Every woman has known the struggle of wearing a pair of shoes that didn’t serve their comfort well. It would seem that blisters and sore feet were synonyms to being a lady. After all, “Beauty is pain”, isn’t that how the adage goes?

However, one thing that cannot be compromised when picking out the right footwear for your feet is comfort. Not only does comfort allow for a smooth stride and unrestricted mobility throughout the day, wearing the wrong pair of shoes for your feet can also adversely affect one’s posture, resulting in back pain, sore legs, and swollen ligaments.

Although the most comfortable shoes may not always be by the most coveted high fashion brands, if you pick the right shoes for your feet, your body will thank you for it. At Gafencu, our resident style experts offers a few pointers of what to avoid when picking out a pair of shoes, and hve created a list of comfortable but trendy footwear that will offer the right support and protection for your specific feet type.

Know your feet type
The three most distinctive feet types are arched, flat and wide feet. These types require footwear that conforms to the distinctive shape and form of a person’s feet type to provide the most comfort — more importantly — protection.

Although the norm in any shoe store is to pick a style you like and ask for your size, podiatrists will advice you to pick out footwear according to feet type, and avoiding heals for a long stretch of time. This is because the style you like may not be fitting for the feet you have. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to compromise on your overall look and elegance though (thank goodness!). Below are our recommendations…

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Flat Feet
Those with flat feet are prone to ligament laxity and muscle weakness. Avoid shoes that offer little to no arch support, such as thin or flat soles, flip flops, and certain pointed or narrow fronts. Instead, pick footwear that offer more structure and support, cushioned insoles, stable design.

Bottega Veneta‘s Rubber Lido debossed leather mules are made in Italy from padded ‘Sea Salt’ leather. This square-toe pair is designed with thick straps and stiletto heels that offer 90mm of lift but a load of comfort from its padded soles.

Stuart Weitzman NudistCurve leather sandals is a sturdy and elegant pair that features a very manageable block heel and slightly thicker two strap design for both comfort and support. This pair is made from smooth white leather and has square toes.

Something for the everyday stroll is a podiatrist-recommended Vionic Kit‘s Kitten Heels. Made from leather and suede, these elegant pair have a low 1.93-inch heel, and features an injected insole, enhanced contouring and padding to support the forefoot.

Also Read: Hiking, Trail Running, Rock Climbing: The best shoes for all kinds of terrain

Wide Feet
If you often feel pain in the arch, ankle, heel, along your legs or outside of the foot, it may be that you have flat feet. Avoid footwear with narrow toes like pumps and joggers. Instead, pick a pair shoes that have wider toes and platform sandals or open toed sling backs.

Steve Madden‘s Lexi Multi Collection of opened toe block heels and wedges offers a wider breadth at the width of the toes that offers support for larger feet, and comfort with vegan leather, not to mention they come in a variety of colours to choose from.

A popular favourite for both extreme comfort and affordable price is Clarks. From leather strap heels to platform sandals in suede, ladies will be spoilt for choice to select from its wide range of styles, height and finishes.

Hush Puppies is a great alternative choice to shop for more everyday walking. Offering D, E, and EEE width shoes in various styles, especially its ballerina flats fit comfortably on wide and fit wide feet.

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Arched Feet
People with arched feet will feel more pressure and pain on their heels, resulting in bone spurs, calluses and are more prone to injuries. Avoid putting excessive weight on the heels and select footwear that have more support, a well-padded and / or shock-absorbing insoles for better protection.

If you thought you’d never find the perfect stiletto for your feet — think again! E’MAR‘s Raya Ankle Strap Pump is one that is specially designed by a podiatrist, so you know your feet will be getting the comfort it needs and deserves. Available in camel suede or gunmental leather, it features a dual-layer memory foam insole and an elongated arch incline for the perfect support.

The Magda Ankle Tie Platform is a strappy yet sassy platform sandal with laces that tie up above the ankle. Square-toed and 15mm in block heels, it offers a comfortable support in structure and feel, crafted in soft bovin leather. Available in four colourways including rhubarb, serenade, black and black leather, its style is one that the everyday modern woman would appreciate.

For a pair of runners, Skechers’ podiatrist-certified Arch Fit range is a collection of sneakers, slip-ons and sandals that are the ideal pair for everyday walking and atheltic activities. It provides support for high arches with maximum cushioning for long wear and sock-absorption.

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