Most comfortable men's dress shoes

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I don't get to wear scrubs frequently, which means wearing terribly uncomfortable dress shoes for 12 hours a day.

Christmas is around the corner....anyone have recommendations for uber comfortable men's dress shoes under $75?

I'll be honest the best shoes for comfort I've found are a $25 pair from Wal Mart. STL Shoe and Boot Company - Cambridge Style. I admit they are ugly, but they are so comfortable to wear that it's worth it.

any shoes can be improved with Dr. Schols pads. They have been a life saver

Cole Haan - try Nordstrom Rack or an outlet mall.

Rockports are awesome. I seriously went out and bought a couple extra pairs to have on hand.

Originally Posted by irJanus

any shoes can be improved with Dr. Schols pads. They have been a life saver

Agreed. Mostly you get plantar-side soreness from rounds and constant walking.

However, if you are getting dorsal-side soreness, it is worth a try getting a softer leather, better fitting shoe...then toss in some great insoles.

Personally, I use custom-made Vans. $70. Black walls. My preceptor, attendings, and other docs comment on how they like my shoes.

W/ good insoles!

Originally Posted by link2swim06

I don't get to wear scrubs frequently, which means wearing terribly uncomfortable dress shoes for 12 hours a day.

Christmas is around the corner....anyone have recommendations for uber comfortable men's dress shoes under $75?

Probably the best advice I can give on SDN is to invest in your feet. You will spend a lot of time running around during school, residency, etc, and you need to take care of your wheels....I suggest dropping some money and getting a solid pair of dress shoes. Once you've had some plantar fasciitis, you'll understand what I mean.

When I'm in scrubs, I wear Birki clogs. I used to wear Dansko clogs years ago, but they sucked to walk in (great to stand in). For dress shoes, I've always worn Merrell brand shoes and been happy. Those haven't been too expensive, but I'd be willing to spend more if needed.

Not a man, but Cole Haan makes shoes with a Nike Air in-sole and can be purchased at DSW for a reasonable price. I seriously wore 4 in boots all day today without a problem.

Otherwise, as SLUser notes, Merrels are nice (what I wear in the OR).

Originally Posted by Winged Scapula

Not a man, but Cole Haan makes shoes with a Nike Air in-sole and can be purchased at DSW for a reasonable price. I seriously wore 4 in boots all day today without a problem.

Otherwise, as SLUser notes, Merrels are nice (what I wear in the OR).

I second (or third) the Cole Haans with the Nike insoles. You need to invest in a nice pair if you're going to be wearing them a ton anyway. I got my pair at an outlet for $100 which is <50% of retail price and they're pretty awesome.

I second the Dansko recommendation. They make them with a full heel now so they're dressier than clogs. Easy to clean, too. Keep them happy with a little mink oil from time to time and they'll last you well into your first residency paychecks.

Cole Haan is garbage. For your price range, I guess I'd go on Zappos.com. Probably get hundreds of hits. Cheap shoes, while generally less stylish and less sturdy, shouldn't be as painful as you describe. Are you sure you're wearing the correct size, etc.?

Originally Posted by DreamingTheLive

Cole Haan is garbage.

Care to share why you feel that way? I've always had good luck with them.

Originally Posted by Winged Scapula

Care to share why you feel that way? I've always had good luck with them.

Sorry, perhaps garbage was a bit strong. Truthfully, Cole Haan makes just OK shoes, which in itself is perfectly fine. My issue with them would be that their construction and overall quality is rather poor for their price point. Personally, I'd rather spend a few extra bucks and get a nice pair of Crockett & Jones, Edward Green, J Lobbs, AEs, Borgioli, Vass, Alden, etc....That being said, if YOU are happy with Cole Haans, personally enjoy how they look and feel, then everything I said is irrelevant....in the end, its purely subjective.

I see.

I dont have many of their shoes because I prefer high heels in the office and theirs tend to max out at around 3 inches, which doesn't do it for me. I do however own about 50 of their bags ( which is why I asked).

I wear skechers citywalk shoes. They fall more into the casual shoe category, but they feel just like regular sneakers.

I'm assuming by "dress shoes" you mean shoes that actually pair well with the business-casual "button-up shirt plus nice slacks" look.

I've heard people prattle on about how comfortable Dansko clogs are, but I've noticed those are typically worn with scrubs (and look ridiculous otherwise, in my opinion). I can't help you with the $75 budget but these shoes might be worth a try if you can't find anything else. A tad over a hundred bucks but they're classic, stylish and comfy with the sportier heel and cushy sole. Brand: Hushpuppies; style is "Brussels."

Originally Posted by sylvanthus

Rockports are awesome. I seriously went out and bought a couple extra pairs to have on hand.

Agreed. Rockports and Merrells are all I wear. Classy and very comfortable.

Originally Posted by Winged Scapula

I see.

I dont have many of their shoes because I prefer high heels in the office and theirs tend to max out at around 3 inches, which doesn't do it for me. I do however own about 50 of their bags ( which is why I asked).

I can really only speak to their men's lines....actually, I wouldn't be shocked if their women's products were considered pretty high quality (vs. other similar women's brands). 50 bags, huh?...not too shabby.

Originally Posted by Kaputt

Agreed. Rockports and Merrells are all I wear. Classy and very comfortable.

I've been incredibly happy with my Rockports, had 'em for 10+ years. Super comfortable and if you treat them right they last forever.

Originally Posted by arex83

I'm assuming by "dress shoes" you mean shoes that actually pair well with the business-casual "button-up shirt plus nice slacks" look.

I've heard people prattle on about how comfortable Dansko clogs are, but I've noticed those are typically worn with scrubs (and look ridiculous otherwise, in my opinion). I can't help you with the $75 budget but these shoes might be worth a try if you can't find anything else. A tad over a hundred bucks but they're classic, stylish and comfy with the sportier heel and cushy sole. Brand: Hushpuppies; style is "Brussels."

Did you just say classic and stylish? Dear God. Those are absolutely atrocious.

Originally Posted by DreamingTheLive

I can really only speak to their men's lines....actually, I wouldn't be shocked if their women's products were considered pretty high quality (vs. other similar women's brands).

That's their reputation.

50 bags, huh?...not too shabby.

Well, I'm single with a high disposable income so what else to spend my $$ on except travel, food and bags?

Originally Posted by diagonal

Did you just say classic and stylish? Dear God. Those are absolutely atrocious.

I was going to say the same thing. They look like something an old man would wear - slip on type of loafers. But to each his own...

For regular shoe wearers: Ecco slip ons like the Helsinki (http://www.amazon.com/ECCO-50134-Men.../dp/B001OC5EN6) with SofSole inserts (though the ones that come in it may be very comfortable for the wearer from the get go). Look nice, comfortable, and easy to get on/off.

For the minimalist footwear wearers (which I became): Merrill all leather version of the Trail Glove (http://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Tough-...ll+trail+glove) the only minimalist shoe that looks nice enough with hospital wear that isn't ridiculously overpriced.

They actually aren't that bad and certainly not "atrocious," seeing how often they get compliments when they're actually on. Maybe you just have to see them in person...but the last thing I would call them are "old man" shoes, especially in the context of Merrels and Danskos (I'm sorry, but no guy looks good in those clogs). I'm sensing that "diagonal" is simply too good, metrosexual or Persian to understand that comfortable shoes have their drawbacks.

I've heard good things about Eccos, but they really aren't very dressy. They're even struggling to be business casual. I've had great luck with Johnston and Murphy shoes. They look quite nice, and they're super comfortable if you get the right ones. They make some that are like typical guys' dress shoes with not much more than hard leather and some with airy sheepskin insoles and lining. Get the latter, and you'll be a happy camper.

Originally Posted by MilkmanAl

I've heard good things about Eccos, but they really aren't very dressy. They're even struggling to be business casual. I've had great luck with Johnston and Murphy shoes. They look quite nice, and they're super comfortable if you get the right ones. They make some that are like typical guys' dress shoes with not much more than hard leather and some with airy sheepskin insoles and lining. Get the latter, and you'll be a happy camper.

Second this. They're a bit pricey but worth the investment.

Originally Posted by arex83

They actually aren't that bad and certainly not "atrocious," seeing how often they get compliments when they're actually on. Maybe you just have to see them in person...but the last thing I would call them are "old man" shoes, especially in the context of Merrels and Danskos (I'm sorry, but no guy looks good in those clogs). I'm sensing that "diagonal" is simply too good, metrosexual or Persian to understand that comfortable shoes have their drawbacks.

I have seen those in person. Oddly enough, usually on Persians, but especially Indians. A better description of diagonal is someone that wears actual dress shoes when the situation calls for it, and doesn't whine about it, or wear some ghastly hybrid between dress-shoe / slipper / water moccasin and think they're fooling anyone.

Allen Edmonds are fantastic, but quite far out of the $75 price range. In that range, I would go with Eccos, but as others have mentioned they are borderline not dressy.

Meh. It's not a fashion show. Get shoes that look good enough to go with Kakhis, a shirt, and a tie and spend enough money to have comfortable feet. Nobody's really looking at your feet unless you're hanging out with the I-was-disappointed-Mumsy-and-Popsy-didn't-spring-for-a-Benz-and-only-got-me-an-Escalade-for-high-school-graduation crowd.

Originally Posted by arex83

they're classic, stylish

Sweet mother of god. They may or may not be comfortable, but those are some god-awful ugly shoes. There is nothing classic or stylish about them. Yikes.

Originally Posted by arex83

They actually aren't that bad and certainly not "atrocious," seeing how often they get compliments when they're actually on. Maybe you just have to see them in person...but the last thing I would call them are "old man" shoes, especially in the context of Merrels and Danskos (I'm sorry, but no guy looks good in those clogs). I'm sensing that "diagonal" is simply too good, metrosexual or Persian to understand that comfortable shoes have their drawbacks.

Anyone who knows anything about dressing well in terms of male clothing/shoes understands that the shoes you linked are simply an abomination. They may be comfortable, and since that's the goal of this thread, then whatever. But please understand that those things, from a "style" standpoint, should be burned in a huge fire.

If anyone is actually going out of their way to "compliment" those shoes (and I seriously doubt they are), you should probably assume they are blind.

About 99.99% of female physicians are wearing Danskos in the hospital where I work. I don't see a lot of the male physicians wearing them though.. Do they not make them for men? I know they're ugly.. but who really cares when you're walking around in scrubs anyway, right?

pretty comfortable.. Bruno Magli... size 12

^I was unaware they had a residency on the Moon.

Originally Posted by bala1

pretty comfortable.. Bruno Magli... size 12

Cool story bro

Originally Posted by Mace1370

Allen Edmonds are fantastic, but quite far out of the $75 price range. In that range, I would go with Eccos, but as others have mentioned they are borderline not dressy.

You can get near-mint used or factory seconds Allen Edmonds for pretty cheap.

My AEs have had a great six months, but they're getting retired for surgery.

Yes, the point of the thread is comfort however, the OP uses the word "dressy" in the title.

When did the American male start thinking that dressy meant those God awful slip ons that a few have posted above? Is it because kids starting wearing velcro straps on their shoes so no one knows how to tie laces?

Please read any issue of Esquire, GQ, Vogue for Men etc and you'll see that the shoes they list for work almost all have laces or monk straps. And while I don't care for the Magli's that bala1 showed above (really you wear those in the OR? I've never seen shoe covers that are 100% waterproof), at least its a step in the right direction in terms of what's classically considered "work clothes" for men albeit on the more casual side.

I rarely disagree with J-Rad but I posit that there are women who DO look at a man's shoes and make up judgements about him based on same and that's not just in Scottsdale. Whether we like it or not, our clothes do tell a story about us.

Originally Posted by bala1

pretty comfortable.. Bruno Magli... size 12

Funky cool. I could pull those off, though not in the OR. They're not going to be anywhere close to $75 either.
Nice.
Not for the interview trail though.
I wear high quality running shoes. Lots of ventilation to keep my feet cool and dry. The downside is they stain easily and look horrible, and they're not waterproof. Sometimes you get a drop of blood on the outside of your socks. You'll live. But I'm at the head of the bed. If I was doing ortho, OB, etc. where you're going to get wet, I'd go waterproof. More than a few in the trenches have boots for that purpose.

Originally Posted by link2swim06

I don't get to wear scrubs frequently, which means wearing terribly uncomfortable dress shoes for 12 hours a day.

Christmas is around the corner....anyone have recommendations for uber comfortable men's dress shoes under $75?

Anything with hard soles.

Originally Posted by Winged Scapula

When did the American male start thinking that dressy meant those God awful slip ons that a few have posted above? Is it because kids starting wearing velcro straps on their shoes so no one knows how to tie laces?

It's a very strange phenomenon. The mid-20's is such a hilariously awkward age to observe among males. We know that the early teen years are classically awkward in that voice-changing, hormones-raging, identity-searching way that is somewhat endearing (to a point).

But the early/mid(/even late 20's for many) is a period where the American male is presumably trying to begin some sort of professional career and has perhaps recently graduated from college/grad/professional school. Suddenly the once or twice yearly need to put on anything that resembles "dressy" becomes a routine thing, but most guys apparently aren't ready for this and panic. And then, almost inexplicably, they almost intuitively start collecting only the most hideous articles of clothing and footwear under the assumption that, since all the other awkward 24 year olds wear black square-toed slip-on hybrid sneaker/dress shoes, this is an honor befitting of him as well.

Thus the barrage of baggy "relaxed fit" Dockers, clunky rubber-soled Skechers, and awful dark-colored (red/dark navy blue/black/gray) baggy button-up shirts that ensues.

The unfortunate ending to this tale is that, for many men, they never actually grow out of this awkward phase.

And it really doesn't require anything remotely close to a Herculean effort to dress reasonably well. By understanding a few very basic guidelines and having an appreciation for how clothing is actually supposed to fit you, you can go from "slob in your father's oversized hand-me-downs" to "debonair" in a few easy steps. I know some dudes are worried it's not "cool" or "manly" to give a damn how they dress. For people with that kind of mindset, they're probably beyond help as it is.

Anyway, I greatly digress. If you want to wear disgustingly ugly shoes because they are super comfortable, that's ok as long as you don't operate under the false assumption that their look is anything but terrible. Believe it or not, there are quite a few "nice looking" shoes/brands of shoes out there that are very comfortable. At the risk of channeling the user neusu here [for those of you on the "I hate surgery residents" thread], to the same degree that it's not accepted to wear sneakers with slacks in a work setting, there is some element of "suck-it-upitude" that has to come into play here.

Rockport slip ons.

Originally Posted by Lanolin

Rockport slip ons.

GuyWhoDoesStuff...I guess there are few of us here who appreciate your wisdom on the matter.

Interestingly, IMHO it has always been more of an issue for the female medical students/residents on deciphering appropriate work wear - perhaps too many choices is how I interpreted it.

The men? They just needed, mostly, refining. The shoes were ugly, scuffed, the pants too large or small, pleats separated, sleeves too short/long, etc. I never had to talk to a male student about showing too much skin, or the need to wear a tie to clinic. Then again, surgery is typically more conservative (and we did not allow scrubs except on Trauma Surgery).

Originally Posted by bala1

pretty comfortable.. Bruno Magli... size 12

OJ Simpson is an anesthesiologist now!?!?!

They actually have a nice slip on boot version of this shoe. It might make a nice winter shoe.

Originally Posted by Winged Scapula

I see.

I dont have many of their shoes because I prefer high heels in the office and theirs tend to max out at around 3 inches, which doesn't do it for me. I do however own about 50 of their bags ( which is why I asked).

If I'm ever in your neck of the woods, please please please let me see your closet.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Ended up going to Cole Haan outlet like someone suggested.

They have nike air shocks and are very comfortable. Orignal price $150, outlet price $83.

Only $8 over budget. Win.

Damn, I'm too late. But, I like Clarks...they are very comfortable and reasonably priced at DSW. I have two pairs now and my feet have never hurt in either pair...even after long days on the wards or after interviews with lots of walking.

Originally Posted by LucidSplash

If I'm ever in your neck of the woods, please please please let me see your closet.

I think you mean closetS!

If you time it right and wear size 0/2 and 8 1/2 in shoes, you could benefit from my intermittent clearance give away!

I sport those bruno magli's in the OR without shoe covers period. They are 400 dollar shoes. People look at me and they know Im a no bs guy when they see me wearing those shoes without shoe covers. And winged scapula is right, chicks DO look at a guys shoes and make judgements. That is NOT why I wear em.

When i first got out of residency, a urologist did a nephrectomy in 45 mins. I was impressed. I was further impressed he was wearing a pair of magli's without any shoe covers..

Originally Posted by Winged Scapula

I think you mean closetS!

If you time it right and wear size 0/2 and 8 1/2 in shoes, you could benefit from my intermittent clearance give away!

Unfortunately I stick pretty firmly at around a 6 and a size 8 foot. But a girl can dream.

Originally Posted by VisionaryTics

My AEs have had a great six months, but they're getting retired for surgery.

be a complete boss and rock the AE's in the OR.