Who was ruling the world the day that it was decided that party shoes should be the most painful shoes ever created?  I love these slides from Helle Comfort!  Sensible shoes with Swarovsky crystals are brilliant!  Available in brown, black and tan, these are the perfect shoes to add a little bling to any outfit from jeans to a cocktail dress. An open toe and mid-rise heel create a versatile look. Wear with tights in the winter or a pedicure in the warmer weather.  Made to soothe your stride, it has a flexible footbed, ample arch support, and rubber sole.

So, who is Helle Comfort?  Helle Comfort is the perfect brand for women who want total, anatomically designed comfort, in styles that are pretty and feminine! Helle Comfort was started in 1997 by husband and wife team Peter and Martina Helle. They developed Helle Comfort for the sophisticated woman who demands comfort, but does not want to look like she is wearing comfort shoes. The styles, which utilize many unique Italian leathers, Swarovski crystal ornaments, feminine heels and adjustability to fit widths ranging from 2W to 4A, can be worn casual-to office-to evening. Helle Comfort styles provide superior arch support, metetarsal support, and padded, flexible footbeds. Numerous styles have REMOVEABLE cork/latex arch support footbeds that are Dr. prescribed for support in our European market. These are great for travelling. Helle Comfort shoes provide the best looking comfort in footwear!

Click here to learn more about the Helle Comfort Basilia Slide.

My parents grew up in during World War II and the Depression.  But instead of talking about being poor, they instilled in me the importance of knowing what you should spend money on when you have it.  High on this list are your feet and your teeth because both are very expensive to replace and directly impact not only the way you feel, but how others perceive you.  Growing up, my mom cut corners on other things but I did not have a pair of cheap shoes in my closet. 

That being said, there is definitely a price range for great comfortable shoes.  So try on a lot of shoes and find what works for you.  I think online shopping for shoes is brilliant.  The good online stores have so much to choose from and with free shipping both ways, you can really look at shoes at home with your clothes to see if they are right for you.  I always try on shoes in the evening when my feet are at their largest size.  I walk around in my house, careful not to scuff the shoes.  I try them on with clothes to see how they will look.  If they don’t fit the bill, I send them back. 

Yesterday, I talked about ASGI.  They are a great brand that is stylish and well constructed, especially women who have issues with their feet.  They come with built in orthotics which can be removed for custom inserts if needed.  My good friend, Caroline is married to an orthopedic surgeon.  Its a good thing because she is his probably his best patient!  She is a huge fan of ASGI and finds Taryn Rose to be a disappointment.  Another friend is a runner.  She has no issues with her feet but is so very careful.  Her feet are very narrow.  Her shoes of choice are Ferragamo and Taryn Rose.  I have always had trouble because of my very flat feet and prefer Cole Haan, Think!, Helle, Dansko and Donald Pliner.  I also love Sofft, which is the brand I will talking about today.

Sofft has flat shoes which are fairly ordinary.  What they really stand out for in my book are their low and mid heel pumps with a ton of arch support so that they look and feel great all day.  A few of their shoes are trendy but most are more of a modern classic.  And for anyone with flat feet or other arch support issues, you will never want to take them off.  A couple of years ago, I made Thanksgiving Dinner for 20 wearing a pair of their low heeled shoes…and wore the shoes all day.  The only tragedy was that I dropped a big glob of turkey gravy on them so they were stained forevermore. 

The Fiorenza is a bold Mary Jane with an oversized strap, patent leather binding, a two-piece squared button and a stacked heel. Available Colors: Black Patent Leather, Chianti Patent Leather, Black Leather.

Check out the Fiorenza by Sofft at Shoebuy.com

There’s nothing that pulls me out of late-in-the-season-been-there-wrote-that writers block like a great Facebook conversation.  And today, it happened!  My college buddy and glamour gal, Faith was threatening to throw in the towel and start wearing “teachers shoes!”  Holy Wardrobe, Batman, That Would Be a Fashion Emergency!  Fortunately, her true friends jumped on in support with lots of great ideas and fashionable balance is being restored to the universe via online shopping…

To listen to the fashion media, there is Jimmy Choo and Uggs.  No middle ground.  For those of us who live and walk in the real world, there’s a whole underground of reasonable shoes that are fun to wear. 

Upon later reflection, it occured to me that it has been quite some time since I jumped in on the topic of “Cute Shoes That Won’t Kill You”  So, for the next few days, I am going to look at some great fun and fashionable shoes that your feet will thank you for wearing. 

My favorite comfort brands, which include a wide range of styles and price points are Sofft, Think!, ASGI, Cole Haan, Pikolinos, Helle Comfort, Dansko and Taryn Rose.  In honor of my friend, Faith, I believe I will start with the ASGI Faith Loafer. 

ASGI is a great blend of classic style, fashion forward and comfort.  They have great classic loafers and ballet flats, a trendy line of booties and pumps that will make your feet feel better than barefoot.  Every pair of shoes has built in orthotics. 

The ASGI company philosophy in their own words…

“ Most shoe companies design a look and then place a sole on it. At Asgi we started our shoes from a different place. Your feet. We call it foot-centric design and it means simply that we focused our design efforts on the foot first and then built our shoes from the inside out. We’ve pioneered a totally new way to support your foot. In total comfort. It’s called Soleplex and it’s the most advanced comfort system you will ever see in any shoe. We use only the finest, comfort-enhancing materials available. We love shoes as much as you do. That’s why we integrate the latest colors and patterns into the pods, chassis and the uppers so every part works together to form a comfort-fashion masterpiece.”

And the Faith Loafer…

Little Miss Preppy just let out her s-s-sassy s-s-side! This Faith loafer from ASGI has a reptile embossed leather upper with a sparkling chainlink vamp accent, twin-goring for optimal flexibility, and Soleplex technology, which means this shoe will be with you and then some every step of the way. The orthotic footbed will conform to the anatomical shape of your foot, the chassis will cradle your foot with utmost care, and the “pod” outsole will provide maximum shock-absorption.

Click here to learn more about the Faith Loafer by ASGI at endless.com