comfortable shoes that won't break the bank?

[boricuaqueen327]

I am currently doing my student practicum. Next year I will be doing my actual student teaching. I have discovered that I have no comfortable shoes whatsoever. I have crocs that I wear to work (not in the education field) but they are not nice looking enough to go teach in. I also have a pair of worn out Birkenstock sandals but they need to be repaired and they are purple so do not match many outfits. Can you guys recommend places where I can get affordable, comfortable shoes that will look nice with skirts? (I wear long skirts or dresses when in the classroom hardly ever pants)

[LaLaLaLa]

Okay, the shoes themselves I can't answer, but for comfort--get the Dr. Scholl's gel inserts. Yes, the ones that have the obnoxious "I'm gellin'" commercials. A few years ago, while I was pregnant with my DD, I started waiting tables and my feet were killing me after a full day of standing and walking. Then I got the gel inserts and it was fantastic. I was totally gellin'.

[EdnaMarie]

E-bay! Used shoes on e-bay.

I like Keens. I can wear them all day. I got my $125 Keen hiking sneakers for $35 on e-bay, $42 with shipping.

I highly recommend finding a pair of good shoes you like, something relatively common, trying them on in the floor, then finding a gently used pair on e-bay.

[meandmine]

Keens are ugly (to me), but the best for my back and feet.

[EdnaMarie]

Well the OP said she's wearing Crocs now. No WAY are Keens uglier than Crocs!!! They aren't beautiful but you can get a pair of brown Mary Janes or clogs that would work with a lot of basic outfits for a teacher.

[Carita]

I have a nice pair of dress chacos i got from a local store with a 20% off coupon. Not really cheap, but I literally wore them for 7 months straight from March to October. I even bought black socks to wear them in the winter - LOL.

http://www.zappos.com/chaco-zx-1-dia...lack?zlfid=111

here's some a bit cheaper
http://www.6pm.com/chaco-zx-1-unaweep-rhubarb

[chezlyryan]

Another happy customer of Dr Scholls gel insoles. My shoes are pretty flat, so I don't know if they work with a heel, if you go for heels.

[LynnS6]

I second E-bay. Only buy the shoes where they shoe pictures of the sole. Honestly, I try only to buy shoes that are new or look like they've been worn once.

Brands that I like that are really comfortable on me:
Rockport
Clarks
Bass
Ecco

I've got a pair of Bass oxfords that I'm wearing now that are really comfortable. They've got some sort of cork insole that's super shock absorbent. I wear these on days when I'm on my feet longer. I got them for $20 on Ebay.

Outlet malls sometimes have good sales. It helps if you're a more unusual size. I wear an 11 M (thanks kids for making my feet grow a whole size!), and there are often a lot of them left. That's where I got my Clarks that I love.

FWIW, I don't find that my Keens are all that comfortable for teaching. Maybe it's the style that I have, but they aren't very supportive/cushiony for long periods standing.

[EdnaMarie]

I should say Keens are good if you get the proper hiking ones, not so much the fashion ones.

Bass shoes are VERY cushy (we lived near an outlet) but are for feet rounder than mine.

I strongly recommend going and finding a pair you like in a store, then looking for that on e-bay, not guessing it because all feet are different and you may not fit what others like.

I have a pair of Joseph Siebles that feel like heaven on. They are ugly, though.

[staceychev]

Oh my. Please don't wear Crocs to school as a student teacher! You need to look professional, and if you're younger, you need to actually look more polished than an older teacher so that you differentiate yourself from the kids! (Oh wait... I teach HS. If you're not doing HS, that's not an issue.)

I'm very picky about my shoes. I tend to stop in at DSW periodically and try many on over many visits before I actually buy. (If you have a DSW, make sure you go to the "comfy shoes" section, not the "flats" section, because their fashion flats have no support!)

I've worn those Sketchers that look like Mary Janes (as have several other teachers I work with), but they started feeling too casual to me. I also have ones by Bare Feet (Bear Feet?), Born, and Naturalizer. I have tried on Clarks, and they feel great, but I never found a pair that I liked the look of. I had a lot of teacher friends in NY who swore by Dansko clogs, but the one time I tried them on, my back was perhaps coincidentally thrown out, so I've stayed away from them.

ETA: I know a lot of women who don't buy expensive shoes, but they buy a lot of pairs. I go in the opposite direction. I feel like good shoes, because of my profession, are an occupational requirement, and therefore are an investment. I don't have a problem spending $100 or more on a good pair of shoes, because I know from experience that when I buy cheap shoes, I just end up spending that money at the chiropractor!

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by staceychev

ETA: I know a lot of women who don't buy expensive shoes, but they buy a lot of pairs. I go in the opposite direction. I feel like good shoes, because of my profession, are an occupational requirement, and therefore are an investment. I don't have a problem spending $100 or more on a good pair of shoes, because I know from experience that when I buy cheap shoes, I just end up spending that money at the chiropractor!

THIS! If you are going to be on your feet all day - buy GOOD shoes. Naturalizer is a pricier, dressier brand, but very comfortable. I think JC Penney's had or has a brand called Hush Puppies that are more professional, but still comfortable and affordable. I bought them for my wedding, but it was 10 years ago.

[boricuaqueen327]

[QUOTE=staceychev;14604802]Oh my. Please don't wear Crocs to school as a student teacher! You need to look professional, and if you're younger, you need to actually look more polished than an older teacher so that you differentiate yourself from the kids! (Oh wait... I teach HS. If you're not doing HS, that's not an issue.)
[QUOTE]

Oh goodness! there is no way I would wear crocs to teach! I wear them at the vet clinic. LOL. I was trying to say that I wanted shoes that are comfy like crocs. And yes, I am younger and am going to teach HS. Thanks for the reply.

[staceychev]

Originally Posted by boricuaqueen327

Oh goodness! there is no way I would wear crocs to teach! I wear them at the vet clinic. LOL. I was trying to say that I wanted shoes that are comfy like crocs. And yes, I am younger and am going to teach HS. Thanks for the reply.

Sorry! I misinterpreted!

I still remember a colleague in NYC who was constantly harassed for a hall pass by adults who didn't know her (very large school--4K kids).

[LoveOhm]

What about the Cole Haan shoes with nike air technology? I love mine, but they are quite the investment.

[_ktg_]

I work in a corporate environment & I second all the PPs who have posted to spend the extra $$ and get a couple of good shoes instead of a bunch of them. Investing now - these shoes will last practically a lifetime.

My favorite brands which look nice and polished for a position you are looking to go into are:

ECCO
Privo! (its a clarks spinoff, but a bit more stylish and still equally comfy!)
Dansko - get their dress shoes styles, not the clogs. Though I do love their clogs
Sofft! - many styles of "dress shoes" and very comfortable to wear

Take a look at Sierra Trading Post, or the walking company for sales. This summer I got a nice pair of black MJs by ECCO for $35 (normally $80) from the walking company during a sale. I wear these practically everyday and now I'm searching for some nice boots for winter which will be nice to switch off between the two styles.

[beebalmmama]

Personally I love all of my Keens and find them very comfortable for my feet. I have worn a couple of them in a casual office environment, no problem. I have a pair of Mary Jane style shoes, tall boots (I wear under pants) and a pair of low hikers (got these for my last job as a park ranger). They have all held up very well and are the only shoes I wear except for my chaco sandals in the summer.

[Quinalla]

My suggestion is to get something that is more expensive, but that will last and fit you well. I like Soft Spots a lot, very comfy shoes. If you can't afford something nicer right now, get something really cheap that will work temporarily and save up to get nicer shoes. It is well worth it.

And if I had a more normal size (I wear a 12.5), I would totally be hitting stores up during sales to buy shoes, but I can barely find my size in brand new, full priced shoes, so I'm kind of stuck. Ebay isn't a bad idea, though I would try to find shoes that haven't been worn if at all possible, that will still give you a lot to choose from.

[busymama77]

Side jobs

Besides working full time or part time - whatever the case may be for you - do you do anything on the side to bring in a little extra cash? I've been selling clothes on diaperswappers.com and ebay, but it doesn't really seem to be pulling in a ton of cash and most of the time, I just turn around and use it on clothes for the family.

Just looking for some ways to make a little extra dough for the holidays and to save up for when baby #2 arrives in February and I'm on unpaid maternity leave for 12 weeks.