Comfortable shoes

[Carey]

Originally Posted by j

You should not wear any good pair of shoes every day. At least 2 pairs should be rotated so that each pair gets a day of rest with shoe trees in them, to dry and regain their shape. Otherwise their life is significantly shortened. If your budget is tight, you might get one better pair for important days and one or two cheaper pairs to fill in in-between times and inclement weather.
Get a pair of lace-ups and a pair of slip-ons. Leather soles are better than rubber, most of the time. Get a third pair later with a vibram type sole for when it rains or snows. Also I would suggest a dark brown color as it goes with eerything. Black shoes with khakis or jeans is not the best choice, it looks like you are wearing your "good" shoes because you don't have anything else. Dark brown always looks rich, and is the more fashionable choice. I think light brown is too limiting if you are only going to have one, and hopefully two pairs of shoes.

 

[Carey]

Originally Posted by lockey2k

I am in search of affordable comfortable shoes. Right now I'm wearing a pair of Kenneth Coles that are killing my feet. T____T Price range - $150-200 Need - Walking around the office and to work (about 2 miles a day).
on a Brannick Device. Length and width are very important. No matter who makes the shoe, if they don't fit properly, your feet will be tortured.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by Carey

Black shoes with khakis or jeans is not the best choice, it looks like you are wearing your "good" shoes because you don't have anything else.

Interesting.

 

[Carey]

I can't tell you how many men I know will wear the same pair of black shoes with everything, because they only have one pair of "good" shoes. These same men have three or four pairs of trainers, and maybe a pair of deck shoes. These men have the bucks to buy more than one pair of nice shoes, they just don't care. It pains me to see a man wear a black thin soled loafer with a suit, then turn around and wear that same pair of shoes with his Dockers, but I guess that is better than wearing Dockers and white trainers.

 

[JLibourel]

Originally Posted by designprofessor

Second the above posts. With AE, they fit roomy on me, so i have sports insoles in some, makes them even more comfortable.

Curious your general comment that A-Es "fit roomy" on you. At any given time, various Allen-Edmonds styles are made on about 10 different lasts. Some do indeed "fit roomy" on me, others do not.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by j

Well, are they?
I have a pair that were given to me as a gift, and they are very uncomfortable. They're also, imho, poorly-constructed - not necessarily the same thing. (For example, I have a pair of Donald Pliners that are cheap glue jobs but are very comfortable).

 

[wvuguy]

Originally Posted by chorse123

I would also recommend Allen Edmonds (AE), which can be found pretty easily for under $200. In New York right now, a mini-chain called Shoe Mania has a couple of different styles marked down to something like $150 and DSW (Discount Shoe Warehouse, a national chain) often has a variety of AE for under $200. Plus, at DSW, you can try on a variety of different sizes without relying on a salesperson.

I walk through DSW stores locally (Cincinnati) a half-dozen or so times a year.....and have NEVER seen an AE shoe anywhere near the property unless a pair was on my feet. Their idea of a "good" dress show is a Nunn Bush, or a Kenneth Cole.

Presumably, AE is something DSW inventories ONLY in larger markets.

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by wvuguy

Presumably, AE is something DSW inventories ONLY in larger markets.

possibly. it might depend on the store location and clientele. in the northern virginia area, i've been to two DSW's - the one at Pentagon City (one stop from the Pentagon) and the one by Springfield Mall (right by the mixing bowl). The Pentagon city location has maybe anywhere between 2 and 5 AE models, but I don't think I've seen any at the Springfield location.

 

[josepidal]

As a tangent to the AE discussion, would it be fair to say that it's not worth it buying AEs on C21 / Filene's / DSW when you can get them much cheaper on eBay (unless you do live near the outlet)? The new ones at discount stores cost about $180 pretax, and it's not often you find leather soled models, more so closed lacing models?

 

[lockey2k]

One concern is do leather sole shoes survive New York City streets?

One concern with eBay is fit and comfort. Shouldn't I try them on first? :/

 

[Carey]

Originally Posted by lockey2k

One concern is do leather sole shoes survive New York City streets? One concern with eBay is fit and comfort. Shouldn't I try them on first? :/
So avoid wearing on soaking wet or sloppy days. Pavement and concrete will weardown a rubber sole just as easily. You should buy a goodyear welted shoe. The soles are a bit thicker, and probably standup to hard wear more readily than a thin soled shoe. You should expect to get at least two-years wear if you wear this shoe every other day. I would not recommend buying a shoe you have not tried on first, unless you know you can return it. Allen Edmonds come in many different lasts, all of which fit differently. It is worth your while to visit a store that carries the style and brand you would like to have. Get measured with a Brannick Device and find what fits you best. If you don't purchase at this outing (if you are that shrewd), then make note of the style of the last or model of the shoe, then you can order it from somewhere else.