Few pieces of clothing matter as much as the shoes we wear. The right pair of sneakers doesn’t just express your style: it literally supports you in everything you do, from heel to midfoot to toes. So why settle for the wrong fit? 

Specialty footwear isn’t just for special days, work sites, and athletics. Every person has a unique lifestyle, which demands a unique shoe. 

Kizik loves finding the right fit for people, no matter their abilities or needs. Below, check out a few necessities to help you find the best shoes for everyday living. 

1. Identify your daily lifestyle: active, sedentary, or in-between.

The first important thing is to identify your needs. 

First, do you have any foot conditions that you might have to consider? Plantar fasciitis is common, as are bunions and other issues. Your footwear should take this into consideration.

If you’re a high-powered super-athlete, you’ll need special athletic shoes or active sneakers. These shoes often vary in style and comfort, depending on the sport in question. If you enjoy activities like trail excursions, for example, it’s worth considering shoes with decent shock absorption underfoot. What about all the times you aren’t in your sport, however? You might not want to wear your best active shoes all the time. 

Your work life significantly impacts what you need from your footwear. In medical or office settings, comfortable footwear matters. If you’re walking for long distances or standing all day, you’ll need footwear that relieves potential foot strain.

Maybe you live in New York, and you spend your mornings walking to work, or you spend your spare time trekking through the Amazon rainforest. Of course, style is essential, but can you really love a pair of shoes that don’t love you back? 

Walking shoes make great daily shoes for most people. Both are designed with extra cushioning and comfort in the footbed. They can be effective for relaxing at home, running errands, or adventuring. 

If you walk around a lot, you’ll likely need a shoe with good traction as well — that’s why we design Kiziks with rubber soles, which we call our Traction Pods. This slip-resistant technology is what makes them a top pick for so many. 

2. Look for a shoe that supports your foot shape.

No two feet are the same — not even your own. Some feet are wider; others are narrower. Some have high arches, while others have flat arches. 

One of the most important things a shoe must be able to do is support your feet. If it can’t do this, then it’s the wrong shoe for you. 

The best everyday shoe should have arch support built into the shoe. In the case of Kiziks, this arch is further supported by our Rabbit Foam™ outsole, which is almost like memory foam but is even better than that material or a rubber outsole. Just like a rabbit, it bounces back when you put pressure on it, providing your feet with new balance. The result is an almost decadently soft cushion for your feet — exactly what’s necessary for long days on the go.

Our footwear also offers a roomy toe box. Gone are the days of squished toes, blisters, and imperfectly fitting footwear — even if you have wide feet. Your forefoot can finally be comfortable in your footwear, and your podiatrist will be proud.

Some of our options take it even further, too. For example, the Lima has an extra supportive midsole that makes these some of the best walking shoes out there. 

3. Get shoes that are easy to put on.

For many of us, regardless of how active we are, our everyday lives are busy. If you’re running late with the kids or need to get out the door as fast as possible, laces can slow everything up. Sure, they may be the standard for footwear, but that doesn’t make them the best. 

With lace-up shoes, plenty can go wrong. You try to slide your feet in, but the heel bunches up, wasting even more time. You have to worry about untying them every single time. Let’s not even speak about what happens when they come undone when you can’t bend over. 

Laceless shoes, by comparison, can make everything easier. When you slide into your Kiziks, the heel bends inward to allow your foot to slide through. It then bounces back into place, no squishing, leaving you ready to tackle the day. Kiziks are more than just laceless slip-on shoes: They are totally hands-free.

Need to get into or out of your shoes as fast as possible? Are you pregnant? If that’s the case, hands-free footwear can make everything easier. 

The world isn’t pregnancy-friendly a lot of the time. Clothing and footwear are some of the biggest offenders. Lots of groups simply don’t know how to dress pregnant people. Those who do, much of the time, sacrifice appearance for function. 

With Kizik, worry no longer. Cushioning: Check. Easy to put on: Check. Available in plenty of styles to perfectly match your wardrobe, pre or post-pregnancy: Major check. 

Laceless technology makes for a faster, easier way to put on and take off your shoe. No laces? No problem. 

4. The right shoe size is more than a number.

Shoe sizes are expressed in both numbers and letters: Numbers for length and general size and letters to indicate width or narrowness. However, picking your ideal shoe is more than just going with the size you usually wear. 

Our feet expand over the course of a day spent walking on them. The perfect fit in the morning may start feeling a little tight by the evening. If getting your shoes on is already a struggle right when you wake up, watch out, as that feeling probably won’t get any better.

As many as two-thirds of people aren’t wearing the right shoe size. The number itself may be wrong, or the shoes may be too narrow. The tendency is to squeeze to wear too-small shoes rather than accidentally scale too far upwards. 

Wearing the wrong size shoe can come with a whole host of issues. This can include calluses, corns, and mild pain on the minor end of things. On the major end, wearing the wrong size shoe can permanently alter the shape of your foot. 

Are you sure you’re wearing the right shoe size? Even if you are, you’ll want to ensure you have enough space within your shoe in every part. 

Your toes are one of the major points of articulation in your foot. Anyone who has had to wear shoes that constrict them can attest: They need space. 

Shoes with wide toe boxes offer plenty of room, even after your feet splay. They can also combat swelling from pregnancy or long plane rides. 

5. Choose shoes that feel great right away.

The uncomfortable shoes you put on will feel better after you’ve had a chance to break them in, right? Wrong.

Most of us have been guilty of hoping an especially gorgeous pair of shoes will feel better after time. After all, finding footwear that perfectly matches your taste can be hard enough already. It can be tempting to go for the perfect look over the perfect fit.

Don’t listen to that voice that says your shoes will grow more comfortable over time. They won’t. 

In the case of most shoes, they may even become more uncomfortable over time as the soles wear out. Great footwear should feel great right away. If you can’t see for yourself, go ahead and read what other people have to say about a brand. 

Part of what makes a shoe comfortable comes down to the shape, giving you room where needed. 

This isn’t to say you can get the full impression of a pair of shoes just by putting them on. Try walking around or briskly on a treadmill to get the full impression of how your footwear fits. Just don’t take your lap around the block so you don’t void any return policies. 

6. Consider measuring your feet.

When we think of taking foot measurements, many of us think of the big metal foot measurement tools at shoe stores. If you want to make sure you’re getting the exact right size, measure your feet. This is especially the case if it seems that your shoes have been fitting differently in the last year or so. 

Measuring your feet doesn’t require a special trip out: It’s easy to do at home. All you need to do is step barefoot on a blank sheet of paper. From there, trace the outline of your foot until you have its shape. Use a ruler to measure your foot in inches and compare it with a size chart online. 

Now you know exactly what your “true” foot size is. Be sure to do this later in the day so you can hunt for the most comfortable shoe. This can also help you identify if you could use wider or narrowing shoes than you have been using. 

7. Check for irritants inside your shoe.

Sometimes, the insides of our shoes can cause issues. Tags, uncomfortable insole or upper material, and more can cause sensitivities. This can especially be the case if you love slipping your daily shoes on without socks. If that’s the case, or if you need to adjust space in your shoe, check that the insides are foot-friendly. 

With our Kiziks, we take adjustability to a higher level. Every shoe features removable insoles. This makes them adaptable if you need to change them out and machine washable to help extend their lifespan. It’s small details like this that help makes Kizik who we are.

8. Go shopping for yourself.

Your ideal everyday shoes should embody a wide variety of characteristics. They should be comfy and supportive of your feet. They should be easy to put on for tired mornings and easy to get off for relaxed evenings. 

They should be Kiziks. Or at least, they should be able to do everything Kizik shoes do, which only describes Kiziks. 

You should also choose shoes that you love the look of — and whether you prefer our new London with our best cushioning, the breathable mesh uppers of our eco-friendly Madrid model, the suede of our Prague option, the leather upper of our Vegas shoe, there’s something for everyone.

All our options are available in several colorways, too, so you can choose the option that best suits your style, whether you prefer classic white sneakers or something with a little more visual interest.

Kiziks are walking shoes meant not for daily athletics but daily living. Choose walking shoes for their all-day comfort that supports you in your everyday life. For work, daily errands, and more, these high-quality shoes will keep you protected and stylish. For more of the most comfortable and accessible shoes around, find your Kiziks. 

Sources:

Prolonged Standing at Work Can Cause Health Problems Too I Medical News Today

Flat Feet Pain Treatment & Symptoms | Advanced Foot & Ankle Care Centers

Incorrectly Fitted Footwear, Foot Pain and Foot Disorders: A Systematic Search and Narrative Review of the Literature I National Library of Medicine