Ok what shoes can I wear with dresses and black tights that feel like trainers?

[Oceangreyscale]

I walk all over London for work between meetings for my corporate type job. I wear dresses and skirts, and in the winter this means black tights.

To make things more difficult I have plantar fascitis. While I have boots and loafers from 'comfortable' brands like Gabor, and I have also added squishy insoles, it's just not enough and my feet can really hurt. What I should be wearing is sports type trainers but they don't work at all with my work wardrobe, particularly in the winter with the tights. Summer I can get away with more. No one is going to tell me off for wearing the wrong shoes but I need something that looks ok.

So, please help. What smartish shoes are there out there as soft as trainers?!

My other ones aren't, they're just regular running shoes so not winter proof at all. Need to examine these carefully to see if they're a bit more fit for winter

I've just ordered Hush Puppies boots from John Lewis so they may have shoes as well.

Fit flop Fmode - I have the trainers and they are very comfortable, these shoes are on my list

www.fitflop.com/uk/en/shop/f-mode-leather-flatform-penny-loafers-p-FH5#090

Don't order hush puppies direct, they don't do free returns. Use Amazon or another shoe shop.

Very interesting thread as I am in totally the same dilemma. PF for the second time and in agony. I wore Birkenstocks through the whole of summer and survived but now it's freezing. I have Birkenstock boots and they are great with jeans and trousers but not smart enough with dresses and I am stumped.
I can't face the pain of trainers, insoles and inserts all hurt too much, I had the biggest collection of Fly boots ever (and walked MILES in them, but not at the moment), Fitflips are agony. The list goes on of shoes/boots I have bought and can't wear.
I was at the musclo-skeletal clinic last week, waiting for shock therapy, and the consultant said the worst mistake people make is a soft sole. I don't know where else to look!

This sounds awful. What did he say people should wear if not something soft? I find that I need supportive shoes with an arch otherwise my heels hurt, but if they aren't soft then my whole sole starts to really ache. People keep saying it goes away but it's been about 18 months. Has improved a lot but still definitely a problem.

I'll report back on what I find in terms of shoes.

I have some hush puppies brogue type shoes that feel like trainers. They do have a white base though so might not work unless they do other colours. I'll try and find a pic

This is them

@Oceangreyscale it's driving me potty, need to lose weight, but can't exercise as can't stand on heel and I've hurt my knee by walking with a weird gait. So I feel trapped.
I think he was meaning that lots of people turn to trainers but that's because they are soft and therefore it feels like it's helping. I was quite surprised he was supportive of Birkenstocks as I've been criticised for wearing them by a GP. But I was only wearing them as it's the only thing I could. But, the boots sole base is different to a sandal so it's still taken some getting used to. He suggested a needed a firmer base which would give long term support, even though I might need to grit teeth!

I say it every time these sort of threads come up, because Birkenstocks changed my life regarding my foot pain and issues. And now I also wear barefoot boots and shoes too, but you have to train your feet to get used to those.. These leather ones are the ones I wear with literally everything, in a regular width:

www.birkenstock.com/gb/bend-low-natural-leather/bendlow-smoothleather-naturalleather-0-rubber-u_3974.html?dwvar_bendlow-smoothleather-naturalleather-0-rubber-u__3974_width=N&dwvar_bendlow-smoothleather-naturalleather-0-rubber-u__3974_size=240&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=pmax&utm_campaign=evergreen-cat_GB&utm_content=Sneakers&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi_G5BhDXARIsAN5SX7rEhpRPYS9-xmy6oEyVT52ZKydCous3_aRXEvdi5lqMjVGlWbT_KeMaAqP3EALw_wcB

I have these and they are super comfy.
https://www.debenhams.com/product/dune-london-giddie-leather-loafers_p-42c75212-8696-40e3-808f-f3ad67abcadc?colour=Black&size=5&istCompanyId=76f7277d-6e78-4dc2-aaff-1eb77fae16b0&istFeedId=258a4886-8f3c-47ef-9369-d1eda8d84501&istItemId=mmiawmpmr&istBid=t&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi_G5BhDXARIsAN5SX7pKOCil15sBmoq4D_EnO3a8UVcZXl-KGALFw-hcw7ip1we73qvDBYUaAhzwEALw_wcB
Lightweight and supportive. I have PF and a wide foot and find these as good as trainers (which I wear 90% of the time)

I also have PF, I wear these in winter from rocket dog, really comfy the soles inside are padded and almost bouncy, I also wear thick socks with them and often walk to and from work which is about 1.5 miles each way, and the school is 0.75 miles in the opposite direction.
I wear them with dresses, skirts and black tights. I've also just seen they're half price in the sale and I'm tempted to get another pair for when these ones eventually die (second winter and still going strong)
https://www.rocketdog.co.uk/products/dekko-black-buckled-ankle-boot

I also have plantar Fasciitis for the second time. But this time it's worse due to a partially ruptured plantar ligament.
The specialist foot person I've seen has said that Oofos, Joya & Finn Comfort are the best for this sort of pain. They all have arch support , but a cushioned heel. I've been wearing Vionic shoes for years, but the soles are generally hard & moulded & not as comfortable. Shock Wave treatment really helps but can be painful.

Have at look at Fitflop, they have loafers and ballet pumps etc.
Very comfortable like trainers.

www.fitflop.com/uk/en/shop/womens-flat-shoes-uk

Ah, I bought those a few years ago thinking they'd be the answer to all commuting footwear issues. Every time I wear them, I have knee pain for about 2 or 3 days afterwards. Can't wear them regularly. So annoying.

Try a pair of Heavenly Feet. Dd loves hers she's walked miles in them. She has the Milana ones in Black. I like the green.
https://www.heavenlyfeet.co.uk/collections/shoes?srsltid=AfmBOopmh_YUX-qYyZr3sx963ETXcHJJfS_96I8jAG5cfllpb1yjYzxd

I think he means you need a rigid thick sole that doesn't flex too much. But on top of that you can overlay arch support with Some padding in the heel. A rocker sole can also really help diffuse the pressure.

Toms do some trainer your shoes that don't look very trainer-y

Type* not your

My podiatrist recommended Birkies and since I changed my slippers to Birkies (on my second pair now, so a couple of years) my PF has gone away.

I would suggest that anyone with PF and/or osteoarthritis in their feet (I have both) sees a podiatrist. Take your favourite shoes with you. I got mine to adapt my shoes by bulking up the areas I needed support with sheep's wool stuck in. It's far better to have bespoke support than random insoles and trying loads of different shoes.

If you are in pain due to a medical condition why can your employer not pay for you to get a black cab between some of your meetings?

I have a similar problem and have found that Think! is the best brand. https://www.think-shoes-online.co.uk/

I wear these with dresses www.clarks.com/en-gb/zylah-may/26180109-p www.clarks.com/en-gb/zylah-may/26180109-p]]]] Clarks have a few colour / sole combos

They feel just like trainers as the sole is really thick and bouncy

https://amzn.eu/d/0IEeLg7

These are apparently super comfortable, I haven't tried them but they were recommended to me. I have seen them and they don't look bad in person!

It's been a while but I thought I'd update as a lot of people seemed to have the same search!

The solution I found was loafers from Camper, thanks those who recommended looking there.

These Junction ones are quite soft leather, not the most beautiful but they are fine with dresses and tights and ok for days when I'm walking around London and still need to look smart. And they are about as comfortable as trainers! You can take the weird rubber toe caps off.

Had to get a size 37 and I'm usually a 38/39.

Expensive but got a black Friday discount.

I also went to Fly as suggested and found comfortable block heels there which I've been wearing in the office and to conferences (Siwa is the style).