I think they are based out of Tennessee and being in Calif I have order as late as 12:00 and they still have shipped out that day and if you do have to return its so easy, they have prepaid ship labels for both USPS and UPS. they make it so easy its hard not to use them

Laurie

[blazedog]

Much as I like Zappos, I would not order on-line shoes unless I had tried on the EXACT shoe -- especially if I were seeking a shoe that had to be comfortable.

Even if you think it's the same shoe, it can feel different in suede/nubuck as opposed to leather. I loved my Dansko sandals so much that I thought I could get another pair on-line but a different style -- those were completely different.

Now if you try on a pair of shoes and they are perfect, then it makes sense. However, why not just buy them at the shoe store since the prices at Zappos for Danskos/ECCO etc. aren't generally lower.

Just my opinion but it's a little tacky to try on shoes and take up a sales person's time and then deliberately buy them someplace else -- generally showing shoes is pretty labor intensive -- they bring the shoes and help you try them on etc.

[Laurielee]

"Much as I like Zappos, I would not order on-line shoes unless I had tried on the EXACT shoe -- especially if I were seeking a shoe that had to be comfortable."

I wish I could do that, but for me Zappos works because I live in a small town that has no shoe stores. I would definately go to a shoe store that carried what I needed instead of ordering online. The only thing we have is a pennys, and famous footware, and a mini macys that has zilch.


Laurie

[blazedog]

"Much as I like Zappos, I would not order on-line shoes unless I had tried on the EXACT shoe -- especially if I were seeking a shoe that had to be comfortable."

I wish I could do that, but for me Zappos works because I live in a small town that has no shoe stores. I would definately go to a shoe store that carried what I needed instead of ordering online. The only thing we have is a pennys, and famous footware, and a mini macys that has zilch.


Laurie

The original poster seems to live in Chapel Hill which probably has at least one shoe store which caters to walkers. It's my experience that professors and college students are especially interested in these kinds of shoes. I think there is even a chain called The Walking Store which specializes in shoes that are made for well -- walking. :D I got my first pair of shoes there but then discovered an even better source - The Well Heeled Shoe which is heaven for those of us who want both comfort and style -- highly recommend if anyone is in the LA area. :)

However I do understand the need to order on-line if one's alternative is shoes from JC Pennys :eek:

[fci5767]

We do have a lot of stores that sell great shoes but the prices tend to be a lot higher. I did buy my Danskos at the Birkenstock store. Blaze, I do see your point about wasting the salesperson's time. I'll have to think about it. I definitely need to try on a bunch of different styles/brands to see what will work for me. Then, I'll decide on the best place to buy them.

I hate buying shoes. I hate that you can't wear them outside to see how they work in the "real world." I love having comfortable, new shoes.

Thanks!