# I pit women's shoes! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 15, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270 "2013-10-15T02:12:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/21 "2013-10-15T16:54:54Z")
Have you checked out [Munro](http://www.munroshoes.com/) shoes? They come in an extensive range of hard-to-find sizes, most are designed to fit orthotics, and they have some dressy flat styles. Everyone I have recommended them to has bought at least one pair, and many have become Munro converts like me. I have purchased at least 30 pairs, and wear Munros almost exclusively. I was just talking to a co-worker this morning about how we are now spoiled for shoes, because most shoes are just too uncomfortable after you’ve worn Munros. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/22 "2013-10-15T17:07:12Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > Derrr! Because they’re cute! 😃 You’ve no doubt heard the saying “beauty is pain”? They’re talking about our shoes. Cheer up, [things could be worse](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_binding). ---
**Author:** ![buddy431](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy431](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy431)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/23 "2013-10-15T17:31:30Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Have you tried men’s/boys’ dress shoes? Any employer who turns you down for wearing cap toes Is likely to be awfully fickle to work for. You might even try wingtips. I agree. Surely a pair of male dress shoes with slacks would be acceptable in most situations? Might look a little weird if you wanted to wear a dress though. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/24 "2013-10-15T17:41:03Z")
> [@buddy431](#): > > I agree. Surely a pair of male dress shoes with slacks would be acceptable in most situations? Might look a little weird if you wanted to wear a dress though. Many women cannot wear men’s shoes. They are far too wide. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/25 "2013-10-15T17:43:09Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Many women cannot wear men’s shoes. They are far too wide. Can they not wear narrow men’s shoes or boys’ shoes? Even those would be too wide? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/26 "2013-10-15T17:49:16Z")
I heartily support this rant. I’m looking for my Christmas shoes again, to go with my Christmas party dress outfit, and once again, all the shoes in the stores are way, WAY too high or completely flat (both of which wreck your feet). I don’t have severe foot problems, but I do have flat feet that require an orthotic, and I want to keep my feet from having severe foot problems, so I don’t wear shoes that kill my feet. A foot doctor looking at extremely high women’s shoes commented on them that they would be okay to wear once or twice _a year_ without damaging your feet too much - I don’t want to wear them even that often. They freaking hurt! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/27 "2013-10-15T17:49:25Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Can they not wear narrow men’s shoes or boys’ shoes? Even those would be too wide? I wear a narrow in women’s shoes. Men’s shoes simply don’t fit my foot, with a few exceptions like Birkenstocks (which are unisex in some styles) in narrow. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/28 "2013-10-15T18:51:13Z")
> [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](#): > > Most women’s shoes aren’t designed for that, even flats. The sole/footbed of the shoe is smaller than the outline of my feet and my orthotics. The shoes are often not high enough to accommodate orthotics, either. Would it even be possible, then, to make a dress shoe that both conforms to women’s fashion standards and can accommodate an orthotic insole? ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/29 "2013-10-15T19:19:08Z")
Have you tried Easy Spirit shoes? They were the only ones I found that were comfortable back when I had to wear heels. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/30 "2013-10-15T20:46:38Z")
A women’s-shoe-fetish is supposed to be something some men have – but I’m starting to suspect **all** women have it. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/31 "2013-10-15T21:06:40Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > A women’s-shoe-fetish is supposed to be something some men have – but I’m starting to suspect **all** women have it. What does that mean? ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/32 "2013-10-15T21:09:50Z")
OP, I’m right there with you. Along with the plantar fasciitis in both feet, I also have Achilles tendon issues, weak ankles, and arthritic knees. I wear orthotics too. I haven’t worn anything resembling a heel in at least a decade; I can’t wear flats either – my shoes have to have some kind of thick sole and a big toe box to accommodate the criss-cross hammertoes, which I’ve been told is part of the plantar fasciitis. Right now I live in either a pair of Adidas cross-trainers or my work shoes. Adidas tends to run small, but they’ve got one of the wider toe box of any name-braind athletic shoe out there, from what I’ve been told. My work shoes are from [here](http://shoesforcrews.com), and I cannot recommend them enough for someone who’s on their feet 8+ hours a day. Lots of styles too, some of which can certainly be construed as a dress shoe. But yeah, cute shoes/boots? Nope, not for me. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/33 "2013-10-15T21:25:55Z")
I had plantar facitis a long time ago, and the cortizone shot through the heel helped very much. Zappos has a lot of nice loafers that would go well with dresses. In my youth, I wore the highest of high heels and tottered around with the best of them. Hell, where I went to college it was common even in the 80s for women to wear hose and heels to class (just my college; not universal). Now I work in a secure research facility, and even my boss wears flip flops to work. So my work shoes are these: [http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16558736&camp=CSE:GooglePLA:16558736:14374510:OTHERFOOTWEAR-&gsidynamic=GooglePLA-\_-OTHERFOOTWEAR-\_-OTHERFOOTWEAR-\_-SKU-14374510](http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16558736&camp=CSE:GooglePLA:16558736:14374510:OTHERFOOTWEAR-&gsidynamic=GooglePLA-_-OTHERFOOTWEAR-_-OTHERFOOTWEAR-_-SKU-14374510) All hail the cushiony goodness! And when it’s colder, I wear these: [http://www.naturalizer.com/en-US/Product/EC0207172-3011588/Naturalizer/Grey+Fabric\_Microsue/BZees+Dash.aspx](http://www.naturalizer.com/en-US/Product/EC0207172-3011588/Naturalizer/Grey+Fabric_Microsue/BZees+Dash.aspx) I’ll wear a one inch heel to a wedding, but that’s it. I do not give a damn for what the fashion is; I’m done slipping and sliding off of high heels and walking on the balls of my feet. One of the perks of getting old. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/34 "2013-10-15T21:30:30Z")
[http://www.orthaheelusa.com/why-orthaheel](http://www.orthaheelusa.com/why-orthaheel) Give these a try. I have several friends who swear by them. And though Clark’s are very comfortable shoes, I don’t think they provide the support you require. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/35 "2013-10-15T21:56:14Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > What does that mean? To most men most of the time, shoes are just something to separate the soles of the feet from the ground, and maybe keep the feet warm in cold weather. But it seems women get rather obsessed with them – extremely obsessed, in [some cases](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imelda_Marcos). I guess it’s one of those Mars-Venus things. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/36 "2013-10-15T22:01:06Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > To most men most of the time, shoes are just something to separate the soles of the feet from the ground, and maybe keep the feet warm in cold weather. But it seems women get rather obsessed with them – extremely obsessed, in [some cases](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imelda_Marcos). I guess it’s one of those Mars-Venus things. If you’re a grown man and this is your first exposure to the “women love shoes” idea, you need to get out more. On the other hand, in a thread where a woman is having trouble finding appropriate shoes, acting like she has a shoe fetish is pretty snotty. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/37 "2013-10-15T22:19:54Z")
I’ve got no cartilage in my left ankle, plus a neuroma in the right foot, and have had plantar fascitis in the past, too. Generally, my feet are a mess, and I wear prescription orthotics too (and have been told I’m just buying time until I need to surgically fuse my left ankle or do a total joint replacement, to which my response was “I’ll just continue buying time, thankyouverymuch”), so I feel your pain (literally). Other brands that have worked for me are Mephisto (expensive, but they make some dressier styles and they last forever) and Chaco (sandals, and they do also make boots and some athletic and casual shoes). Mary Jane styles also help with the problem of the depth of the orthotic placing my foot so high that it comes out of the shoe. Some of the time, anyway. Some Chaco styles are even supportive enough that I can do without the orthotics. Good luck, and let us know if you find other brands that work for you. I’m always looking for new ideas. P.S. It ain’t worth causing yourself pain for the sake of fashion. Hell, I wore flat Mephisto sandals for my own wedding. I didn’t want to be limping within an hour! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/38 "2013-10-15T22:25:26Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > If you’re a grown man and this is your first exposure to the “women love shoes” idea, you need to get out more. > > On the other hand, in a thread where a woman is having trouble finding appropriate shoes, acting like she has a shoe fetish is pretty snotty. “Appropriate” meaning both an orthopedically suitable shoe and a fashionable lady’s dress shoe. The problem is with the latter. Frankly, I don’t think it’s the fault of **men** that so many women’s shoes are as impractical as they are – I suspect it might be exactly the same among the Amazons of Paradise Island. Likewise with clothes and cosmetics. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/39 "2013-10-15T22:30:16Z")
P.P.S. You might also try [Think!](http://www.6pm.com/think-womens-shoes~b) shoes. Some of them might meet your height/support/dressiness requirements. They are expensive, but get rave reviews and you can look for clearance sales. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270/40 "2013-10-15T23:13:42Z")
I have issues with plantar faciitis, too, but not the other problems. So I don’t know if the following will help, but it works for me so I’ll put it out here. Everyday shoes I use are Dansko, Vasque (trail runners), and Chaco shoes (one leather pair and one canvas). I have two pairs of dressy shoes from Earthies, great arch support and cushioned ball. I wouldn’t wear them every day, but I can get through an evening with them fine and not hobble around the next day, ugh, that’s the worst. When I’m having a flare-up, the only time I’m without shoes is in the shower and in bed. I have a pair of old Vasque with the laces taken out that I use as slippers during flare-ups. I also found [these at CVS of all places](http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/CVS-Plantar-Fasciitis-Arch-Sleeve?skuId=894776), and they’re great for around the house or if I really just want to wear my damn fuzzy slippers or feel a little bit barefoot during a flare-up. Very high arch support, and have been tempted to try them in other shoes but for some reason (lazy) just haven’t yet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-womens-shoes/671270.md?page=3)