The endless search for comfortable work flats
Climbing the corporate ladder is hard enough on its own. It's even worse in bad shoes.
If you are a woman who works, chances are you have struggled with footwear.
Women looking for the right pair have no shortage of options. The U.S. women's footwear market was $33.9 billion for the 12 months ending in April 2019, according to the NPD Group/Consumer Tracking Service.
So what brand is doing it best?
There is no single answer. Bloomberg spoke, emailed and DMed on Twitter with dozens of women, including fashion experts, lawyers, journalists and an array of other professionals.
There were few consensus items, but plenty of passion. Here are some in three broad categories that get rave reviews.
• The ballerina: There is a reason that Chanel flats have been so ubiquitous for so long. If you are ready and able to spend $700 on a single pair of shoes, no one style comes more roundly recommended than the lambskin. For those not looking to spend quite that much money, Attilio Giusti Leombruni (or AGL) also makes a ballerina flat, though some breaking in is to be expected.
• The loafer: The classic Gucci menswear style is recommended by Erica Russo, vice president and fashion director of accessories and beauty at Bloomingdale's. Many women also said they were major fans of the Cole Haan brand, which offers several loafers.
• The clog: Clogs are not suited for long walks, says Adam Farber, owner of comfort-focused, independent shoe store Mark Adrian Shoes in Gloucester, Massachusetts, but they are a good choice for anyone who logs many hours on their feet. Farber likes Dansko best. Brands such
as Swedish Hasbeens, No.6 Store, Nina Z and Rachel Comey offer a range of colors, styles and heel heights.
Secret to finding right fit
When it comes to shoes, many women don't realize that, as with the rest of their bodies, sizes can shift.
"People are constantly fitting themselves incorrectly, and the fit is almost as important as the structure of the shoe itself," Farber says, recommending that shoppers get fitted by an expert and try everything on as much as possible.
The right fit means that there should be a thumbnail's worth of space between your toe and the front of the shoe, felt by someone else, Farber says. A little bit of heel slippage at the beginning is to be expected. A snug fit is not the goal.
For those logging the most miles, a slip-on flat is not the right choice.
In addition, Farber says a good shoe can take as much as a week to break in. Start with an hour on Day 1, two or three hours on Day 2, and so on.
Remember, most retailers won't accept the return of a shoe worn outside. So choose your store with its return policy in mind and wear a shoe indoors before you take the leap into the great outdoors.