What trainers can be considered smart, work appropriate - if any?

[CoastOfXmasPast]

I work in a corporate environment, senior manager, Customers visit office. My usual formula on days without external meetings are dark jeans and a blazer, with a cami or t shirt underneath. Sometimes, I mix it up with a blouse, or a dress, or a skirt and jumper, keeping some items smart, and some casual to not overdo it and look out of touch with more relaxed office wear now.

I have always worn heels and mostly wear kitten heels, but my bunion is a killer and I am struggling to find shoes that fit a dainty ankle and allow room at the front. All the bunion friendly shoes look frumpy and I do not like loafers. Ballerina squeeze my toes too painfully. This leaves me with trainers and my Adidas Speziale are so, so comfortable. But I am not sure if they are work appropriate? Any other recommendations would be much appreciate. I am a petite size 8 if that makes a difference.

I like moda in pelle felician as they are thicker soled. Come in lots of colours too and look smart imo anyway.Felician

Other colours from other stockists

Thank you, all - some great options to research!

I have recently bought some all black waterproof trainers from Ecco which I find comfy. Slight bunion but also a painful neuroma - glad to note the options on this thread.

I have had a pair of those for years, well made and suit many occasions

Would a low wedge shoe work? Either a regular wedged slip on shoe or a trainer?

I was in Italy recently and another lady at the B&B wore wedged trainers each day to go sightseeing. She was so fashionable and put together. These aren't the ones she had, but to give you an idea of what I mean. Hers were much nicer.
https://www.modainpelle.com/new-in-c58/new-trainers-c178/corali-black-porvair-p16881

I second black sketchers. I have been wearing one for a while and won’t wear anything else.

Bunions will always win. I can't wear anything other than barefoot shoes now - even my lovely blundstone boots give me horrendous foot pain if I wear them for 5 mins. I even have the little toe ones now, I call them funions... Anyway, vivobarefoot have some good options, I think. Some really nice minimal leather boots. Saw some on vinted today in fact! NB avoid Freet - crap quality. I bought winter boots in a sale in summer last yr and by autumn they had split. I've had soaked muddy heels all winter. If you have narrow feet (sounds like it if you can wear Adidas trainers, I wish) check the happy little soles site as they sort them by width. Their site is crap tho, unless they've finished migrating to their new one

Which ones have you got? I desperately need comfy ones for work and no idea which to go for. Also, are they fairly true to size?

Sorry, I can’t see trainers ever being appropriate as workwear, unless you work at a gym.

None, according to my old boss.

Primary school.
On my feet all day.
Chasing children over fields at times.

Smart shoes were the only acceptable footwear. No trainers allowed.

One reason of many why I found a job in another school.

I wear black spezial with silver stripes, wide leg trousers mostly cover them as well, I’ve had lots of comments on how nice they are!

I have some black chelsea boots, very comfy from Dune
i have some black leather trainers with a white sole from michael kors. I am pretty sure you can find plenty of these. I wouldnt wear my converse however or anything more “street”
toothpaste helps keeping the sides of the white sole white which makes the trainers smart

I got D’lux comfort. It’s all black but more like trainer look not smart shoes. I went up half size big but I think it’s usually true to size. I absolutely swear by sketchers. I work in secondary school and on my feet all day. I think I will never wear anything else.

https://www.clarksoutlet.co.uk/un-maui-lace/26141642-p

I've just ordered these for work. Swap out the laces for black ones and they look very shoe-like, particularly from the top view, which is whatost people see.

https://www.modainpelle.com/sale-c79/sale-trainers-c180/abbiy-navy-leather-p13617/s77035?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=moda-in-pelle-abbiy-navy-leather-40-size-uk-7-eu-40-size-uk-7-eu-40-5063333010035&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15768441509&gbraid=0AAAAADmxl__pEHtNdJF732cx9gV56Z5cY&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7rDMBhCjARIsAGDBuEDg7zkdr1sSiDRSlnTGkE7Tzd4TkjtgEV3oK4xWEpk4wILFAt45JhgaAswOEALw_wcB

I have these in 3 different colours, they are so comfortable.

I have these in two colourways- love them! Comfortable too.

Wow maybe I’m not the right person to answer this as I’m horrified by half of the suggestions on here. Wedge sneakers? Even the Isabel Marant ones need to stay in 2010. Black leather trainers? Look absolutely awful and stick out like a sore thumb if trainers aren’t common place in your office.

Go for a slimline suede trainer. COS did great ones last season, Massimo Dutti have some as do M&S

I have navy blue sparkly trainers from MIP, the most comfortable footwear to wear all day.

I’m part of management in an a big office and I wear adidas spezials, gazelles and sambas. Usually with wideleg trousers or dark jeans/ blazers. I have black and white, black and brown and all brown which I think work well and still look smart. This is the sort of look I go for

Sketchers have a good variety of comfy black trainers that look nice and not chunky.

I’m sorry but in what world do the children’s school shoes, the wedge trainers and the Gabor shoes look like smart modern classy options to go with the look the OP has described.

I wear my adidas gazelles in black for work. I also have a pair of black converse for work.

On another note, crocs do a work style shoe, which is so comfortable - ballet pump style but quite wide around the toe! I struggle with my feet and these are lush!

Typically in my office environment, it’s white converse or light feminine coloured air force ones/dunks or Jordan 1s. As long as they are spotlessly clean and match, they can look very smart. Most are light coloured which I think helps.

I wear a pair of white leather Louboutin Viera with both wide leg trousers and dresses.