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Matilda Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2007 Location: Texas
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 1:57pm | IP Logged
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I have a question about what kind of shoes are considered "good shoes". This thread got me thinking about it. Would you mind sharing with me what makes a shoe a good shoe? What about brands and styles (loafers, sandals, dressy)?
I know that New Balance is a good, supportive tennis shoe that fits my ginormous size 10 feet but I am looking for some dressier shoes for Church and other functions.
__________________ Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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CrunchyMom Forum Moderator
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 2:19pm | IP Logged
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I like this store Footprints
I got Sanita seconds there (the European brand for Dansko), and they are supportive and fit like a clog.
I wear birkenstocks all summer long.
I want a shoe that will be supportive and good for my feet. It should keep my feet warm in winter. Good shoes also last forever and often are able to be re-soled to last even longer without investing in a brand new pair. I have chilblains that I'm convinced were caused by boots that pinched my toes when I was pregnant in winter with my first. It is miserable, and was preventable if I had just bitten the bullet and gotten good shoes.
__________________ Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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cvbmom Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 15 2005 Location: Ohio
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 2:27pm | IP Logged
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I for dressier shoes, I really like my Dansko shoes. I have a pair of Professional Clogs and a pair of Sally shoes (I think that's what they are called). They are so comfortable! I wear them for church and any other dressier occasion. They were certainly worth the price.
By the way, I'm a size 10 or 11, depending on the shoe. In the Danskos, I'm a EU 41. The shoes are dressy without making my feet look huge :)
God bless,
Christine
__________________ Wife to dh - 18 years!
Mom to dd (16), ds (15), dd, (12), dd (11), ds (9), dd (8), dd (7), ds (5), dd (3), ds (2), and ds (1)
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Betsy Forum All-Star
Joined: July 02 2006
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 2:39pm | IP Logged
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cvbmom wrote:
I for dressier shoes, I really like my Dansko shoes. I have a pair of Professional Clogs and a pair of Sally shoes (I think that's what they are called). They are so comfortable! I wear them for church and any other dressier occasion. They were certainly worth the price.
By the way, I'm a size 10 or 11, depending on the shoe. In the Danskos, I'm a EU 41. The shoes are dressy without making my feet look huge :)
God bless,
Christine |
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I could have wrote this...except I have the Merrie's. I consider these and the professional's to be "good shoes". Dansko's dress shoes are more comfortable than other dress shoes, but not work all day in type shoes. With that being said, I own some of their older style strappy dress shoes and I love them (for an hour or two)!
Betsy
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JennGM Forum Moderator
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 3:59pm | IP Logged
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I get my shoes from The Walking Company, which has a nearby store. I wear Dansko and Mephisto. Mephisto makes very comfortable sandals. I have very flat feet, and metatarsal arch problems. The cork beds are very helpful, as are the Dansko shoes.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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PDyer Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005 Location: Ohio
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 4:35pm | IP Logged
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Most of the time I wear Merrell, Mephisto, Josef Seibel and Munro shoes. I have joint problems (a systemic problem) and wearing less flexible, less supportive shoes causes me pain after an hour or so.
Oh, Asics tennis shoes too.
ETA I find good shoes by trial and error. I've found expensive shoes that hurt like crazy, but I've found far more inexpensive shoes that hurt like crazy.
__________________ Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
Life at Home
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Nina Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 13 2007
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 4:49pm | IP Logged
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I LOVE Aerosoles They are both stylish and so comfortable. I used to wear this brand when I worked in downtown Chicago and had many blocks to walk to get to the office.
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SaraP Forum All-Star
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 5:56pm | IP Logged
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A good shoe is one that is wide enough and has enough arch support. I like Dansko clogs in the winter and have gotten some great dressy sandals (on sale!) from Easy Spirit recently.
__________________ Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
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mary theresa Forum All-Star
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 7:28pm | IP Logged
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Does anyone have and like Doc Martens? I've been thinking about getting some for a while. My husband has had some for over 5 yrs and he loves them.
__________________ Mary Theresa
mother to 3 little girls --March '06, Dec '07 and Jan '10
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wamegomom Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Kansas
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 8:57pm | IP Logged
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I, too, love Merrills and Josef Seibel. This summer I have lived in my Ecco sandals and have had no foot pain for the first time in many summers. I'm theirs for life!
Mary Alice in Kansas
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SaraP Forum All-Star
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Posted: July 23 2009 at 9:00pm | IP Logged
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mary theresa wrote:
Does anyone have and like Doc Martens? |
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Yes! I have had these for 3 or 4 years and I love them. They are really comfortable and absolutely indestructable. On the down side they're not particularly feminine and because they are so heavy and thick-soled I find I have to be extra careful not to trod on any little fingers or toes when I wear them.
__________________ Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
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SusanJ Forum All-Star
Joined: May 25 2007 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: July 24 2009 at 7:29am | IP Logged
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We always get good shoes because we have always lived in cities and typically walk at least 1-2 miles every day while wearing a baby. Dh commutes on foot. A good shoe for me is one I can walk in all day, one that will stand up to that kind of use, one that can be repaired, one that looks reasonably nice. I like Danskos quite a bit and do find them to be great all day shoes. The only thing I don't love about them is that it's hard to run in them because the heels tend to be higher. I don't "go for a run" in regular shoes, of course, but I need to be able to dart after a two-year old on a busy street without spraining my ankle.
I got these Keen sandals on sale this year. I wish they had a bit more arch support but I mostly love them. I've had Doc Marten Mary Jane's for years but I've needed more arch support since my second baby so I've favored the arch support of Dansko clogs for the most part.
__________________ Mom to Joseph-8, Margaret-6, William-4, Gregory-2, and new little one due 11/1
Life Together
[URL=http://thejohnstonkids.blogspot.com]The Kids' Blog[/UR
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JennGM Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: July 24 2009 at 7:34am | IP Logged
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SusanJ wrote:
I got these Keen sandals on sale this year. I wish they had a bit more arch support but I mostly love them. I've had Doc Marten Mary Jane's for years but I've needed more arch support since my second baby so I've favored the arch support of Dansko clogs for the most part. |
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My mother got the Keen sandals for this summer (a trip to Disney World) and just is in heaven. But she doesn't need the arch support, so I'm nodding my head in agreement with you.
That Walking Company site I listed above is helpful because you can choose your foot problem, or just "Ultimate Comfort" to find the most supportive and comfortable shoe. For someone who had to wear orthopedic oxfords when she was a girl, I'm thrilled I have more choices.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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4 lads mom Forum All-Star
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Posted: July 24 2009 at 7:54am | IP Logged
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Has anyone heard of "Finn Comfort" I would link, but I haven't gotten the linky thingy yet....I know, I KNOW!!! My husband has the flatest feet ever, and needs a knee replacement already..he got some Finn Comfort shoes, and can't believe the difference. He usually buys nice shoes, but these are IT!! I tried on a pair, but they are a little expensive!
__________________ Mom of four brave lads and one sweet lassie
Scenes From This and That
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JennGM Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Aug 01 2009 at 1:11pm | IP Logged
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4 lads mom wrote:
Has anyone heard of "Finn Comfort" I would link, but I haven't gotten the linky thingy yet....I know, I KNOW!!! My husband has the flatest feet ever, and needs a knee replacement already..he got some Finn Comfort shoes, and can't believe the difference. He usually buys nice shoes, but these are IT!! I tried on a pair, but they are a little expensive! |
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I just went back to the shoe store (The Walking Company) and bought two pairs of sandals. These are the same kind I bought 3 years ago. I have had good support for two summers, but I wore out the support in the shoes and this summer my feet were killing me (then it's my legs and back), so it was time to replace. I have Mephisto Helen and Dansko Sela Pull Up. I'm boringly consistent -- but when I looked around for other choices there really weren't many others in classic colors.
I could probably contend for flat feet contests. When I asked what brands are good support, the answer is always a shoe that has visible and support you can feel. The cork bed shoes like Mephisto, Birkenstock, and Finn were the ones she named, and then Dansko that is non cork. But there are different lines within a brand, and you need to get the ones that have the most support.
Having my feet not hurt is a priority in my life. I take a twist on the old saying: "If Mama's feet aren't happy, then no one is happy!"
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Stephanie_Q Forum Pro
Joined: Aug 25 2007 Location: Nebraska
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Posted: Aug 03 2009 at 10:05am | IP Logged
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Hmmm - when I was in Italy I got a pair of Memphisto sandals and LOVED them (until one disappeared). I have a pair of Birkenstock's that aren't as pretty or comfortable (I have narrow feet and their "narrow" is not as narrow as I need). I guess I never thought of "expensive shoes" as a luxury before because they don't make cheap shoes that stay on my feet! I've always worn New Balance tennis shoes. My mom always bought me Naturalizers but I found a a pair of Clarks (Artisan Collection) in narrow for my most recent pair of shoes. I'll have to see what Dansko has in narrow...
__________________ Stephaniedh 6.01
dd 6.02, dd 8.03, ds 3.05, ds 12.06 at Catholic school.
dd 12.09 at home.
Baby boy due 10.13
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JennGM Forum Moderator
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Posted: Aug 03 2009 at 10:11am | IP Logged
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Stephanie_Q wrote:
Hmmm - when I was in Italy I got a pair of Memphisto sandals and LOVED them (until one disappeared). I have a pair of Birkenstock's that aren't as pretty or comfortable (I have narrow feet and their "narrow" is not as narrow as I need). I guess I never thought of "expensive shoes" as a luxury before because they don't make cheap shoes that stay on my feet! I've always worn New Balance tennis shoes. My mom always bought me Naturalizers but I found a a pair of Clarks (Artisan Collection) in narrow for my most recent pair of shoes. I'll have to see what Dansko has in narrow... |
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Stephanie, I hear you! I have narrow feet, although they are bit wider since my pregnancies, but still fall into narrow category. I used to have to buy AA and AAA widths and spend an arm and a leg.
Dansko is not narrow. They are the shoe of choice for pregnancy, but I'm finding the stapled clog are a bit large on my feet. I've had to go down a size to have the shoes fit better (I'm between 37 and 38, but it seems there aren't half sizes in Euro). They aren't made to fit like a glove though; it's a different fit.
But the sandals have some straps to adjust which are nice to have.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Angie Mc Board Moderator
Joined: Jan 31 2005 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Aug 03 2009 at 11:58am | IP Logged
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Answering OP:
I wear Crocs Caymen in my house.
I wear good brand of sneaker - NIKE right now - when I exercise.
I picked up a pair of Natural Soul by Naturalizer at the local Famous Footware when they were on sale.
I recently purchased shoes online for the first time and am very happy with the service. I purchased some Crocs then received a coupon for 20% off next purchase so I puchased these cute black flats by Sketcher
Love,
__________________ Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
About Me
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stacykay Forum All-Star
Joined: April 08 2006 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Aug 03 2009 at 12:52pm | IP Logged
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Charlotte,
from one size 10 to another!
For me, a good shoe is one that fits well, and at the end of the day, my feet don't hurt.
I recently went shoe-shopping after years of tennies (New Balance) only. I got a pair of San Antonio Shoes, which I can wear for an entire, very busy, and active day and my feet still feel great! It's actually this shoe. (These are what I usually wear to church.)
I also got one pair of "dressier" shoes, which are here. I needed something a little more dressy for special occasions, but I cannot wear any high sort of heel, and these are great. (I bought these to wear to my #2ds's high school graduation and all the functions before it.)
So, I own these two "dress" shoes, and two pairs of New Balance, and one pair of winter boots. Is that about average for a homeschooling mom?
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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