Obi Wan Internet, I Need Your Help
Posted By Kristabella on July 5, 2011
Instead of going on and on about the Casey Anthony trial, I’m going to post about something superficial and superfluous and other words that start with SUPER!
(I have opinions on the trial, TRUST ME, because I’ve been insanely obsessed with it since it started. IN MAY. But I’m not a lawyer, I don’t know the whole story. All I know is that those jurors felt there was reasonable doubt and decided the way they did. And it is not their fault, nor the fault of the judicial system if you disagree with their verdict. /soapbox)
Instead of that, let’s talk about shoes!
Here’s my situation: I currently take the bus and train to work. I don’t have to walk a whole lot, but there is some walking and 18 flights of stairs. (You think I’m kidding? Take the green or pink line out of the Clinton stop. Brings a whole new meaning to ELEVATED.) I generally wear shoes to commute in that are not my work shoes – gym shoes, flip flops, etc. This is for comfort and also so I don’t eff up my nice shoes. Pounding the pavement isn’t so good for my cheap, Target flats.
I tend to wear gym shoes with socks in the colder months. Because if my feet are cold, my entire being is cold. My body’s thermostat is located in my large, size-11 feet. So, conversely, in the summer, I do not like covered shoes. On Thursdays, when I play dodgeball, I wear my gym shoes as my commuting shoes. And not only do they make me a sweaty mess, they look ridiculous with my outfit:
I love flip flops. I think they go with anything – work pants, skirts, dresses, etc. And I’m fine with flip flops being my standard commuting shoe. But, I’ve recently noticed that flip flops are kind of shitty if you’re walking a lot. And even though I said I don’t walk a ton on my commute, as the days and weeks add up, it seems to be taking a toll on my legs and back. And if I run any errands after work, it can wreck havoc on my lower back. (Yay for getting old!)
So, wise internet, I need some help. In addition to the fact that I want more support for my feet, I also realized that an easy way to get in some exercise is to do some more walking on commute days – get off one stop earlier, walk from train station and skip bus, etc. So I think proper shoes are needed for this.
What do we think of something like this? (And no, don’t try and talk me out of the flip flop as a whole because it isn’t going to happen. See: feet and thermostat.)
I was also thinking that I could go with something like this, which would hopefully have more support than a regular flat (which also are not good for a lot of walking and standing):
What say you internet? You’re my only hope!
About the author
I love, love, LOVE my Chaco’s. I have the same large-foot heater problem and these shoes are super. They are supportive, sturdy, and cute. Plus, they pack well and could easily be thrown into a workbag.
The only downside is that your tan lines can get a little funky and that they are on the pricier side. That being said, I walk mine into the ground and they last forever.
Now with a link. http://www.chacos.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/23769W/53555/Black/J102038?dimensions=0
Have you looked at Sketcher’s Tone Up Flip Flops? I have two pairs and they do help with the work out and are VERY comfortable (its hard for me to wear non tone-up flip flops now).
Try fit flops. I can walk miles in them and am now unable to wear regular flip flops other than to the beach.
What about Chacos? (I see I’m the second one making a bid for them.) I seriously walk 5+ miles in them daily and LOVE them. They’re super durable, give you a lift and tons of support. They can sometimes take some breaking in, but honestly I haven’t had any issues. Plus, you can wear them with any kind of pant/skirt/dress combo and they don’t look strange at all (depending on what color you get of course; I have a pretty basic blue version).
These are mine: http://www.chacos.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/11397W/0/Womens/Z-2-Vibram-Unaweep?dimensions=0
Also, if you get them at REI, you can take them back forever even if you wear them for years and then all of a sudden you decide you hate them. True story.
Try Clarks flip flops–they have an arch and are very comfortable for walking long distances. They’re pricy in the world of flip flops ($50-ish), but worth every penny.
Ugh, avoid those Sketchers unless you want to put orthotics in them. I owned a pair and they were so horrible for my feet. And every time I see someone wearing them I notice their ankles are rolling in something fierce.
My physical therapist suggested Birkenstocks instead of regular, flat flip flops. They have a lot of cute styles. Now I just have to decide….
First of all…flip flops do not go with work pants! hahahaha!
That being said, I 150% understand wearing commuting shoes. I walk from my car to the subway, through the entire subway nonsense (it’s a long, annoying trek) and from the subway to my office (about 10 minutes?) I always change my shoes, no matter how comfy my work heels are.
I wear these:
http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=776557&locale=en_US&kwid=1&sem=false&sdReferer=
I have three pairs and they are my go-tos. They are cute enough that they don’t look horrible, everyone knows they are commuting shoes, and they are SO SUPER COMFY.
OH KRISTIN. I will address this on the chats with you.
I have to agree with Ali – bite the bullet and carry a pair to work in your bag.
I know I’m in the minority… but I love my Crocs. I tend to go with the more flip-flop/sandal over those ugly giant clogs, but they still manage to maintain the stigma. But these:
http://www.crocs.ca/crocs-crocs-tone-emma-wedge/11649,en_CA,pd.html?cid=25B&cgid=women-footwear-crocs-tone
are on my wish list… The crocslite foot bed is really comfy, plus you have the added toning sole.
I know they can be super pricey sometimes, but Cole Haan makes completely awesome flats with some kind of Nike shock technology. I have a pair that I found on sale at an outlet, and I’ve worn them to any and every event that requires any walking for two years now, and they’ve never let me down (or left me with sore arches…). And they have the added bonus of not looking entirely out of place with a pair of work pants, if that matters at all.
I like the naturalizer flats. You need good walking shoes. Fashion is not a factor in commuting shoes, but I think the naturalizers are relatively cute.
Like Tara mentioned, I like the Cole Haan Nike Air shoes too, but they would probably get scuffed up while commuting.
I’m with -R-. Fashion is not a factor when you’re walking that much. You need to protect your feet and your back! I have a couple different pairs of Privos (made by Clarks) and I love them. They are cushiony, have some arch support, and don’t stand out quite as badly as full on running sneakers. I just ordered these (http://www.zappos.com/privo-by-clarks-polar-lake-grey) to replace a similar pair that I’ve worn out.
i’m having a very similar dilemma, so i’m reading this comment section with great interest! my problems are that i MUST have arch support for my lame-ass old lady feet, and that i find most (non-sandal/flip-flop) flats insanely uncomfortable to wear without socks. so essentially i need to sack up and buy some ‘spensive flip flops with an arch, i suspect.
also: what do you do in the winter when you wear work pants – aren’t they too long to wear w/flat shoes?? i don’t know how to deal with this issue! all my work pants are cut to be worn with heels and the bottoms will get all nasty if i wear them w/sneakers/flats..
I have no advice, but I’m now curious about Chacos.
Hm… I’m going to have to check into Chacos, too…
ANYHOW. I used to work in banking & had to stand ALL mother-lovin’ day long. While I was @ the bank I went through every possible comfy, yet not heinously work inappropriate, shoe imaginable. Out of the ones I tried, Merrell mary janes were, hands down, my faves. There are a few varieties, but these (Merrell Circuit MJ Breeze) would prob do best for your heater feet issue… (I’m right there with ya, BTW.)
http://www.zappos.com/merrell-circuit-mj-breeze
I agree with many that have already been suggested. I have Sketchers like the ones you have pictured and I love them. I love the fancy Cole Haans with Nike, I have 3 pairs of their flip flop sandals alone and they are awesome (ebay is a great place to find them cheaper). The Gap city flats that Ali suggested are great too.
I bought a couple pairs of those Skechers for travel and walked miles and miles around New York in the heat in complete comfort and style. Plus, they don’t scream tourist like white tennies.
I never wear anything other than flip-flops unless forced. However, I recently started walking more and developing some foot pain. I have some “superfeet” flip flops that are perfect for my poor feet, but aren’t super stylish. The APMA has some recommended Flip Flops that are good to walk in and don’t trash your feet.
http://www.apma.org/MainMenu/RecommendedProducts/SealofAcceptance/Seal-Flip-Flops.aspx
I have to third the Clarks. One of the perks of living in the South is that I get to wear flip flops like eight months of the year and while I’ve always been a flip-flop wearer, it took me a long time to realize that the cheap Old Navy ones were just that .. cheap. And not comfortable. Even a pair of Adidas ones fell short for me. Then I got a nice plain black pair of leather Clarks with arch support and my feet have never felt better. While I don’t do a lot of commute walking, I run errands, do yard work, walk around downtown and wear them while we’re out being generally debaucherous and the more I wear them in, the more comfortable they are (my brother will also generally swear by Rainbows or Reefs for the same reason that the leather wears to your foot shape as you break them in — they are a HUGE hit here in Charleston). I will never ever go back to the cheap ones and probably won’t ever buy a pair that’s not full leather.
I have been considering a pair of those Sketchers for the longest. They would look cute with either a skirt or pants and they seem like they’d be a good comfortable all-day shoe.
My feet are really, really ugly, so a closed shoe is absolutely necessary for me, but if you can do sandals, there are some cute ones out from Clark’s of all companies! They’re doing really cute shoes these days, not just ol’ granny clodhoppers.
I vote for chacos. I wear mine all the time, hiking, walking, with skirts and dresses. they are amazing. plus – you’ll get a kick ass tan on your feet if you wear them a lot.