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Hunting for non-sneaker shoes that are so comfortable you can walk for miles? Readers had a great discussion recently, so we thought we’d round them up! Which are your favorite non-sneaker shoes that you can walk for miles in, readers?
Here was the original reader question: Do you have non-sneaker shoes you could walk a mile in? With no socks? If so, pls post links. I need these shoes and through FAFO am realizing I don’t actually have them.
Been there! I’m on the hunt for something similar myself, so I was very interested to see what the readers said.
But first, a story! When I first graduated, I would regularly walk for miles and miles in the same shoes I wore to work — mainly Steve Madden shoes, some with block heels. I look back on these walks as being extremely dumb, to be honest, and have resulted in a lot of blisters, bunions, and more. So just because you CAN walk for miles in business casual shoes, it doesn’t mean you should.
What to Look For In Commuting Shoes
If we’re talking about commuting shoes for the office, you should generally look for things like:
- arch support
- a wide toe box (don’t make the same mistake I did and walk for miles in pointy toe shoes!)
- cushioning
- a proper fit
- security on your foot — for example, a shoe with a strap or a tie is superior to a ballet-style flat
General Brands We Love for COmfortable Work Shoes
We’ve talked about comfortable shoes a lot here on the blog, culminating in our Guide to Comfortable Heels — but we’ve rounded up the best brands for comfortable work shoes in general, the best brands for comfortable work heels, and asked the readers about their most comfortable heels and least comfortable heels. Some of the brands we’ve called out in the past for their extraordinary comfort include Clarks, Børn, Sofft, Stuart Weitzman, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ann Mashburn, Naturalizer, Rothy’s, Aerosoles, Rockport, Geox, AGL, Munro, Cole Haan, Eileen Fisher, Beautifeel, Trotters, VANELi, Bella Vita , Vionic, and Lifestride — also check out specialty stores like The Walking Company.
Specific work shoes that readers have always loved for walkable comfort include options from AGL, Marc Fisher LTD, Sam Edelman, and Salvatore Ferragamo.
Business Casual Shoes That Are Really Comfortable
Sperry Loafers
Readers have sung the praises of Sperry — their loafers, particularly. I tend to think of them for their more boating-focused shoes, but they do have a number of simpler styles for just about every work outfit.
Cole Haan Oxfords
Cole Haan shoes are almost always on this list (although yes, everyone misses the collab they had with Nike Air back in the day). Their lace-up oxfords are a great choice if you’re used to wearing sneakers but want something more polished for work.
(Another brand to check out for these kinds of oxfords: The Office of Angela Scott.)
Paul Green Loafers
Paul Green is one of the more comfortable shoe brands out there in general, so I’m not surprised readers gave a shoutout to their loafers — specifically the ones with a thicker sole. As the commenter noted, “I could do it in the thin sole but the thick sole are nearly as good as my athletic shoes and as good as many fashion sneakers.”
The Samone loafer, above, is a bestseller at Bloomingdale’s. Nordstrom also has a number of Paul Green loafers with thinner soles.
Dansko Loafers
Readers particularly called out loafers from Dansko as being non-sneaker shoes so comfortable that they could walk for miles in. I’ve always been a fan of Dansko shoes for their sturdy soles and comfortable fit — I tend to think of them as having generally thick soles and chunky heels, so I was surprised to see some sleek loafers in the mix.
Naturalizer Maxwell Flats
Readers specifically called out the Maxwell flats form Naturalizer as being very walkable, and they look great. I particularly like that they’re part of Naturalizer’s “True Colors” line, so if you’re looking for a nude-for-you flat that matches any color of skin, this should be your first stop.
Comfortable Sandals for Work – Know Your Office!
Sandals aren’t appropriate for every office, of course — so know yours. (We always say to wait until you see a midlevel wear the item in question if you’re new to the office.) Some of the specific styles readers called out included…
Sofft Sandals
Sofft sandals got a shout out from the readers, also — in my experience this has always been an extraordinarily comfortable shoe brand! They have a number of flat sandals, but this slight heel drew my eye — I like.
Børn Sandals
Børn shoes have loooong been reader favorites — the Julianne flat was a huge hit a few years ago, and is still sold today. These gladiator sandals (pictured) look like a fresh, fun option if you’ve got a lot of walking to do — for some reason I’m seeing them with a slightly above-the-knee skirt.
These Børn sandals (not pictured) are incredibly highly rated if you’re ok with a lot of leather.
Cobb Hill Sandals
Cobb Hill and Rockport are both owned by the same parent company, and both have been big comfort brands for years now. I haven’t looked closely at Cobb Hill shoes in a while (and the reader didn’t mention the exact style of sandal she loved), but these strappy sandals look great for work outfits.
They remind me of another much-loved sandal for summer walking: Naot!
BZees Sandals
I haven’t checked out the brand BZees in a few years — I was pleasantly surprised by some of the cute offerings they have. The reader who loved her BZees for walking for miles didn’t say the exact style, but I really like these strappy wedge heel sandals for work outfits. You can find the brand at Nordstrom also!
Weekend and Travel Shoes That Are Really Comfortable
I wasn’t too surprised about this list… a lot of these have been weekend favorites for a LONG time!
Birkenstock
Readers called out a few different Birkenstock styles, including the Gizeh, one of my personal favorites. The newer styles have large buckles like the one above. I’ve also heard good things about their sneakers!
keen
Keen specializes in a lot of hiking-friendly shoes — while the reader didn’t call out exactly which style she liked to walk for miles in, I could see any of them being great. This strappy style is a bit different from Keen’s usual one, but I think if you have an office on a really casual side or just don’t want to wear hiking shoes with a non-hiking outfit, these would be great.
Rainbow Flip Flops
There are a number of flip flops with arch support — Rainbow is one of them, but also keep your eye out for Reef, Olukai, and Teva. I like this option with a braided strap!
Stock photo via Stencil.