Tag: Shop

Cute and functional shoes for plantar fasciitis relief

Quick Links here, full reviews below:
Flip-flops – Reef Women’s Ginger with Slim Woven Strap
Leather Sneakers – ECCO Women’s Soft 7 Sneaker
Running Shoes – Asics Women’s Gel-Cumulus 20
Slippers – Vionic Adilyn Women Round Toe Canvas Slipper

I love shoes, always have. Shoes can really make or break an outfit, and your feet, all at the same time. So, when I started having issues about two years ago with plantar fasciitis pain, I had to leave my flat flip-flops and super cute-but-unsupportive flats behind. Let me tell you, when I started researching shoes with good arch support or supportive shoe design I found lots of shoes that may have been good for my feet, but were not so good to look at. So, through trial-and-error, and lots of online searches, I came across these shoes that I live in every day.

1. Flip-flops – Reef Women’s Ginger with Slim Woven Strap

I am a flip-flop girl. I love them and wear them all through spring, summer, and the first half of fall. The problem is that most flip-flops are just a flat piece of material which provides absolutely no support for your arches. I searched and searched for an affordable brand that met my needs for arch support and didn’t hurt my feet. These Reef brand flip-flops were the winners! As you can see in the picture below, they have a raised arch area for support and I wore them for a 1.5 mile walk with my dog right out of the package with no issues between my toes or where the straps are located. I will say, they are pretty form fitting to my feet which I believe to be standard to even a bit narrow in size, so if you have wider feet this style may not be for you.

2. Leather Sneakers – ECCO Women’s Soft 7 Sneaker

These are some of my favorite shoes ever! They were my first “supportive shoe” purchase and I wear them everywhere, even during the winter when the snow is not too high. What I love about them is that they are high-quality leather so they have lasted in good condition going on two years now. They could use some cleaning, but other than that they look great. I also love that the insole is removable. They don’t have quiet enough arch support for me alone, so I removed the insole that came with the shoe and replaced it with my own insole with much higher arch support. If you look at the picture below, you’ll see my blue inserts, you can find the ones I bought here. These shoes are versatile, I wear them with almost everything and get compliments on them all the time!

3. Running Shoes – Asics Women’s Gel-Cumulus 20

Now, running shoes are a very personal purchase. We all have differences in how we run, how our foot strikes the ground and slight differences in the anatomy of our feet. What I can say is I have always worn Asics for running and these Gel-Cumulus 20 shoes are well-suited to my feet. They have a wider toe-box which I prefer, I hate when my toes feel tight. They are a bit more structured and have just the right amount of arch support for my specific needs. If you are unsure of what you need, I would definitely recommend going to a running store and getting a professional to help you choose a shoe for you. I am almost exclusively a treadmill runner and these Asics have held up well for me.

4. Slippers – Vionic Adilyn Women Round Toe Canvas Slipper

Ok, so I wouldn’t consider these to be shoes, but I wear them exclusively around my house every day. And I mean it, I rarely go barefoot anymore. These Vionic slippers offer me daily arch support which, along with my other shoe choices, has helped my heel pain almost disappear. They have an adjustable velcro strap on the side which I needed because I consider my feet to be average to narrow and do adjust these to almost their tightest fit. They keep my toes warm all winter, spring and fall and the only time I don’t wear these slippers is on very hot days in the summer. They have a hard sole so you could wear them outside if needed. While not the cutest on this list, they do what I need them to do which is all that really matters for me.

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