Everyone has their breaking point. Mine came last summer, when it was time to replace the tattered pile of sad Urban Outfitters sandals that I had worn into the ground the previous season. I wanted a pair of sandals that wouldn’t fall apart, that wouldn’t make my feet bleed and that were actually comfortable. I bought a pair of Birkenstocks, repressing the memory of my father’s pair of broke-down, monk-straps that he wore with socks, and with the first step, I was a convert. My feet felt good! They were comfortable. The shoe was wide enough to accommodate the flat, boat-like nature of my foot, and after an entire day spent walking around, my feet didn’t hurt. A simple enough solution, yes, but one that it took me a long, long time to reach.
I have wide feet, which means that the shoes that are comfortable to wear are hideous orthopedic nightmares, better seen on the feet of old women with swollen calves and a fondness for Werther’s Originals. I have spent hours combing the internet for sandals that are both attractive and comfortable, with little to no avail until relatively recently. Since spring is just around the corner, and soon it will be time to retire these gross slip-on sneakers once and for all, I present to you a list of some of the best comfortable and attractive sandal options for all my tamale-footed sisters.
Birkenstocks
If you’ve been living under a rock since last summer and have refused to emerge, you missed the fact that Birkenstocks are a thing now. So, if your goals this spring and summer are to look like a quirky Upper West Side art teacher with a penchant for textiles and a tendency towards caftans OR you just want to be able to walk in shoes that don’t make your feet bleed after two blocks, suck it up and buy a pair of Birkenstocks.
These are the sandals your freshman year weed dealer wore, but now in an abstract, desert watercolor print and therefore awesome (Birkenstock, $129):
A first-grader might wear these, but considering the amount of fashionable children there are in this world, you will be in good company (Birkenstock, $89.95):
Get these in white, so you can feel like you’re in Capri when you’re really just sitting at your desk (Birkenstock, $94.95):
Worishofer
These German comfort sandals are a tiny bit grandmother-chic, but they are also extremely comfortable and will, in the right light, make you look like a casual off-duty celeb. And even if they don’t, you’ll be really comfortable and won’t have to duck into the nearest Walgreens to buy a pair of flip-flops in order to make it home one late night.
These come in a million colors, but the cutest by far is this “rose crystal” option, which is less rose and more holographic white unicorn realness (Worishofer, $17.99):
If you want to be tall and comfortable, this wedge-flatform combo is just the ticket. You can walk forever, stand all night, and look like you put some thought into your outfit, which is all anyone ever asks for from clothing (Worishofer, $65.99):
Possibly the most orthopedic of the bunch, it doesn’t matter one tiny bit, because they’re cute and are close enough to walking barefoot that you’ll wear them all the time (Worishofer, $55.99):
Dansko
Dansko makes the kind of clogs you see on well-intentioned pottery teachers and professional chefs everywhere. The reason so many people wear them to do their labor-intensive, standing-on-your-feet-all-day jobs is because they are honestly the most comfortable shoes you will wear, ever. I bought my first pair of Dansko sandals a couple of years ago and spent an entire summer being very, very comfortable, everywhere I went. Join me.
If you want to feel like you’re walking on tiny pillows and also look adorable whilst doing so, here’s your answer (Dansko, $129.95):
Here is your other favorite shoe, a strappy number that actually looks fashionable, or who cares, you’ll be COMFORTABLE (Dansko, $125):
One day, I will feel comfortable wearing bright colors on my feet, and stop caring about whether or not they match (Dansko, $125):
ASOS
I’ve spent a lot of time plumbing the depths of ASOS in desperate search of shoes that are cute and also comfortable, so imagine my delight when I discovered their substantial wide-width shoe collection. If you’re blessed with feet that resemble pontoon boats, you no longer have to confine your feet to the tyranny of shoes cut for people with normal feet. Here are a few adorable options.
Perfect for pretending you’re a fashion blogger or actualizing your tentative New Year’s resolution to “wear more heels, idk” (ASOS, $36):
Or, consider these training wheels for the shoes above (ASOS, $63):
Saltwater
If there is a child in your life, perhaps you have already purchased a pair of these tiny flat leather sandals and cooed at how adorable your progeny looks, toddling around the seashore and eating sand by the fistful. Now, the same baby-chic can be yours, because they make Saltwater sandals in grown women sizes, and let me tell you, they are great. This is the first pair of leather sandals I have put on that I have been able to wear out of the store with ease.
They come in a variety of colors, and are an attractive alternative to wearing that one grubby pair of flip flops to the beach every summer, because, like their name implies, you can wear them in the saltwater, and not have them ruined. Game changer (Saltwater, $39.70):
Original by Megan Reynolds @mega_hurt
