Tampabay.com
JUNE 23, 2010

Fashionable, feet-friendly shoes are hard to find

Tatianna ankle strap Last week at my annual physical, my doctor told me that my Steve Madden silver flats weren't wide enough for my feet. She said without more support, my bunions would get worse and my toes would curl.

Ew.

This must have been karma talking, because that same day I had flaunted the advice of feet doctors on the general topic of what shoes are good for your feet. (Note: Most of our cute little flip-flops don't make the cut.)

Of course, I know the experts are right. But this topic continually frustrates me. Orthopedically ideal shoes tend to be expensive or ugly. I want to keep my feet healthy, but I don't want to forgo style in the process.

One reader implored me to check out Chaco sandals. I haven't tried any on yet, but at first glance they look, um, a bit outdoorsy for my taste.

Anyone else out there have some comfy yet chic brands to recommend? My feet will thank you.

Deal Diva Colleen

(Photo: Here is one of the least-ugly sandals I found at FootSmart.com. Kill me now. The shoes at this site -- where they even have a special "bunion shoes" section!!! -- are even worse.)

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THE AUTHORS

Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.

Emily Nipps As a sullen teenager, Emily Nipps refused to wear anything but black, olive green or burgundy, preferably ripped. She has since added color to her life but still experiments with her dark streak. A product junkie, she has tried tons of overpriced face creams and hair products but loves drugstore brands that work the same. She's an Aries and a bassist in a punk band. She has a pet pig, seven chickens, three cats and a rabbit. And just as many lip glosses. She can be reached at (727) 893-8452 or nipps@tampabay.com.

Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.

A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.

Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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