Smart, comfortable and reasonable shoes - do they exist?

[puzzledbyadream]

I have all sorts of things going on with my feet/legs (plantar fasciitis, over-pronation, ridiculously tight calf muscles) and thus I need to wear comfortable shoes. Currently I can get away with trainers in all three of my jobs but i'm massively wanting to move away from working in social care and back into a school or office environment and so I need a pair of smart black shoes, not least for the interview.

I have scoured the Internet but unless I want ugly old lady shoes or have £80 to spend (I really don't) I can't seem to find any smart shoes which would be suitable for work and in my budget. Can anyone think of where might sell some? Essentially they need to have a proper sole, not be completely flat nor have a heel, be £30 or under and not look like trainers. Feels like an impossible mission!

It is.

loafers and brogues! I mostly wear trousers and have lots of comfortable shoes.

I think Skechers have a more 'smart' range now?

I have the same issue as you puzzled. I found Clarks outlet store combined with insoles from the internet the best but it's not perfect.

For that sort of budget your best bet might be TK Maxx - its a bit of a lucky dip but is worth going a few times as their stock changes so quickly. Or the own-brand end of Office - lots of office-y type shoes, especially brogues/loafers/lace-ups which tend to be low-heeled and respectable. There's also a cracking sale online (and presumably in the shops) at Jones Bootmakers.

If your budget stretched a bit, there's always Clarks (which is a bit dull tbh) and my all time favourite for stylish comfy shoes - Fly of London.

M & S have loafers for around the £30 mark. Lots of school shoes out at the moment which would fit the bill.

I'll recommend Clarks Hamble brogues time and time again. They're supportive, comfortable, they come in wider widths and lots of colours, I think they're stylish and I can walk for miles in mine.

M & S loafers with insoles - the musculoskeletal department gave me some for plantar fasciitis!

The Clarks outlet site is good, lots of bargains in leather shoes, I regularly but from there

Obviously definitions of smart, comfortable and reasonable vary, but I have an older version of these - mine have a squarer toe.

I can wear them all day even when standing/walking lots.

Skechers go walk are the most comfortable shoes I've ever had. They are smart enough to wear with trousers.

My DD recently got 2 pairs of shoes for interview/work from Deichmann for under £20 a pair - a bar shoe with a low heel and a pair of flat brogues. She has a mild deformity but has had no problems with them.

For work (teacher, with a formal dress code), I wear the smart Skechers, made of fabric, like the upper of a loafer and the sole of a trainer. The entire shoe is black. I couldn't change to any other work shoe now. My plantar fascitis is infinitely better since I switched to these. I buy them from an outlet for 40-45€ (live in Spain).

Similar to these .

some ideas from Clarks outlet as pp suggested

here

here

Unless you have enormous feet you could get brogues from a schoolwear range and add insoles. I got a super cheap pair from Debenhams' "Back to School Event" one year - half the price of adult shoes partly because they have no VAT.

leather rocket dogs. sports direct and m&m direct will sell. need breaking in but sooo comfy.

Clarks brogues for me. I can't be doing with sore feet.

I find the little pumps with a shiney black toe great and comfy as runners!

Recently bought Butterfly Twists and they were great. So cheap, so well made.

eg if you want leather

I've been in exactly the same place as you. I sorted out my feet/leg problems! Get a personal trainer if you don't know the stretches/exercises to do.

I find fit flops great. Brand alley have them on sale at the moment. I bought 5 pairs yesterday! They have some good loafer styles