Comfortable cute shoes for standing all day

Pro Picks

Madewell’s loafers are among our experts’ favorites when it comes to comfortable shoes. PHOTO: Buy Side from WSJ Photo Illustration.

Oct. 29, 2022 8:00 am ET

By Leigh-Ann Jackson

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The best stylish and comfortable shoes for women

Supportive slip-ons

Rothys

Slip-On Sneakers

$119 at Rothys

Rothy’s footwear collection is known for its flexible and breathable knit fabrication, which comes in handy if you’ll be spending all day in a pair. Bay Area wardrobe consultant Andie Sobrato recommends the brand to many of her clients, in large part for its comfortable styles. Compared to Rothy’s signature flats, these lightweight sneakers offer more support and comfort with the same amount of style, she finds, noting, “Their minimalist appearance makes them easy to pair with most outfits.” The slip-ons are also machine-washable, with cushy midsoles. We tried them out and were impressed by their glove-like fit.

On-trend lugsoles

Madewell

Bradley Loafers

$79 at Madewell

$158 Save $79

Use code CLICK for 50% off.

“Loafers are quite possibly fall’s biggest shoe trend,” says Dallas, Texas-based style blogger, Caroline Joy, who favors this Madewell style with extra padding in the insoles and smooth leather uppers. The rubber lug soles look chunky but they don’t feel heavy, we found after testing. Also worth noting: We went down a half size for the best fit with bare feet or lightweight tights, but if you’re planning to wear these with anything thicker than trouser socks, stick to your true size. 

Splurge-worthy standout

Stuart Weitzman

5050 Over-the-Knee Boots

$795 at Stuart Weitzman

$795 at Bloomingdale's

“Worth every penny” is how

Timeless throwback 

Nike

Air Max 90 Sneakers

$130 at Nike

$130 at Nike

Originally designed for performance running, Nike’s Air Max 90 sneakers are as iconic as they are comfortable, says Joy, so “you can rock them on your daily errands.” What especially won her over was the cushioning in the heels and the padded, low-top collars that help prevent blisters. For a sportier, streamlined aesthetic, stylist Sobrato suggests the equally supportive Air Max 270 style for its “nice arch and heel platform.”

Classic flats

Sam Edelman

Felicia Ballet Flat

$120 at Sam Edelman

$120 at Nordstrom

These versatile ballet flats will get you through a work day without the slightest bit of soreness, says Halfon. “The leather is very soft, conforming to your foot, and the insoles have great cushioning, which makes a huge difference in terms of comfort,” she says. We found the elastic topline provides enough stretch to make them easy to slip on and off, but not so much as to pinch the skin. Halfon recommends sizing up a half size, but results may vary; for one wearer, her usual size 6.5 proved to be a Cinderella fit.

Unisex style

Birkenstock

Boston Soft Footbed Clogs

$155 at Birkenstock

$155 at Bloomingdale's

For women or men with wider feet who need built-in arch support, Birkenstocks are the way to go, says Joy, who frequently wears hers with loose-fit jeans. The brand’s shoes already come standard with cushy layers of jute, cork, latex and suede lining in their footbeds. But these unisex clogs up the comfort ante with an additional layer of foam.

The best stylish and comfortable shoes for men

Office-ready pick

Cole Haan

4.Zerøgrand Loafers

$220 at Cole Haan

This Cole Haan option could quite possibly be the perfect workplace shoe, according to Peter Nguyen, Brooklyn, N.Y.-based personal stylist and founder of The Essential Man. With multilayered foam cushioning, “it’s a dress shoe that feels like a supportive, cushioned running shoe,” he says, and the sleek style is easy to dress up or down. We found the pair supportive and not overly cushy. Go with the black version, Nguyen suggests, to camouflage the outsoles’ grooved, sneaker-like appearance.

Versatile kicks

Greats

The Royale Sneakers

$179 at Greats

This “minimalist, no-nonsense sneaker” is a go-to for Nashville, Tenn.-based men’s stylist Bentley Caldwell, who loves the supportive cushioning in the footbeds and go-anywhere style. (The soft leather uppers lend a dressy look while the rubber soles provide athletic-shoe comfort). Caldwell wears his Royales with everything from jeans and a white button-down and blazer to chinos and a T-shirt.

Leveled-up loafers

Ferragamo

Penny Loafers

$850 at Ferragamo

$850 at Saks Fifth Avenue

Outwardly, these Italian loafers are “sophisticated” and “luxe-looking,” says Los Angeles-based men’s fashion expert Andrew Weitz of The Weitz Effect, but it’s the unexpectedly superior level of comfort of their soft leather insoles and rubber heels that really sold him on the splurge. He’s found that this “elevated version of something casual” is built to last for years, but notes that  since the body of the shoes are made of Italian calf suede, they can stretch in width. Aim for a fit that’s “snug, but not too tight,” he says, “because they will open up.”  

Foam-enhanced footwear

Rothys

‘RS01’ Sneakers

$175 at Rothys

Though he owns 100 pairs of fashion-forward designer sneakers, these lightweight lace-ups from Rothy’s are the ones Weitz reaches for when he wants comfort over style. “They have this knit fabric and cushioning that just wraps around your foot,” he says, and also appreciates the shoes’ terry-lined tongues and padded heels. We found these features ultracomfortable too, but consider the sizing of this particular style to be limiting—they’re available only in whole sizes.

Casual comfort

New Balance

Made in UK 991 Sneakers

$270 at New Balance

You can’t go wrong with any shoe in the New Balance 990s series, according to Caldwell; their Abzorb midsoles and foam collars are extra-cushioned and full-length rubber outsoles put a spring in the step. Caldwell’s favorite in the series is this tan Made in UK 991 style because the color is easy to pair with blues and grays or other Earth tones, he says, adding, “They’re a great weekender shoe because they’re the epitome of low-key.”

The advice, recommendations or rankings expressed in this article are those of the Buy Side from WSJ editorial team, and have not been reviewed or endorsed by our commercial partners.

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