Thanks so much for all the input. I will definitely take DH with me to try on shoes but what usually happens is that he buy the first inexpensive pair he finds that looks acceptable and fits halfway decent and then is frustrated when it isn’t actually comfortable/durable. So I figured getting some brand advice from my good friends at CC couldn’t hurt.
My wide footed husband and son wear Allen Edmonds. Hubby has had the same pairs for years and years. When outfitting our son for the working world we bought him a pair as well. He said they’re the most comfortable shoes he’s ever worn. Hubby has had them re soled and refurbished several times.
Whatever you end up purchasing I would buy at Nordstrom because, if unhappy for any reason after wearing, they will return or exchange. Purchase during their half-yearly or anniversary sale. For comfort, I like Ecco, Cole Haan, and Johnston Murphy. For durability I like Allen Edmonds. All previously mentioned. Nordstrom carries at least 3 of these brands. Cannot remember if they have Johnston Murphy but for sure they sell the others.
Edit: Nordstrom also carries JM.
My son, who hates to shop and has very wide feet, recently needed a few pair of dress shoes, I ordered many different brands and styles from various on-line sources such as zappos, 6pm.com, and onlineshoes.com for him to try. The winners in this contest were from Rockport (nice looking with some sort of special comfort technology) and Dunham (made by NewBalance). He says that the new shoes are holding up great and are very comfortable. Eccos are also very comfortable but don’t come in wide widths.
I was checking out @atp’s suggestions. Interesting to note that both Rockport and Dunham are owned by New Balance. Also noticed that Lockport make and XW in addition to W and some Dunham styles go up to XXW. Reasonable price points as well.
New Balance is one of the best manufacturers of shoes in general and has many fit measurements besides width. If you have unusual feet or a gait that needs to be corrected, such as pronation or high arch or low arch or need stabilizing or narrower heels than toe box or whatever, they are the ones to go to. They also make shoes extra narrow to extra extra wide (2A-6E) or those that need it. All of the orthopedic doctors we’ve seen have recommended New Balance (with a fitting).
The thing my husband likes about the Rockports…they have a softer sole. And also they are very lightweight. His have worn very well. VERY well…and he is not easy on shoes.
And even if they don’t wear as well, at a 1/3 or 1/4 of the price of some of the pricier brands, you can afford replacements or a variety of styles.
I purchase most of my clothing and shoes from Nordstrom ONLINE and not inside their stores. A fair amount of what they have online is not available in their stores. Shipping is free and return shipping is also free-- no minimums! Anything you purchase online is also returnable in their stores. Nordstrom.com has a fairly good sale going on right now even though it isn’t the half-yearly or anniversary sale period. They seem to be getting more aggressive with their price cuts now that they are experiencing sluggish regular price sales.
The above refers to the regular Nordstrom stores and NOT Nordstrom Rack. I am not a huge fan of the Nordstrom Rack stores. They can not fill these large spaces solely with merchandise from their regular, frontline stores, so the majority of merchandise at their Rack Stores are SPECIAL PURCHASES and CLOSEOUTS. This merchandise is not always on par with the merchandise available at the regular Nordstrom stores. The way to know if it is a special purchase is there is only one price tag and there will be the comparable retail price shown at the bottom of this tag. This is a “ballpark” price since this merchandise was never sold in their regular stores. (On unsold merchandise from the regular Nordstrom store there will be 2 tags, the regular price and the sale price, and the regular price tag could have handwritten intermittent markdowns on it.) Nordstrom Rack stores do not give the customer the same return privileges as their regular stores and they charge shipping under $100 and you pay return freight regardless of amount spent.
Back to shoes. Let’s include a “value” category and add Rockport, Clark’s, and Florsheim. Also, if this shoe is to be worn primarily with a suit and tie, some of the rubber bottom styles look a little casual for that purpose.
My husband wears Rockport shoes. He also found a pair of Timberlands that worked really well with his fat feet. The Timberlands were not boots, but shoes. He tends to find something he likes and keeps reordering the same thing until they stop making it.
I know you’re looking for dress shoes, but Asics running shoes have worked for both my husband and my son, who has narrow feet.
I had not realized that New Balance Rockport or Dunham. But it makes sense if those brands work well for wide feet. My ex is a 12 4E and the only running shoes he could find that fit right were New Balance. I’ll suggest both to H-he is in the process of trying to find a pair right now.