The Fashionista’s Footwear Handbook: How To Achieve Style Without Sacrificing Comfort

When buying a new pair of shoes, most ladies will go for style over comfort as having a pair of glamorous footwear can enhance their overall look. This is the reason why the majority of women choose to wear heels whenever possible, and a survey reveals that nearly 40 percent wearing high heels daily. More than half of all women who participated in the poll said that they wear heels to look sexier and more attractive, but looking good has a price, and we’re not talking about how much the shoes cost. Almost 60 percent of women complain about toe pain when wearing heels, while 54 percent experience pain in the ball of the foot.

Wearing ill-fitting or uncomfortable shoes can affect your foot health and overall wellbeing in the long run, so making good footwear choices is essential if you don’t want foot or chronic pain problems in the future. You’ll also be happy to know that there are some things that you can do to make uncomfy shoes more wearable, so if you’re on the hunt for new shoes, or just want to work with what you have, here’s a guide to achieve style without sacrificing comfort. 

Choose Shoes To Fit Your Foot Shape

Finding a fashionable and comfortable pair of heels can be an ordeal since it’s either you get a pair that looks plain but feels like heaven when you wear them, or a gorgeous pair that feels like utter hell for your feet. Thankfully, there are a lot more options to choose from today than ever before, but don’t buy your shoes online if you want to get the perfect fit. Buy them in store and try them out, and work with the shape of your feet for a comfortable fit. 

For example, if you have wide feet, forget about buying heels with a very pointy toe. Squeezing your feet into narrow shoes can force your toes into an unnatural shape and heighten the risks of developing foot problems like corns and bunions. Bunions can present a host of other health challenges since having a hard lump on the side of your big toe can feel quite painful, and over time, bunions can make your big toes turn inward towards your other toes. You can get rid of them by getting bunion surgery which will help to restore the proper alignment of your toe, but it would be better to prevent them by choosing heels with more wiggle room in the toes.

Add Support to Flat Shoes

Think only heels can cause foot, leg, and hip pain? It may be hard to believe, but a lot of women, especially those with flat feet, feel pain and discomfort while wearing flat shoes like ballerinas or penny loafers. These types of shoes don’t provide arch support, and walking in thin shoes can lead to soreness in the Achilles tendon and calves. It may also cause knee discomfort while walking or running. In some cases, it can even lead to spine misalignment, which can cause chronic pain.

To add support to flat shoes, see a podiatrist, who can recommend and even customize shoe inserts to make walking more comfortable. If you’re planning to buy new shoes, choose flat shoes with thicker soles for shock absorption, as well as a higher back to support your ankles. Instead of a rounded toe, go for a flat with square toes, which are chic yet offer more comfort and stability.  

Rethink Your Flip Flops

Flip flops are great for the beach, but wearing them all the time can cause foot problems later on. Not only do they not offer arch support, but your toes have to work extra hard to keep them on your feet. Over time, this may lead to arch and heel pain, and painful conditions like achilles tendonitis. Instead of flip flops, switch to a sandal with a strap over the foot and around the heel. Look for a sandal with a bit of a wedge for arch support, or one with a padded, cushioned sole for support and comfort.  

There’s no need to sacrifice comfort to look fabulous on the daily. Consider the tips above to choose stylish and well-fitting footwear, and avoid foot and health problems in the long run.