The quest for comfortable shoes
Why is a classy low-to-mid heel always so darned hard to find?
Those of you who know me will know that I don’t exactly have a relaxed style by Australian standards. I may be the only woman in Sydney who only wears activewear to the gym. Jeans and a blazer is me at my most laid back. Even during the Covid-19 lockdowns, I never succumbed to a grey hoodie (it will take more than an international pandemic for that). But, like many women, I did get very used to wearing sneakers (/trainers for my British readers) while working from home.
Office dressing has obviously evolved since the pandemic – mostly in a good way – and in many office environments you can now get away with a trouser suit and sneakers (/trainers) combination. This is particularly good news if you have a job that involves you being on your feet all day – and long overdue. However, it is not universal by any means.
There are still plenty of office environments where there’s a formal dress code. Corporates and legal firms have returned seamlessly to the old ways of dressing except on ‘casual Fridays’ and that means proper shoes (some corporate workplaces still want you to wear tights at all times. Even in the heat of summer. To them I say, it’s an office, not a bloody religious sect).
So, what do you do if you work in one of those offices? You either decide the sector isn’t for you, or you find office-worthy shoes that are comfortable. This is no mean feat, particularly in Australia where our shops stock thongs (that’s ‘flip flops’ for my UK readers. Australians push the boundaries of casual dressing, but not that far…), crocs and runners – and, on the other end of the spectrum, the kind of killer heels Margot Robbie wears in Barbie. There is very little in-between.
In the interests of transparency, I’ll admit that I don’t mind a decent heel as long as it has some stability. I have extremely high arches (like an actual Barbie doll) and high heels often work better for me than flats (I’m praying I haven’t just opened the door to a deluge of fan mail from Substack foot fetishists in writing this…). However, I realise I am very much in the minority, and consequently the below list is geared to the 99.99% of women of my acquaintance who just want a stylish, comfortable low-to-mid size heel that doesn’t make you look like your aged Aunt who wears orthopaedic stockings.
Picture below for inspiration from a recent shopping trip of mine (they survived a schlep around Parliament House last week so I can vouch for them being extremely comfortable).
WithPockets x
Go European
My number one tip would be to look to European shoesmiths. European women don’t wear high heels to the same degree as women from Australia and the US (where there’s a strong car culture). This is often because the commute to work involves walking across cobblestones and nothing destroys a Manolo Blahnik stiletto faster (or causes a broken ankle more easily…). Despite what street style blogs show you, you’ll rarely see a woman in Paris or Stockholm in heels outside a dinner date (Romans are a different breed and frankly I have no idea how they live in such constant peril…)
Chie Mihara
Yes there have been a lot of Spanish brands featured lately in WithPockets lately but I swear this is an absolute coincidence. Chie Mihara do ultra-comfy cushioned soles and showstopper uppers in bold patterns and colours. They’re not for the faint-hearted but you’ll definitely get stopped in the lift at work and asked where you bought them. Sadly, none of their Instagram posts will display here so you’ll just have to visit the website.
Neous
If you’re in the market for a Louboutin price-wise but you want something a little less high and flashy, Neous do the kind of ultra-classy mid-size heels Jacquie Kennedy would have worn.
TOTEME
On the other side of Europe, and on the other end of the Kennedy fashion spectrum, TOTEME do the kind of stylish flats that Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy would most definitely have rocked in the office in the days before she gave up her job to live in Camelot.
Anonymous Copenhagen
Anonymous Copenhagen do boots and flats that bring the hipness and comfort of a trainer while staying inside office rules. I know a number of people who swear by them.
Enjoying WithPockets but not ready for a paid subscription?
You can always buy me a coffee..
The Anglophones
Walking is a big thing in London. You’re always somehow about 5-10 minutes from the Tube (and always 45 minutes away from where you need to be regardless of how close into town you live). So London is a good place to start for a pair of comfortable office shoes. There are obvious, dependable brands like Dune and Hobbs - but here are some others you might not have considered...
ME + EM
More well known for their officewear, ME+EM also do the most appealing loafers, courts and pumps to go with them. Their Spring/Summer collection has the most incredibly lovely mid-heel Mary Jane slingbacks in candy pastels. They may well be my next purchase.
Marks and Spencer
This may come as a surprise but if you’re on a budget, I absolutely recommend Marks and Spencer office shoes (Australians, your link is here - sadly the range of shoes they’re willing to ship to us is smaller at the moment). M&S are particularly good if you prefer a wider fit after years of wearing sneakers. For the price you’d be hard pushed to beat them.
Anthropologie
Here’s an American brand that doesn’t often make an appearance in WithPockets because they sell very little in the way of ‘work wear’ and more in the way of Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the City (you may well be able to get away with a Taos-batik crossover sundress poncho in your office but I can’t…). However, what Anthropologie does have, is an excellent selection of American shoe designers, decent international shipping (as of now, anyway…) and very good sales (even better at the moment with the exchange rate).
The Australian outliers
For those of you who’ve been exclaiming since the start of this article “but there are Australian shoesmiths who do comfy shoes! I own some”, you’re right - but they aren’t exactly on every street corner. If you’re living in Australia you probably already know these brands but if not, you should get to know and love them (and not only because global shipping is probably about to be disrupted).
Frankie 4
Frankie 4’s entire raison d’etre is comfortable work shoes and, according to numerous friends of mine, you won’t even want to kick them off at the end of a long day. Their loafers look particularly good (I can’t fit them sadly because of the freaky ballet dancer feet).
Bared Footwear
The other brand you should know is Bared, which have a bit more range than Frankie 4 and they even organise their website by heel height. None of their shoes would look out of place in even the most restrictive corporate environment.
Where do you find your shoes? Does anyone out there actually prefer a bit of a heel or is it just me? Let me know…