For those strong self-driver corporate women out there, who want style along with comfort
To start, let me tell you something about me. Ever since I could even remember, I have had a crazy fetish for shoes. Everything about shoes makes my eyes light up. So, if you ask me, I would have to admit that I sometimes tend to lean more towards the cute and stylish shoes more than the practical ones.
However, saying this doesn’t mean we cannot find both extraordinarily fashionable yet super comfortable shoes. Since I have worked most of my life in the extremely fast-paced world of fashion- running between meetings, season launches, events, and my own after-work hours have been excellent despite the long hours because I always choose the right pairs of footwear for the occasion. I never compromise when it comes to my shoes’ look and feel; however, I ensure my feet are always happy and blister-free, not swollen, and pain-free.
I’m extremely sure that all you classy ladies out there ask the same question; how can I have an amazingly elegant and chic pair of shoes that doesn’t hurt my feet at the end of a very long day. The answer is you indeed can have more than just one pair of shoes like these.
In today’s day and age, brands have started investing more in technology and studies that understanding the needs of the current day women. They know that she needs not only to look classy and elegant yet needs to be super comfortable as she takes on the world with her grit and confidence.
A lot of people usually ask the most common question. What shoes should I buy for work and travel? I want to look classy and trendy, but I also want to be comfortable. Hence to answer all of you, I have put together a list of the ten best work shoes for women out there who need both comfort and style.
In the below article of the best work shoes for women, please note that all these shoes are uniquely designed and developed for active women, who wear them throughout the day.
There are many shoes in the market for this purpose; however, how do you pick the correct pair for you?
Keep in mind the below factors and ask the question before deciding which pair of shoes you are going to pick.
- Lightweight: Pick a pair of lightweight shoes as they are always kinder and more comfortable on your feet, which allows you to get the day without feeling any stress and strain on your feet.
- Materials: Try and always ensure your shoes are made from genuine leather material, and your soles are made from real rubber. The leather helps the foot find its natural position while standing because of its flexible nature, and the genuine rubber help with ample cushioning and slip-resistance.
- Heels & Arch: No one says that high heels are not appropriate; many brands ensure you can still enjoy high heels yet be super comfortable. However, a heel of about 2 inches, which is also a block heel, tends to allow your foot to find a comfortable position while walking or standing as the pressure is spread over a lower and broader space. Arch support is always based on your foot type; if you have high arches, you will need a different kind of heel compared to someone with plantar fasciitis.
- Padded Insoles: Insoles of a pair of shoes can either make or break your foot’s experience. It plays a crucial part in how comfortable one will be while standing or walking throughout the day. They must be incredibly soft with an ample amount of cushioning but still provide the needed support for your feet. Keeping in mind that many people have different needs when it comes to their feet, many brands have ensured they offer us with footwear that has removable insoles. This allows you the freedom to insert your custom orthotics.
- Brand and Quality: This means that you need to pick a brand that is well known for the technology and research that goes into making an amazingly comfortable yet stylish pair of shoes. This means they are using premium materials, along with years of research, to ensure you and your feet are satisfied with the products they offer. This may mean shelling out a little bit more money than you expected, but it will surely be worth every penny.
Finally, let’s dive in and look at the list I have narrowed down for a comfortable purchase experience. Below are the ten best work shoes for women who can’t wait to take on the world.
HAPPY FEET, HAPPY WOMEN, HAPPY US…
The Best Work Shoes for Women Reviews
Let’s get comfortable and stylish at work; our top 10 picks of the Best Work Shoes for Women.
Timberland Amherst Boat Shoe Review
Over the years, Timberland has come to be known worldwide for its distinctive style and exceptional quality. Although they are most widely known for their outdoor rugged looking shoes and boots, they have never failed to surprise us when it comes to innovation and technology.
They have brought to us some of the finest well-crafted, super comfortable work shoes for women and men.
They never cease to provide us with the very best of eye-catching style and premium comfort.
These Amherst Boat Shoes are beautifully crafted from the finest full-grain leather, along with its heritage handsewn construction, which adorns it with a very nostalgic and timeless look and feel. One of the main aspects which set these classics apart from all the other best work shoes for women.
Superior comfort and climate control and two features are inbuilt in their EVA footbeds, which also come along with added on latex pods, located beneath the heel and forefoot for excellent shock absorption all-day-long comfortable walk.
These shoes also have a 3600 lacing technique, which ensures a custom fit, by loosening or tightening them basis your needs.
They have rubber outsoles made from materials that are recycled. The soles of these shoes come with a tread like pattern which is non-marking, this helps ensure you aren’t falling on any slippery or wet surfaces or at work.
Durability has always been significant for Timberland, and they work on ensuring that they can stay a part of your wardrobe for years. These uber-stylish shoes make you forget that you are actually in a pair of shoes, they are so lightweight you tend to feel like you aren’t wearing shoes, a few properties that make them the best work shoes for women from Timberland.
These shoes come in a very chic and versatile color, allowing you the freedom to wear them when, where, and on what you want.
All-in-all a pair of shoes that are timelessly beautiful and can last you a lifetime if maintained well.
Aravon Women's Portia Review
If all of you aren’t aware of which brand Aravon shoes come from, this is undoubtedly the 1st set of information I would like you to know. I’m sure you must be wondering why you would need to know this, right?
You surely need to know this piece of information because it can change the way you look at these shoes.
So here we go, Aravon shoes have been created by the brand Rockport, and as we all know, Rockport is known to everyone in the market as one of the most durable, stable, and good-looking shoes on the shelves.
Knowing this fact, Aravon shoes are designed and developed by the best of minds and with the best of materials, to ensure one of the finest quality products one could ask for.
Aravon Portias are cute looking pumps that can easily be worn with great ease and comfort for long hours. They come with a heel that is about 1.5″, and a platform of about 0.5″. It has a rubber sole with an inbuilt gel pad for extra comfort during your long hours.
Their uppers are designed and crafted with 100% leather. Its diagonally cross foot strap allows for better support.
Another feature that makes these shoes great for those long summer days is its removable footbed, which is made from memory foam; this allows better moisture-wicking and protects your feet’ health for extended hours.
If you are on the hunt for a cute yet classy pair and functional yet trendy, then look no further as Aravon has these beauties all set and ready for you. They are available n a range of color options and a wide range of sizes and widths, which ensures it reaches a broader audience.
No matter what’s your style or fetish in shoes, Aravon Portia never lets you down. So, go ahead, see for yourself you surely won’t be disappointed.
Rockport Cobb Hill Angelina Pump Review
All you classy ladies out there, if you are looking at dancing your way in and out of office or gliding through your day’s chores, then these Angelina Dress pumps from Cobb Hill are surely going to grab your attention.
A groovy yet retro-looking pair of shoes drawing inspiration from early European styling. The T-straps provides additional support and grip. Its versatile styling allows it to be a favorite all throughout the year, with each passing season. You can wear them either with a classy formal dress, or a cute summer skirt, or a winter wool pant and still look so unique, elegant, and chic with every single combination.
These T-strapped constructed low heel shoes blur the line drawn between looking covered and strappy yet dressy and casual. They are made of genuine leather and come along with a synthetic rubber sole. You are surely going to stand out with these stylish yet comfortable 2” inch heel, rather than your cute flat ballerinas.
These Angelina dress pumps come along an outsole, biomechanically designed to ensure it supports you through all your chores. This outsole has an embedded steel shank and a TR rubber outsole, which will provide you with all the traction you need.
Their uppers are super soft, and so is its EVA footbed; these are the features that allow your feet to feel amazing and happy even after a long day of work. These are one of the best work shoes for women from Cobb Hill.
With these effortlessly classy and comfortable pair shoes, you never need to worry about sore feet anymore; you can go through your day running around at work yet look super elegant while doing it.
A classy yet super functional pair of T-strap shoes come in a range of colors, color combinations, and a wide range of sizes and widths to choose from.
Vionic Minna Ballet Flat Review
Vionic’s Minna Ballet Flat is indeed one of the most comfortable yet exquisitely stylish ballerinas most people would come across.
Like all Vionic shoes, these ballerinas are designed and manufactured, keeping in mind that a lot of us out there are always on our feet. However, we surely don’t want the level of activity or number of steps we take a day to affect our dressed to kill attitude.
These mainstream, versatile ballerinas come in various materials from leather, printed cow hair, synthetic to novelty leather. For a pair of ballerinas, these shoes surely ramp up your style quotient while giving you top-notch-comfort, with their EVA- Footbed, premium uppers, and minimalistic yet elegant styling details.
These beauties are well known amongst women who regularly spend hours on their feet; they come with a VIO-MOTION SUPPORT that provides elevated levels of comfort, which allows you to sprint through your day with confidence.
The Orthaheel Technology inbuilt into these ballerinas render all the orthotic comfort and support one could ever ask for. They also come with an EVA footbed that is covered in microfiber, which adds on to the comfort of these shoes.
They also have very lasting outsoles made from premium rubber.
Just knowing from well-acclaimed podiatrists that these are one of the best work shoes for women isn’t enough; they had to have the seal of trust and acceptance as well, which they have been assigned with, from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). Making some of the best work shoes for women confirmed by APMA.
Lastly, these Vionic Ballerinas come in a wide range of materials, color combinations, and color options to choose from. Whether it is a long day at work or a casual walk at the park or just a date, then these shoes will support you all the way superior comfort and super classy style.
Walking Cradles Dress Pump Review
Most people say that if you are looking for a comfortable pair of shoes for work, stay away from heels. However, most women love wearing heels and love to stand out in the crowd yet be comfortable. Heels tend to boost your confidence way more than flats could ever do.
So, if you on the market for a pair of classy yet comfortable shoes for work, then look no further. These Walking Cradles dress pumps are here to shine you; despite the fact that these shoes come with a 2.5″ high heel, they are said to be very comfortable and supportive. All of this comfort is thanks to its well-cushioned footbed and its dual-zone lining, which is made of fabric.
It comes with a premium upper made from genuine leather, which is quite flexible, thus ensuring you and your feet are happy throughout the day. It also has a synthetic outsole with a slight texture to provide proper traction.
If you are looking for an all-rounder for both work and after work escapades, especially for your Friday’s at work, then these are shoes, you cannot miss out on. They come in a range of color options and textures to choose from.
I absolutely recommend these pumps for both work and leisure. As I said, Walking Cradles have some of the best work shoes for women across the brand, which is super elegant and very comfortable.
Aerosoles Octagon Heels Review
Aerosoles’s Octagon Heels are said to be some of the most well-designed work shoes. For Aerosoles, it’s all about the elements of style, design, functionality, and how the three of them are crafted together into a phenomenal pair of shoes.
The Octagon heels come with a synthetic sole and a heel with is about 3.25” in height. These round toe slip-on heels are made of suede, leather or textile uppers, a synthetic sole, and a breathable Man-made lining.
They come with Aerosoles’s HEEL REST technology; this ensures it diverts the weight and pressure from the portion of your sole between the arches and the toes of your feet towards your heels. Added comfort comes from the technology called CORE COMFORT and an insole that is made of memory foam.
It also provides good arch support, despite it being a high heel pair of shoes. They also have a unique DIAMOND FLEX patterned undersole, which ensures dispersed friction.
These stylish and sturdy heels are designed and manufactured of superior quality materials and stitched and constructed with outstanding craftsmanship, to ensure a very sturdy and robust pair of shoes with resilient soles.
These uber chic and stylish heels come in a range of elegant and fun colors along with patterns to choose from.
If you are looking to wear a beautiful eye-catching pair of shoes that make you look leggy in one of your classy dresses, then these are the shoes for you.
Naturalizer Whitney Pump Review
Naturalizer Women’s Whitney Pump is a classic show of vintage elegance with a modern twist.
These on-point dressy block heels come with an N5 contour, which allows you to have the utmost comfort yet look stylish as you run your errands.
The uppers are made from genuine leather, and their heels measure 2,” which is a very comfortable yet stylish height. They are well crafted round toe pumps, which come with a very durable outsole that provides excellent traction.
These Whitney pumps also come along with a removable insole to allow you to add on your custom orthotics if needed. They also have a flexible sole, breathable linings, and all lightweight components for top-notch comfort and lesser pressure on the foot.
Just when women from across the globe felt like they could never be blessed with a pair of shoes which were extremely comfortable but most of all very feminine and stylish; Naturalizer came to the rescue by providing a pair of shoes which was both fashion-forward, classy, and super comfortable, something not many of us ever thought would be possible to attain.
They come in a wide range of color options for all your outfits, go ahead let your style personality make the pick.
LifeStride Dreams Wedge Pump Review
Sleek and modernistic words I can very liberally use to describe these fantastic and wallet-friendly shoes from LifeStride. You name the style or kind of shoes, and Lifestride would have covered that style or category; they leave us wanting most from their current trends and must-haves. Anything from a super casual pair of shoes to a dress pump to a pair of high boots, LifeStride has us all covered.
Apart from the fact that they leave no stone unturned in taking care of our fashion-forward and stylish needs, they also ensure they provide us with comfort that is so good yet hardly visible.
These shoes come with ultra-soft insoles, super-smooth linings, and highly-flexible soles, all this ensures you are well covered when it comes to great comfort for long hours.
LifeStride Dreams Wedge Pumps are made from leather uppers and comes with a synthetic sole; the minimalistic metal logo on the side adds to its classy look. Its wedge is about 2.25 inches, which is just the right height for you to look slender and leggy yet not feel stress and strain on your feet.
It also has a traction sole to ensure level-up traction and added stability. Their soles have high-rebound foam with a very well-cushioned heel.
These are one of the best work shoes for women from LifeStride.
If dressed to kill at a wallet-friendly cost is what you are going for, then these well designed and cushioned Dream wedge pumps from LifeStride are what you need to hurry and pick up.
Clarks Juliet Palm Loafer Review
Clarks started close to 200 years back when their owners James and Clark, designed and crafted a sheepskin slipper from off-cuts. That phenomenal break-through during that error of the combination between outstanding craftsmanship and brilliant invention has stayed the core of its identity over the years.
Clarks Juliet Palm Loafer caters to women looking for a classy, conventional, reliable, no-hassle loafer.
They are made of 100% rich leather uppers, along with soft and warm textile inners, which ensure you and your feet feel great in them along every step of the way. Their soles are made of very durable rubber and have a horizontal thread pattern to ensure proper traction during your long days.
One great feature is that these loafers come with a removable insole, allowing you to put in your orthotic in case you are worried that you don’t have the right support you need. These insoles, which are Cushion Soft™, are very well padded and soft for elevated comfort levels.
Their Ortholite® footbed not only significantly reduces the shock on impact but also helps with wicking away moisture to ensure you have happy, comfortable, and dry feet throughout the day. To add on to all their comfort features, the back on the shoe above the heel is well cushioned to prevent any blistering or bone issues. Lastly, they have elastic gores that provide flexibility for an easy-on and easy-off.
They have stacked heels; these block heels are about 1 inch, just right for a pair of well-constructed loafers. Clarks tend to have more than only one pair of shoes in our list of women’s best work shoes.
These perfectly tailored, modernized yet contemporary pair of loafers come in a range of about six color options to choose from. Many users say they don’t make a pick; they prefer to go with more than just one option as these are very versatile shoes to own.
Dr. Scholl's Webster Loafer Review
Dr. Scholl’s has always been known for putting the comfort of its customers at the top of their list during the design and development of all their shoes. However, with these Webster Loafers, I must say comfort and style have an equal spot at the top of the list.
Scholls have a wide range of some of the best work shoes for women. However, these Webster Loafer steal the title when it comes to being super chic, stylish, fashion-forward, and oh so very comfortable.
Wear them with a classy trouser, look your best at a board meeting, or pair them with a rugged denim pair and make a stylish statement.
The uppers are made from either micro suede fabric or from a unique material that is produced from recycled bottles. This faux suede is not as Long-lasting as genuine suede; however, it has a brilliant characteristic of being stain-resistant and thus making it very easy to keep clean.
It comes with a synthetic, flexible sole along with a pull tab for wearers ease. They also come with Scholl’s signature very well-cushioned footbeds for an enhanced experience of pure comfort.
They come in a range of classic neutral colors. Step out with these smart loafers from Scholl’s, and you are surely going to turn a lot of heads…
Conclusion
According to my research and understanding, my ranking of the best work shoes for women are as follows,
- Top Pick – Timberland Amherst Boat Shoe
- Premium Pick – Aravon Women’s Portia
- Best Value – Naturalizer Whitney Pump/ LifeStride Dreams Wedge Pump
- Wallet-friendly – Scholl’s Webster Loafer/ Clarks Juliet Palm Loafer
- Most Stylish – Walking Cradles Race Dress Pump/ Aerosoles Octagon Heels
- Most Comfortable – Vionic Minna Ballet Flat/ Rockport Cobb Hill Angelina Dress Pump
Before I end this article, I would like each and every one of you to ask the important questions; it’s absolutely valid to ask questions before, during, and after your purchase. A few of the questions one should ask are below.
Q: Can the best work shoes for women have heels?
A: Yes, of course, they can; many brands are always working to ensure you can have both style and comfort. They spend millions of dollars on research and technology to ensure they are comfortable yet classy. Something all women of today are looking for. However, the most comfortable height usually is around 2 inches.
Q: Is the lining and cushioning of the best work shoes for women important?
A: Yes, for sure, the lining is one of the essential parts of a shoe, equally crucial, like the insole, shoe upper, and the outsole. The lining can ensure your feet are kept healthy, dry, and cool for long hours. The best work shoes for women usually have a very soft and supple lining, which is very constructed of breathable material.
Q: Is my work environment an essential point to factor in before I buy a pair of great work shoes?
A: Yes, the location and environment you work in plays an essential part while picking out the best work shoes for yourself. If you are usually running around or walking downstairs or upstairs through the day, a pair of flexible shoes are essential. If in case you work in an environment where you can have liquid spills, then a pair of shoes with excellent traction, which is slip-resistant, is vital.
Q: Would it be funny if I asked if there is any possible way to reduce the foot pain we all have from standing long hours throughout the day?
A: Yes, of course, you can have a pair of shoes that help reduce your foot pain; all you need to do is find out which of the above suits you the best. A great pair of work shoes will always ensure you look classy and stylish irrespective of where you are, along with ensuring your feet are well taken care of during the same.
Finding the best work shoes for women is like going on a treasure hunt for sure. However, your quest is now over; congratulations!
If you are looking for a mens version of this article, then check out The Best Work Shoes for Men.
All the best, happy shopping.
Happy Feet, Happy Women, Happy Us…