<p>D2 just completed training for a new restaurant job which has very strict restrictions on their dress code, and now is considered a regular employee. She has to wear black dress slacks with the long-sleeved black tailored shirt (she has to crease the arms when she irons the shirt) she purchases from them, with a black tie. Took care of the slacks today, no problem.</p>
<p>But boy have we run into an issue with the shoes. I knew I was in trouble today when we went to Nordstroms and could find nothing there (we also tried a couple of more boutiquey kinds of stores that carry European brands). When she was hired for training, she stopped at Payless and picked up a pair of shoes that fit the bill. But they aren’t very comfortable and I doubt will last very long given the amount of time she will be on her feet in them.</p>
<p>What we’re looking for: black, leather upper, non-skid sole, non-athletic, no heel, and must be appropriate to wear with black socks, meaning no Mary Janes. Anyone have any idea of where to look? I told her when she went in tonight, to ask some of her other female co-workers where they’re buying their shoes. </p>
<p>I’m wondering if she needs to go to some sort of specialty store. Which I have no experience with. </p>
<p>Am wondering how long it will take BunsenBurner to chime in with the answer!</p>
<p>I’d look for something that combines the comfort of an athletic shoe with a modicum of style. Rockport, Timberland, and ECCO all make those types of shoes:</p>
<p>Try looking up Orthofeet on Ebay, typing in her size and using black as color. I can find them for $30 or so there, compared to $110+ retail. Often people purchase them and resell quickly so they are not heavily used. </p>
<p>Orthofeet also sells new, I suppose; but in our house “retail” is a bad word.</p>
<p>I have a 2 year old pair of Ecco slip-on shoes that would fill the bill. They are very comfortable, and I have problems finding comfortable shoes. I have flat feet and use an arch support insert and can stand or walk all day. </p>
<p>Some of the “clog” type shoes, made by Merrell, Josef Seibel, Clarks, etc. are super comfortable, and aren’t too clunky looking. Hey, some of these shoes are made in white, for medical workers; they are engineered for hours-long comfort. Zappos seems to have everything, and offeres pretty painless returns.</p>
<p>What I like is that they still look brand new, even though I wear them a lot, through rain and snow occasionally. And they look nice enough to wear with dressier slacks.</p>
<p>hanaviolet - Some of the stores we looked at today carry those brands, but they didn’t have anything that fit the bill. It really is supposed to be a ‘flat’, and the majority of those brands, if you look them up online, will offer descriptions of 1/2" to 1" heel, even though it doesn’t really look like a ‘heeled’ shoe. </p>
<p>I think the answer is she’s going to have to look at each of those brand’s websites, find something she likes, then try to figure out where and how to get them. </p>
<p>We have bought through zappos before and maybe she can find something through there. But the brands you all have listed are ones that I’m very familiar with.</p>
<p>Try the Privo brand by Clark. I have some with a black leather woven upper that I would call a flat. Very comfortable and cute. You could also try a shopping website call thefind.com where you put in what you want and it tells you what stores carry it.</p>
<p>OK… lots of suggestions here. What I’ve basically done is go to each manufacturer’s website to see if they have anything that would work. Have looked at Ecco, Merrell, Rockport, Orthofeet (geez that catalog took forever to download), Dr. Scholls, Josef Seibel, Clarks and Trotters. Also looked at a few other websites that occurred to me: Fidji, El Naturalista, Taryn Rose, Easy Spirit and Naot. Will pass along the information to D, who is cranky after coming home from work.</p>
<p>Not probably the right kind of store, but last summer D worked in the dining room of a nursing home and was required to get black leather velcro shoes with a non-skid sole. Since she was receiving minimum wage she did not have a lot of $ to spend. She got hers at WalMart. They had several in a variety of styles. D loves cute shoes and these definitely were not cute, but they fit the bill.</p>
<p>Teri- I like this brand for comfortable, dress-down, work shoes. Their soles are all non-skid. I think a nice pair of ballet-shoes with little bit of heels would be nice with black pants, like this, but in all black:
<a href=“http://www.ara-shoes.net/ara/collections/ara/ara-ss2011/bella.html[/url]”>http://www.ara-shoes.net/ara/collections/ara/ara-ss2011/bella.html</a>
They are French shoes. I bought few pairs last time I was in NYC, and I have received compliments from stewardess on the plane (they are always looking for comfortable shoes). They are pretty true to size, converting from American/European to French.</p>
<p>I’ve been wearing Dansko for 25 years. My feet are very happy!</p>
<p>For really dressy occasions, I have been okay with a shoe made in Israel called Beautifeel. They make very elegant pumps that feel remarkably comfortable. But they tend to be very expensive.</p>
<p>You can do a search at shoebuy.com for restaurant shoes and then further refine by color, gender, etc. I saw several that might work. (Be sure to check for coupons, too!)</p>
<p>Second the Aerosoles suggestion. I have several pairs and find them very comfortable (& I had major foot surgery 2+ years ago, so finding good shoes is key).</p>