I have never bought "real" fashion sandals before despite living in a hot and humid Asian city, so now I'm starting my sandals collection from scratch on a college student budget. I hope to strike the balance between comfort and style, so I plan to splurge on a pair of flat sandals under $100 or two this summer.

Unfortunately it can be sooo difficult when you have major fit issues. I have large calves and wide feet, so sandals styles that climb all the way to your ankles/calves are not for me. And few Asians have such wide feet like mine, so when I shop for closed-toe shoes I usually just size up and then add inserts to make up for the extra length. But with sandals this is impossible.

I went to a department store (Sogo in Causeway Bay) today. DKNY Klarissa caught my eye, but after I checked online I realized it's DOUBLE the price in the US (just under $100), so I don't think it's worth it.

Then I went to the Naturalizer counter, but again it's overpriced compared to the US. I guess it's because of the extra export cost? The style selection is very limited too. I asked to try on a pair, but the largest size is 39 (equivalent to US 8.5)! Gasp my feet could't even fit into the shoe. Other brands like Ecco, Rockport, Nine West etc. are even pricier. And I think that most styles offered by brands that feature comfort are, well, a bit dated. Not all, but most.

So after all the rambling, here are my questions:
1. What features/styles are the easiest to fit on wide feet? I understand that this is perhaps difficult to directly describe, so examples are welcomed.
2. Any recommendations of brands that make comfortable sandals without having to blow all the $$ on it?
3. I know Angie used to live in Hong Kong... so perhaps you can give me some pointers on where to do my sandal shopping?

I know I'm not very active on this forum, but in fact I'm a longtime lurker. But this time I'm desperate! Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you so much!