Whether you’re a busy professional who spends a lot of time on their feet or someone who simply enjoys a long walk through the city, it’s important to have the right shoes for the job.
When it comes to dress shoes, it can be challenging to find a pair that’s comfortable enough to wear all day without sacrificing style or formality. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the top dress shoes on Zappos that are perfect for walking long distances or standing for long periods of the day.
In the following article, we’ll start by discussing the factors you should consider when choosing dress shoes; we’ve also listed our top picks from Zappos that we believe fit the bill. If our choices don’t match your taste or budget, with the information on this page, you’ll nevertheless be well-equipped to find the pair that works best for you!
Comfort Factors To Consider
When selecting dress shoes for walking long distances, you should take into account several factors that affect comfort. We’ve broken them down into the following categories:
Material
The material your shoes are made of will play a huge part into how comfortable and durable they are. For instance, leather or synthetic materials are your best bet if you’re spending a lot of time on your feet. This is because leather offers breathability and will mold to the shape of your foot over time, while synthetic materials tend to be lightweight and flexible.
Construction
It’s equally important to ensure the construction of your dress shoes allows for flexibility in movement. Look for features such as cushioning in the sole, removable insoles, padded collars and tongues, or air vents for added comfort. Additionally, we recommend going with a slip-on style shoe so that you can easily slide it on and off without wasting time with laces.
Insole
We briefly mentioned the insole above, but it deserves its own subsection – it is that important! When browsing, look for shoes with a cushioned or orthopedic insoles that provides additional arch and heel support. Other characteristics of an insole that you want to look for include shock absorption and breathability, so your feet don’t overheat during those long days.
Sole
Without being overly dramatic, the sole is the foundation of the shoe and has a significant impact on your comfort and support. Like the insole, the sole should provide shock absorption to take stress off your feet. However, a good sole will also be flexible enough to allow your foot to move naturally while walking but still offer enough stability to keep your foot properly aligned. Lastly, the sole should provide good traction to prevent slipping and sliding on various surfaces you encounter.
When it comes to sole materials, the most popular ones are rubber and leather. Leather is most common in traditional dress shoes, but until a leather sole wears in and becomes molder to your foot, it may be uncomfortable to walk on for an extended period of time. On the other hand, rubber soles provide traction, shock absorption and don’t need to be broken in, though they may not be as durable nor appear as dressy as their leather counterpart.
Our Top Picks From Zappos
Once you know which features to look for, it becomes a lot easier to narrow down your search when browsing Zappos for dress shoes. Accordingly, we’ve used the above-mentioned aspects when picking the following pairs of shoes.
- Style: Penny Loafer
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $130 [Buy On Zappos]
The Rockport Total Motion Penny Loafer offer an ideal combination of style and comfort. They feature a leather upper for durability, an EVA footbed with cushioning for extra support, and an outsole that provides flexibility and traction. Moreover, the breathable textile lining helps to keep your feet cool throughout the day.
Designed with an almond toe that ensures plenty of space in the toe box, these penny loafers have a traditional silhouette that is right at home in an office setting. Available in two tones, the black upper option is likely the most formal, though the tan option is the most versatile as it can be worn both at work and with a pair of jeans on a night out.
- Style: Dress Blucher
- Formality: Business Casual
- Pricing: $159.95 [Buy On Zappos]
The Ecco Helsinki Plain Toe Slip-On effortlessly combines style and comfort with a durable leather upper that’s both sleek and sophisticated as well as a Phorene molded footbed that imparts cushioning and support.
One of the standout features of the Helsinki 2.0 is its sole. The shoe has a lightweight and proprietary ECCO Fluidform sole that provides excellent shock absorption and cushioning, making it comfortable to walk in for long periods. The sole is also flexible, allowing your foot to move naturally, desirable characteristic that avoid foot fatigue.
- Style: Derby / Blucher
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $100
- On SALE for $74.95 [Buy On Zappos]
The Clarks Tilden Walk shoe is a classic and versatile dress shoe that’s perfect for when you’re on your feet over many hours. It features a sleek and stylish leather upper that’s both durable and comfortable, with a lace-up design that allows you to adjust the fit to your liking.
Boasting an Ortholite footbed, the Tildens are sure to provide the support you need while absorbing the shock of every step. And while the leather upper may take some time to break in, they’ll never lose the premium feel that you can only get from a genuine leather upper.
To date, the Clarks Tilden Walks have garnered a 4-star rating from a total of 58 reviewers and are available in black or dark tan leather varieties, with the latter currently on sale for around $75.
- Style: Sneakers
- Formality: Casual
- Pricing: $150 [Buy Now On Zappos]
We’ll be the first to admit that sneakers probably don’t belong in the workplace. However, changing trends have seen most offices focusing less and less on formality. As a result, you may be one of the fortunate ones who could actually wear a pair of sneakers to work.
Nevertheless, the Cole Haan GrandPros are not a typical athletic sneakers; indeed, they retain some designed elements that elevate them above your typical running shoe and make them a great option for more lenient work setting. Marked by their handstained leather upper, the GrandPros also leverage Cole Haan’s trademark soles for ultimate comfort.
They also boast a fabric lining and padded insole that might just make them the most comfortable pair of shoes on this page and an ideal choice if their casual nature fits your needs.
- Style: Oxford Shoe
- Formality: Business Professional
- Pricing: $395 [Buy On Zappos]
After introducing the most casual option just above, we now present the most formal and premium pair: the Allen Edmonds Strand.
It’s likely you’re already familiar with AE and their varied catalog. Indeed, the brand’s reputation precedes them, and for good reason. Allen Edmond’s Strand is made in the USA by skilled craftsmen who complete hundreds of steps, often by hand, before the shoe ever makes it onto a customer’s foot.
This results in a shoe with impeccable styling, crafted from the best materials and constructed in the best method possible. If your budget allows it, we highly recommend the AE Strand in Walnut, as they’re versatile across many settings and will undoubtedly draw compliments even from the most neophyte shoe collectors.
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