I’d like some suggestions for comfy shoes with good support such that you can be on your feet all day without major foot meltdown. I just spent two days moving and was on the go for 12-14 hours straight. The first day I wore Sketchers, and by the last four hours, my feet felt like they had been beaten with hammers. Yesterday I wore thick-soled, firm, supportive athletic shoes, and endured longer, but not much. One of the moving ladies was wearing shoes by Merrell and said she could last all day in them. And they were cute, not big and clodhopper-y. Any suggestions/fav brands or styles? (Cute…no Frankenshoes, please.) Thx.
There’s only one thing that comes close to my love for buying shoes for myself: picking out shoes for other people. If I get a chance later today, I’ll get on the case. But for now, I just got an email about a big sale on comfort styles. I have at least one pair of Soffts, two pairs of Helle, and several Easy Spirits. I don’t know if any of these are going to be the industrial-grade comfort you require, but g’head and look in the meanwhile. 
OK one suggestion.
Also, I cannot vouch for this particular style, but my basic Crocs are outstanding in the comfort department. I mostly wear them around the house, but after a long day on my feet grocery shopping or whatever, I come home and my feet are killing me. I put them on and literally it’s as though I haven’t been standing at all. But these aren’t them, and based on the other more stylish crocs I have they won’t give you that same level of comfort, but they’re fairly cute IMHO: behold, a Croc. (I know there’s a lot of vehemence directed toward Crocs, but they do now offer styles other than the Giant Fugly Clog.)
First, a disclaimer: I don’t understand the obsession with shoes. Never have, never will.
My feet have been a continual source of pain almost my whole life. I gave up wearing any type of heel after high school.
I usually have to fill any pair of shoes with arch supports and foam or gel liners, but the ONLY shoe I know of that I’ve been able to just put on my feet and walk away is the BIRKENSTOCK.
The early Birkies were ugly. They have evolved over the years, and they now carry some that are actual closed shoes, not just slip on sandals. And they look decent.
They ain’t cheap.
And some people have to actually get used to wearing them, because they have such pronounced arches. Persevere. Seriously. Your feet will thank you.
~VOW
I never found Birkinstocks to be insanely comfortable, although I certainly wore them plenty for years. You have to like the look, but 15 or so years ago I was the socks-and-Birks type, and wore them all winter long and my feet never hurt. But I didn’t stand all the time either.
I would like to offer that good socks can be almost as important as good shoes. Athletic shoes are not going to be great unless you’ve got a good thick sock without seams that rub. What sort of stuff are you doing? Standing all day, like retail? Or are you doing something more athletic? Merrell are geared to people with foot problems, so they are supportive and comfortable but I wouldn’t say they are made to be stood in all day, if that makes sense.
Other good comfort brands are Clarks, Rieker, Ecco, and Born. I haven’t found a women’s Ecco that I didn’t find frightening, Clarks makes shoes of all styles from Ugly Grandma to kicky cute, and Borns can be hella comfortable or not. It depends on the style. I don’t have experience with Rieker, but my sister has a pair of their boots and loves them, and they’re sold by TravelSmith, which caters to the hard-core tourist/adventurer.
Probably the most comfortable shoes I own are a pair of J-41 casual shoes similar to this. Mine are more shoe like; these are more sandal-like. Anyway, I got them and the first time out of the box I wore them hiking through Mammoth Cave and my feet didn’t hurt one single bit. I didn’t even wear socks! 
You said you didn’t like Frankenstein shoes, but hey. I have several pairs of Danskos and Sanita, and they are quite comfortable to stand in. There’s a reason doctors, nurses and chefs wear them. You can get them hand-painted in coolio styles, too, for a very reasonable cost from Swanx: See?
I have a J-41 clog something like this that’s very comfortable. The thick-sock rule applies here though; I was wearing them with stockings and they were hurting my feet, but once I put on some socks they improved tremendously.
I’d say Danskos, but they are admittedly chunky.
I adore Kalso Earth Shoes, but they aren’t for everyone.
I haven’t tried Alegrias yet, but they are supposed to be great for problem feet. Sadly, chunky again. Sorry. I’m good at recommending chunky shoes!
I’ve got a pair of Born clogs that isn’t as comfy as the Danskos, but they might be worth looking at.
My sister swears by Beautifeel, but they sound dressier than you need.
I am all about Clarks.They’re not too expensive. They’re leather, so they stretch a little. They have arch support where I need it.
These and these are my two current faves. I can wear these to work and be good on my feet for a full day in the lab. They have heels and ballet flats too, but I haven’t tried those styles out.
I have been buying Clarks for “work shoes” for years and I haven’t had sore legs or feet since. I used to wear Sketchers, thinking they were sort of like sneakers and should be good for my feet - ha! Worst thing ever for being on my feet all day.
I have told every woman I have ever dated the same thing:
Wear the most comfortable pair of shoes you can find. I’m not looking at your feet.
Another free tip: You do not need to paint your nails or wear fake ones.
I have never been in a situation where a woman was suddenly unattractive because, alas, she’s not wearing huge gaudy nails with 4 different colors, longer than a frito, and standing atop 6 inch heels.
These are not priorities. Wear something you feel both comfortable and sexy in, and make sure your face is clean and you’re not globbing on lipstick. What attracts me to a woman is not shoes, fingernails, fake eyelashes, or lipstick, but rather the stuff you were born with.
I’m sure this logic applies to me, but not some guys. That said, I’d worry about a man who cares more about your shoes than your face.
Maybe you could look for the thread where she’s asking what shoes she needs to wear to attract men?
She’s not trying to attract you. She’s trying to have feet that don’t hurt after a long day. Missed the point, much?
Point taken. My apologies.
At the risk of overstaying my welcome which I may have already- Why wear uncomfortable shoes if you’re not trying to impress anyone with them? If it’s just for you, why be uncomfortable at all?
Wouldn’t comfort be either the first or second most important consideration when considering which shoe to wear? If they’re not comfortable, why are we wearing them?
Thelma Lou, are you looking for shoes for moving, still? Or are you done moving and are looking for shoes that are cute and comfy for a regular day of standing on your feet?
Do you notice how the OP of this thread is looking for comfy shoes? Did you actually read the OP of this thread?
you have to go and try some on. maybe even buy them and wear them all day.
I have had luck with Dansko, Born, and Alegria and I have fallen arches/flat feet. YMMV.
I love my Soffts. I also have a pair of Rockports that I love. The Soffts tend to be a little - well - heeled for standing up all day, but I have a desk job - they are darn comfy for that.
Munro shoes are expensive, but totally worth it for me. I have owned over 30 pairs, and they make up about 95% of my shoe wardrobe. Everyone I have ever introduced to Munros has ended up buying at least one pair. They come in styles ranging from quite dressy and professional to extremely relaxed and fun. I wear them 16 or more hours a day, seven days a week, and almost never have sore feet.
Yeah, if I’m not actually moving heavy furniture or something, then I have to have on heels. Not the 5 inchers I wear to the bar/club, but a heel never the less.
I’ve learned that anything over 3 inches are for short spurts, like a party. A full day of work or walking through town demands a comfier heel. I will NOT do a kitten heel, though…I detest those. Yuck.
I have a secret that has been working for me, though…DANCE SHOES! I figured this out when I used to buy ballet shoes for my daughter as a toddler. The dance shoe store had the cutest jazz and ballroom shoes that were built for comfort (dancers have to be able to dance in these shoes without pain) but still made to be cute. The structure is different than kitten heels in that the shoe tends to have a rounder toe (cute with work slacks or jeans) and a more…expensive look to the build? I mean, to me, most kitten heels look kind of cheap.
Anyways, these are somestyles I like. I found both styles in genuine leather for under 100 dollars at the dance store in my area. I’m sure any dance shoe store carries them.
These are my favorite.
I have those shoes! I love them too – I’d say they were the comfiest shoes I currently own. They don’t have much arch support, but I’ve walked around cities all day in them before and I’ve never had a problem with foot pain or blisters.
Ellen Cherry, thank you for the headsup on the 6pm.com sale – I bought two pairs of shoes for 60% off and apparently saved $128 off the total regular retail price. One of the pairs was this from Sofft: Sofft makes very comfortable heels in my experience.
Wow. I am going to order those Sofft’s shoes, gallows. Before Dangerosa posted this brand, I didn’t even know they existed.