Wide Shoe Roundup

Everlane sandals
My feet were quite narrow when I was younger, and have widened considerably with age. I refuse to wear any shoes that pinch, rub or are not comfortable. Sandals (yes, quite comfortable though regular width) from Everlane. Polish is OPI Big Apple Red.

Many of you have mentioned in recent weeks that you have trouble finding cute, comfortable shoes for wide feet. While “comfort” is a very personal assessment (some need lots of arch support, or padding under the ball of the foot, or no interior seaming or certain types of material for insoles) there are a multitude of options available for those who require wide (W, C, D or E width) footwear. Below are a few cute styles I’ve found in a variety of heel heights that are offered in wide widths. They’re all from sites that offer free shipping, so you can order multiple sizes and return what doesn’t work.

If none of these strike your fancy, you can find hundreds of other wide-width offerings at Nordstrom, Zappos and 6pm (the Zappos discount outlet). I hope this is helpful, as I understand how frustrating it can be to have finicky feet!

Do you have a favorite brand of shoe that works for wider feet?


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18 Comments

  1. My frustration with wide shoes is that my forefoot is wide but my heel is quite narrow. Most wide shoes are wide all the way back. The heel strips and heel cups only shove my foot forward and my heel keeps slipping. My normal travel shoes are Easy Spirit, even though the heel slips some. I look forward to seeing more of your shoe choices now, knowing you need wide shoes!

    1. Munro American shoes lasts have the heel one size narrower than the forefoot, and made in the USA. I have a bunion and can’t wear any other closed shoe brand. They also come in 5 widths.

  2. Me too Argie! I wish that manufacturers of wide shoes would consider that there are two different reasons why people need them. Either because they are generally a larger frame all over (including wider heels). Or because of toe joints. My toe joints are frankly bunions these days, so not only do I need a narrow heel, but I also need the front of the shoe to conceal the bunion. Which your dainty strips at the head of the post certainly would not do! Birkenstocks swallow up bunions nicely. The Van Dal Libby II used to be my saviour, but has been axed (why??). Duo have width sizes. But nothing makes my heart sing.

    I’m in the UK – so tempted to think you have more choice there. Like your lovely Fluevogs. I want Fluevogs very much.

    1. Argie and Esmeralda, I feel your pain! I too have bunions that make certain strappy sandals a no-go. I ordered some Sam Edelmans recently that were touted as the greatest of their kind and the bunion (one is worse than the other) was superhighlighted. Thank goodness my new Arche Exor sandals (a favorite of Une Femme) camouflage the bunion and don’t hurt it. I also have rather wide feet in the front, even before the bunions developed, and very narrow heels. In closed shoes I always have to wear a heel pad or two to elevate my foot so the back doesn’t rub. Arrgh! So many foot issues. But I have to say that I cannot get my head (or feet) around the idea of Birkenstocks, even though I am 59 and I guess must have been in that era. I am a punk rock chick!

  3. New Balance has widths and you can find out which last is best for your foot by calling them.Munro and Sofft make nice stylish shoes in widths.

  4. The majority of my shoes are Clarks. I have small feet but they are gotten wider over the years so I always need a wide shoe for comfort but find it very hard to find small sizes such as 5 or 51/2.

    1. I am like Argie and Esmeralda! I’ve always had the wide at the front, narrow at the heel problem. Loafers and slings that “fit” always flop off my heels. I thought I was the only one! I have been happiest with several brands of European clog styles, just wish my lifestyle and personality were suited to wearing clogs every day!

  5. So you tried the Everlane sandals? Good for you! They look like they might be comfortable. Love the nail polish, BTW. I think you make really great suggestions for comfortable cute shoes–I make choices based on your recommendations now! Like Marjory I wear clogs quite a bit–started wearing them in my 20’s when I worked as a hospital nurse. Sally

  6. I have wide feet and besides shoes with explicit wide widths, I have had good luck with Jeffrey Campbell if their lace up styles. Me Too flats are often comfy.

  7. It’s also difficult to find cute, comfy shoes in narrow widths. Along with being narrow, my feet are low-volume and flat! Most of what I find are “old lady” shoes! I want to move to the beach where I only need bare feet.

  8. I love the OPI Big Apple Red polish. It’s the only color I use on my toes. I was concerned that I might be out of step using a bright red color but each time I think about trying one of the newer colors I see everywhere I chicken out. I just love my red toes too much.

  9. I think my feet are pretty standard, so I don’t usually have a problem. I think it would be wonderful to have custom-made shoes, though!

  10. I have wide feet that have gotten wider over the years unfortunately. I love a stylish shoe, but that is hard to find. For comfort my favorite sandal is from Fit Flop that is stylish and really comfortable. I took them for a spin at the mall and no pain or complaints.. While I order from Nordstrom, Zappos and 6 pm my best luck has been with Waldlauffer available online and from some stores. Some of the styles are pretty clunky, but there are some gems there. They have wide fronts with narrow heels. Taos for a very nice wedge heeled dressy sandal.

    1. I have been looking for a comfortable sandal for many years. I finally found the SAS Suntimer and I love the style and comfort. It is available in sizes 5-12 and widths up to WW. It is even more comfortable than an athletic shoe. I an a guy, but I wear women’s shoes because I like the styles that are available. The Suntimer is my favorite shoe and since I live in Southern California, I wear it at least 4 or 5 days per week. My feet have never felt better. I even wore it in Las Vegas and walked over 8 miles in one day. My feet felt better than if I had been wearing athletic shoes. The Suntimer can also be worn for both dressy and non-dressy occasions because it is a pretty design and has a cute little block heel. Also, the part the goes over the foot is lined with a very comfortable material. Since I purchased three pairs on the Suntimer shoes (black, white, and red) and practically live in them, my feet need to be looking their best so I get a professional pedicure every two weeks (the foot massage is heavenly) and wear OPI Big Apple Red nail polish on my toenails because it is classic and is really cute with these sandals. I have received many compliments while wearing these sandals and most people are astonished when I tell them that this sandals is as comfortable as an expensive athletic shoe. This shoe is fabulous and I hope that it is never discontinued. Please see the following link for a picture of these sandals and my Big Apple Red pedicure.

      http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=red+toenails+in+sandals&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=0CD963532468C0A2503DDAE480F710F75AB0606C&selectedIndex=82

      Jamie