I love chunky flats. And refined flats. And all the inspo pictures. Although I should be a sneaker person I somehow am not, and rarely wear them, although comfort is very important to me. In short, I will be following happily.

Oh, i love all the inspo pics and am inspired and the inspiring Montreal blogger!

I agree with Stag Fash that heels are not necessarily uncomfortable -- but they are uncomfortable to some. My personal sweet spot is between 34/ inch and 2 inches -- lower or higher tend to be uncomfortable and to wear sneakers I need an insole to prevent against plantar fasciitis or I'm miserable, and truly flats sneakers like Cons are a nightmare for me -- the worst! A 4 inch heel would be better, no joke!

I do wear flatforms slightly better than complete flats (probably due to the padding). A lug sole works well on a flat.

i think those who've said you need to imagine the entire look to get away with a chunky shoe for evening are correct. Not always easy to do, but if you know it's what works for you, then you can plan for it going forward.

@Jaime yes I want to be more of a sneaker person. I am just getting my head around wearing them with dresses. I tried to last year but it was hard to get the right sneaker. I am on the look for a dress sneaker this spring.

@Suz..You actually made a very good point. I can't wear converse either and struggle with the flatness of many ballet flats. So I can't wear a complete flat. I am better suited to a flatform or built up boot. I can wear birkenstocks though and they seem to be very flat. Maybe its the moulding around the foot.

I'd think chunky shoes would be problematic with evening wear, just too much juxtaposition. To my eye they work best with heavier fabrics + volume to balance them out.

Sally, have you tried Doc Marten sandals for summer? They have some great designs.

Suntiger, I used to share that perception, but have been forced by fussy feet to reshape my perception or forever be banned from certain events.

The challenge is to find ways to 'do' evening attire differently when the conventional paradigm isn't workable, or when the wearer simply prefers not to be bound by it.

Suntiger I guess a slinky dress wouldn't go well with chunky boots but I have seen people wearing ball gowns with dr martens but not sure if you could do it in certain formal places.
Bijou - I just had a look. They are really nice. They are more expensive than birkenstocks. Do you think they would be as comfortable as an everyday shoe or as durable?
CarolS- I agree with you. I also have fussy feet.

I have attached two photos of formal suits with chunky shoes.

Barefoot/minimalist might be flatter than you want to go, but even for folks who aren’t fully committed to this type of shoe, Anya’s Reviews provides great inspiration for how to be style aware while still oriented toward foot health/comfort. Her blog is informative and full of reviews/roundups, but IG is where it’s at for inspiration pics: https://instagram.com/anyasrev.....MyMTA2M2Y=

LaPed. I had a look at this thanks. Interesting how some shoes more naturally follow the shape of your foot.

Sally, I have not had Doc Marten sandals, but I would imagine given they have the same sole as the boots, they are likely to be long wearing and comfortable once broken in.

Following on from @Stag's point, I think one key aspect of foot health is how *secure* the (chunky or refined) shoe is on your foot. DH was amazed at how I could run in 'slippers', until I pointed out that they were actually sandals with adjustable ankle & front straps. So maybe now he'll buy himself some too, instead of being in pain from flip flops

Anyway I digress, lol! The one pair of slim D'orsay flats I own actually have a thin strap across the foot - so even without an ankle strap, I know they'll stay in place. I no longer do 'refined' shoes if they pinch, rub or flop.

PS - I think 'slinky dresses with chunky boots' could work; it was a very popular 90s look!

LaPed, I was debating whether to add this article by that same author. It gets better halfway through, and some of the pieces referenced are good too. https://anyasreviews.com/why-b.....foot-pain/
I can relate to her point about a stiff heel leading to the foot getting more stiff. After I broke my foot, I was prescribed insoles. Once I got them and realized there was a plate under the tender part, I only wore them when I really had to. My foot isn’t as good as it was, but the pain in gone. Can’t imagine the insoles would have let me do that.

It's all in how the shoe fits the shape of your foot, and about how much you walk

Sally, lots of good inspiration and wisdom here. I don't wear heels at all! Nothing over an inch and a quarter. My sweet spot is half to three quarters of an inch. But my shoes are 99.9% dainty. (I know that's not your preference).

Heeled footwear can be quite flat - as in flatformed. Here is some inspiration. The Wonders Oxford looks dressy! A friend of mine - who has challenging feet - wore them to a formal event with a formal dress and looked the BOMB!

Bijou I will go and try the dr Martens and Birkenstocks and see how they compare

Zaeobi - yes long dresses and doc martens are a real 90s thing I think

Stagiaire Fash thanks for the article- interesting about Birkenstocks. I wore them all last summer. Maybe I need to wear other things to strengthen my feet

Angie thanks for the links. I would wear all those in a heartbeat. I’m looking for some like that sandal at the moment.