Reddit mentions: The best loafers & slip-ons for women

I consider myself a bit of a clothes hound, and have been named 'best dressed teacher' three years in a row by the graduating senior classes. I really enjoy dressing up for work everyday, but I'm very cost conscious and work with a budget. My advice is to get a few quality pieces that will last with wear and carry you through a few years. This can be done cheaply, so long as you research materials, take good care of your clothing, and buy things that can work with multiple pieces.

• Cigarette pants - my staple wardrobe piece. I had several pairs in a few different colors (black, white, brown, grey, pink, cobalt, neon yellow). They dressed up very easily with heels, were really casual with flats, and paired well with a variety of tops. They held up well with several years of wear, as well. I highly recommend picking some up!
  
  
• Sheath dresses - conservative enough to wear to schools (especially if paired with a nice cardigan), but not as frumpy as a skirt/sweater combo. I had several of these, and they transitioned well from the classroom to after school events like dances, talent shows, recitals, ect. I recommend picking some up at TJ Maxx/Marshalls, or even Target. I've never spent more than $40 on one at those stores.
  
  
• Several textured blouses/tanks (example 1, example 2) - comfy, casual, but still on the dressier side. I lived in shirts like these. The sales rack at Banana Republic is great for finding cute and fashionable work shirts. They also offer a nice teacher discount on their regularly priced merchandise.
  
  
• Simple shirts from Marshalls, TJ Maxx, or Target - you can usually find durable, well made and cute shirts from these stores at very reasonable prices.
  
  
• Pencil skirts - pair with a nice blouse or a fitted cardigan.
  
  
• Shoes - black heels are brainless. A few pairs of flats are a good idea. I would avoid anything blocky or chunky, since those can up the frump factor really quickly. Look for sleekly cushioned shoes, or add inserts as necessary.
  
  General rule of thumb: to avoid looking frumpy, make sure your clothes look tailored to your frame (you don't have to actually tailor your clothes to achieve this). If you're wearing loose pants, wear a more fitted shirt, and vice versa. You don't want to be swimming in your clothing. I know you mentioned you have a curvy figure, so I appreciate your struggles (I'm large busted myself); don't be afraid of your figure - it's likely hard to cover it up without making yourself look like a grandma. Be comfortable, but don't drown yourself in fabric, either. You don't want curtain boob.
  

I've seen some women's asics that go up to 12.5, and they usually come in a lot of fun color choices, so you could get your favorite color, or a color you find feminine, or a more neutral color if you need it to match something specific you wear to work. On most I'm seeing on amazon that's the last size they go up to, so they may not have it available on amazon, so you may need to like find the one you want online, then call or go to a shoe store to see if they have it or if not if they can order them for you, or maybe asics own online store would have it. My mom loves asics, and I think my dad used to like ones he had at one point. I tried them once but they wound up hurting my feet...but I just have weird feet in general lol, and have extremely flat feet and most things with arches hurt my feet :/ so I wasn't a huge fan of how they felt for me, but they're supposed to be good shoes and have good support.

Ecco makes some cute shoes that say they go up to 12.5, though they all say 12-12.5, and like half a size can really make a difference and the shoe isn't adjustable, so I'm not really sure what this means...so you can contact them or look through the questions people have asked on the amazon listings for their shoes and see if anyone's asked for clarification on sizing. This one's kinda cute. This one too though i don't know if they'd allow this sort of perforated style at your work if you need to have shoes that have full coverage in case of spilling hot stuff on your feet. My mom has some similar to these that she wears all the time and really likes a lot. These have a silver one and are more sort of sneaker-like. I really like the silver ones...shiny things are always pretty imo lol. These come in a couple different colors, though right now it says the pink ones aren't available in that size. They might be in stock on ecco's own website though. Also, ecco's are a bit pricey compared to like average sneakers. But people I've known who had them had them last forever, so maybe they're worth it, idk.

Marrells are supposed to be really good as well. They make sneakers and other types of shoes. Not sure what sizes they tend to go up to though.

If you're looking for something that has comfort and support you can google around and see what brands of shoes nurses usually wear, I remember doing this at one point, but I forget what brands came up. But they tend to work super long shifts and are on their feet a lot, and seem to always have the most comfy shoes. You can also try going to a walking company store, and they should be able to totally hook you up. If you want to keep your vans and chucks but just want some more support, I think most walking company stores have that thing where you stand on it and it scans the bottom of your feet and they make you custom inserts you put into your shoes. I've never tried custom ones, but I used to put some squishy heel supports in my converse sneakers I wore to work every day (I thought the sneakers might be more comfy than the regular canvas shoes...but they weren't really much comfier lol) and that actually helped a lot. You can just get plain squishy inserts at like target, walgreens, etc. and see if they help at all, and stick with them as long as you need to, or just wear them for the time being to tide you over till you can get better shoes.

I would definitely suggest you steer clear of synthetic shoes considering your comfort issues. Leather is more flexible and will break in with wear in a way that synthetic materials won't. In my experience, Dr. Scholls, Easy Street, and Aerosoles do not make good shoes. They're pretty much the bottom of the barrel when it comes to comfort footwear. That said, I can't say I've ever found a brand that's perfectly consistent, so if you're trying on just one style from each brand, you might want to consider trying on multiples to see if some styles work better for you than others.

Based on what you've said, it also sounds like you might need a wide shoe, but are only purchasing standard widths. Is that the case, or are you also finding that these fit issues happen with wide widths?

You mention having tried some Clarks, but have you tried non-heel styles? Not every pair of Clarks I've tried has worked for me, but I have had several pairs over the years that worked very well, and I need a lot of support as someone who has to wear custom orthotics and has arthritis from a poorly-healed ankle injury. I purchased these recently and have been quite pleased with them so far. They're going to take a little breaking in, but the leather is pretty soft. Of course, what works for me may not work for you.

Have you tried Dankso at all? They have a good reputation for a reason, and if you can handle a bit of heel, you have a lot of dressier options. These have excellent reviews and a nice, wide ankle strap for support.

If you like lug soles, you might consider a pair of Doc Martens. They're great for concrete and have non-slip soles. Again, they take some breaking in, but they're very supportive, long-lasting shoes. For other brands to check out, I would suggest Cobb Hill, which is owned by New Balance, Taos, and if you're under a US 11, Naot.

I'm not sure what budget-friendly means to you, but I'd expect to pay $50-100 for cute, comfortable shoes. Your feet will thank you for going for comfortable over cute $15 flats from Target.

I'd suggest Clark's or Keen brand. I wear Clark's desert boots for my office-ish job (I'm a woman and walk/stand a lot) with inserts to make them even more comfortable. But they have tons of flats like this in lots of colors and styles. Keen is mostly known for athletic shoes, but they have a surprising number of cute flats that feel like you're wearing sneaks, like these.

I buy most of my shoes online, so I don't have good suggestions of stores. But Zappos and many of Amazon's shoes have free returns.

I think depending on the style of the loafer or oxford, it can be fine. I wouldn't cheap out and get something trendy or casual, which will not only look juvenile, but will show wear much easier. Some examples of what not to get: this, this, this

The last pic may seem fine, but I think it's lacking in terms of structure, so it comes off as pretty casual.

Some examples of what to look for: this, this, this, and this

FWIW, I've had better luck finding nice quality loafers than nice oxfords/wingtips. There are some UK brands which make some excellent wingtips for women, but since I don't know my size and it'd be an (expensive) international order for me, I just admire them from afar.

Okay, so here's the thing: shoe fit is very individual. What works in theory may or may not work for an individual, so you should either go together to get this, or buy from somewhere with a great return policy (Zappos is good, if you've got prime Amazon is pretty nice). I've tried on loads of shoes which would be great for someone, but that someone isn't me.

That said, there are obviously other shoes that might be a good idea to look into. Dansko Olivia, Oksana, and Olena work for a lot of people and are very cute. Most people speak well of Dansko for both comfort and durability. Naot Kirei also works for a lot of different people, and is crazy comfortable. I've had a Naot shoe with that sole and footbed that's lasted me 6 years as my primary shoe, so I'd vouch for its durability. A lot of people also have good luck with Taos and Cobb Hill.

Clarks makes some extremely cute, comfortable sandals in the ~$30-$60 price range and you can buy them on Amazon. They come in many different widths as well. I've got these and these and I love them! I also have a pair of their loafers (these) and they're awesome too. All are super comfy and can support long walks.

Merrells are awesome also. I don't know if you're male or female, but I found a pair of Merrells (the women's Dassie style - I got the black ones at an awesome deal at a department store, and Amazon has some of the other colors for pretty cheap - https://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Womens-Dassie-Buckle-Slip-/dp/B00HF6P750 ) that I wear in the OR, clinic, and occasionally for other things too. They are literally the most comfortable shoe I own, even though they look like something my mom would wear.

These aren’t reps but they’re great shoes- I have this pair (9.5 us) in black and get tons of compliments on them. If you’re near a Nordstrom or a NR you might be able to try them on in person. They have 3 colors listed online going up to size 11 in at least one of the colors! 🙌
https://www.nordstromrack.com/shop/product/2905837/sam-edelman-laurna-mule?color=DARK%20CHERRY

Here is another open back loafer from amazon, so if they didn’t fit it would be easy returns. I have not personally tried these, but have seen other repladies recommend them
LaRosa Womens Leather Oxford Backless Slipper Slip-ons Loafer Shoes,Black,9.5 B (M) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XKGFWHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UL1xDbYYMR4DN

These may not be the cutest shoes to pair with your outfits, but the Skeckers go-walks are SO comfortable. I was in Singapore and Malaysia for three weeks over winter term and I was the only one in my group that never once complained about their feet. :) They are very lightweight and have great arch support.

I bought these aerosole flats off amazon, but ended up finding another pair for the wedding i liked better in person. I still love wearing them though as they are so soft and comfortable on my feet!

Shoes in question

My oxfords are these from Sebago, they're very comfortable and I highly recommend the brand. I also have these Sebago loafers in the wine color. I've also had good experiences with loafers from Clark's and Nine West, both of which can often be found for a good price on Amazon.

If you wear converse you might also like Keds. They were my replacement for converse because I felt that they looked a little more refined without being too formal. I have them in metallic gold and love them!

I don't recommend the ankle boots that I have; I've worn them for 1.5 winters now and they're shredded, I'm currently looking for a replacement haha.

I posted in simple questions about looking at black flats. I think I've settled on loafers and I found these. I like that they're so simple, but at $110 they're a little above what I'd like to spend. I'm willing to save for a bit for them, but I'm not personally familiar with Seychelles. Are they worth the money? I know a lot of you wouldn't think they're that expensive, but I'm not used to spending more than $30 for similar shoes...so, baby steps.

I also found this pair of Franco Sartos that are quite similar, but they're synthetic and I don't think they look as nice. Should I save myself the extra $50 and get them instead? I could buy them today and have them for my Christmas travels.

Long-time lurker! Hopefully this is the right place to post this....

I need shoe help! My work wardrobe mostly consists of dresses worn with a cardigan (or blazer), and leggings (not tights). I am terrible at shoes, and it's hard to find ones I think are comfortable. I usually wear flats (this is my current pair), or slip-on sneakers. I just tried ordering a bunch of shoes from amazon, flats and wedges, and I'm not in love with any of them.

Should I be looking at booties? I hadn't tried booties because I am really short (4'10") and I have pretty fat ankles/calves. I've looked for taller boots and have never found any I can wear over my giant ankles. But maybe booties would work? My fear was they'd make my legs look even shorter, or would be too tight around my cankles.

Ideally, I'd like something comfortable that I can walk moderate distances in. Also, I suck at heels, so a very short heel or a wedge would be better. And I'm cheap! So under $50? Clearly I'm asking for a miracle here.

I really like the Bass Dahna loafers. I liked them so much I got them in brown too haha. Quality is great, I think they are real leather, and they held up perfectly until my dog got to them (1.5 years after I first bought them). She ripped out the lining so I just put in a terry liner, and they are fine:)

They are very very comfy and the slightly pointed toe makes them look classy and streamlined, unlike other loafers that might tend to look slightly clunky.

Well, the good news is it's almost fall, which means full-coverage shoes should be easier to come by and completely appropriate for every-day wear!

Personally, I love these sneakers by sketchers. I have them in three different colors and wear them almost every day to work.

I also think Toms are a cute casual flat shoe.

For dressier options, Aerosoles has a good selection of cute flats, and so do Clarks.

But, since like I said it's just about fall, I personally would switch focus to booties and riding boots and combat boots. You will have nearly endless options (presuming that your orthotics will work in any flat shoe) and less frustration than trying to find full-coverage ballet flats.

• [This] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1780674880/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1J7XW9BBWNIJC&coliid=I2JPQK18CLOKSV) awesome grown up coloring book because they're so much fun and they help to relieve stress. Plus you get awesome pretty pictures out of it.
  
  
• [This] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TSUGXKE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1J7XW9BBWNIJC&coliid=I159KTWX8R5WIE&psc=1) $50 Kindle Fire is like, the best possible value for a tablet ever. Personally, I've been planning to order one for myself as soon as the financial aid dept stops dragging their asses because it will save me SO much money on textbooks. But it also has the whole Kindle library available and has full tablet functionality. Even a regular reader that isn't a tablet usually runs at least $60.
  
  
• [These] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009IU83M/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1J7XW9BBWNIJC&coliid=I2J94J3QK07MTI&psc=1) shoes. Have you ever worn moccs? They're so comfy and they make any outfit look so much better. Jeans? Better with moccs. Flowy skirt? Moccs would make it better. Bare naked? Moccs!
  
  
• [This] (http://www.amazon.com/BLU-Life-One-LTE-Smartphone/dp/B00YR23W1G/ref=sr_1_21?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1453725569&sr=1-21&keywords=BLU+phone) phone. BLU is a company that's just recently blown up because they sell amazing unlocked phones at great prices. That one is comparable to a Galaxy S4 but it's only $100 right now! (Usually $150) I've had a windows phone for a long time and I like the OS but the lack of apps kills it. I really want to make the switch back to Android and these phones are probably the best bet right now. They also have a TON of options for cases, which is a big problem for non-iphone users. There's a million iPhone cases out there, but everyone else seems to get the shaft. UNTIL NOW.

What are the best loafers I can find for under $150? I like something that's based on a smoking slipper style, but with a not so pointy toe. Like this or this.

I would like something that will hold up under daily use, leather, comes in wide sizes or runs wide, and if possible a comfort brand (I'm arthritic). I'm a fan of clark's, but I'm not seeing anything similar to what I'm looking for. I've also been recommended Cobb Hill, which I'm making plans to try on.

Currently wearing these in the brown (a little darker than cognac but not chocolate brown either) and they're suuuper comfortable especially with the insoles I have to wear-- I walk probably 5 miles a day in them-- and good quality/durability so far!

Edit-- I got these instead of Bass weejuns for the same reasons you list below, and am happy.

I recently bought some sketchers on amazon, they’re super lightweight and resemble toms. They’re slip resistant and waterproof. I love them

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UBJ1L8U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5rIyDbS5E77WZ

2nd the smoking slippers... I have these ones from Clarks and they are GLORIOUS little foot-clouds, and they look amazing

Your safest bet is leather, full coverage, no holes. This is what is appropriate in a lab and required by a lot of hospitals; whether or not they enforce that, is entirely a different story. Everyone at the lab I'm currently doing rotations in wears sneakers.

I picked these up (the white ones are leather) at a Skechers outlet, because I hate the otherwise entirely unfeminine shoes that are typically offered for lab people. They're extremely comfortable and pretty cute with scrubs.

If you're an amazon prime member, these are an option. I've had my eye on them, so if you do try them out, report back on your thoughts! :)

I just bought these 206 Loafers from Amazon. I tried them on when they were $80 but now they’re on sale for $39, so I got them and I love them!! They’re real leather and already broken in after wearing them to work three times.

I have some Clarks smoking loafers which are probably my comfiest flats, and these loafers look like they'd be comfy too.

If you can, make an Amazon list.

Here's a pair I found in your size.

Here are some options: first second third fourth