My arthritis "flared out" today. I don't know if there was such a term, but all joints on the base of my left toe were hurting and I couldn't walk properly. I was really frustrated today, and added to that, I'm more frustrated by a whole slew of shoe mistake purchases.

Since my diagnosis in the beginning of the year I've been shopping, buying, wearing and writhing in pain with many of my purchases. A common issue is the ball of the foot: after a few hours, even with a slight heel (as low as an inch) and even in flats, the ball of the foot gets sore. The only shoes that can give me all-day comfort are my Fluevog Maggie's due to the 1.5 inch heel and 0.5 inch platform - and a sturdy rubber sole. I wear the boots with an insole. Most rubber soles can't seem to compare to the way Fluevog makes their boots because despite the insole and despite having the same specifications, I'd still feel ball of foot pain.

Aside from the Fluevogs, the Aravon heels have been worthwhile. But now I realize that wearing 2 inch heels on a regular basis can take it's toll. I've been wearing the Aravons almost daily for 2 weeks (except on weekends) and I didn't notice any ball of foot pain until mid last week. This shows that I should only save the Aravons as "once a week" shoes, just how I only wear my Rockports once a month. The Benvados I bought last week were OK but I still felt soreness at the ball of the foot!

So I'm back to square one. I'm on a hunt for sandals and low heeled dress shoes for summer that sort of veer towards that "polished edgy" look. It doesn't seem like I'll have any luck. After having done some reading on foot arthritis, it seems like heels higher than 1.5 inches are discouraged. Bummer for me!

I tried on a pair of Danskos and another brand of sandals with a 1 inch wedge and thick sole. There, I noticed the difference. With the other sandal brand, I felt pressure on the ball of my foot. With Danskos, the rocker sole seemed to have helped with the ball-of-foot pain - SIGNIFICANTLY! However, Danskos are so chunky and most of their styles don't satisfy my polished-edgy factor. The pair I tried (in black and metallic) came so close:

http://www.dansko.com/Womens/F.....l%20Grain/

So based on what I learned about these fussy footsies, here's what I learned:
- I can't wear anything over 1.5 inch heels on a daily basis
- I can't wear flats unless they have a forefoot platform (because thin sole flats still aggravate the ball of foot)
- I need arch support for my flat feet
- I can't wear pointy toes
- my feet need to be fully secured. No moving around. I have low volume feet though my forefoot is wide and my heel is skinny
- As much as possible, no ball of foot pain! Rocker soles seem to work.

Brands that seem to work
- certain styles of Fluevog. Usually of a chunky heel/sole. So far the LoF's work but I have a feeling the Cece's and Bondgirl will work on my as well
- Aravon heels in small doses
- some Dansko styles. I used to own 3 pairs of the wrong size. I remember not getting any foot pain but got rid of them because it just wasn't my style anymore, I soon discovered that I should've sized up.

So over to you:
- if you have foot issues (or health issues that affect the way you dress), how does it affect your personal style? Did you have to force yourself to change your aesthetic or style descriptors due to these limitations?

- if you have foot arthritis: which brands of shoes work best for you? How do you take care of your feet? How often do you wear heels? How has this affected your style?