Barking Dog Shoes

Comfortable Women's Shoes | Bogs Boots for Bad Weather

What's a four letter word for cozy, cold weather-defying boots? I'll accept "Uggs" for an answer, but the better response is "Bogs." Not only do these boots come in lively prints and colors, they're 100% waterproof AND comfort rated to -40 degrees!  How can that be? Well, the uppers are made from 5mm-thick neoprene wrapped in rubber which makes them much warmer than your standard-issue rain boot. And if you're concerned about your feet getting, well, sweaty and stinky in rubber boots, you'll be relieved to know that the Bogs insoles are anti-microbial, breathable and odor resistant.

I'd like to thank Flickr member Roseandpie for allowing me to post the photo of her Bogs taking on the Canadian cold.

Where to buy:

• Zappos: $69-112, free shipping both ways.
• PlanetShoes: $49-99, free shipping and returns.
• Amazon: $59-87

Comfortable Women's Shoes | Haflinger Apples Clog

Know a special teacher? Wouldn't these be the perfect gift for her? I remember wearing Haflinger clogs when I taught school, but they were nowhere near as cute as these.

Haflinger's fit and feel is similar to Birkenstock with an anatomically correct cork latex arch support, roomy toe box and contoured heel cup. Plus the uppers are made of wool felt which is breathable, yet warm and toasty.

Available at Shoemall for $104.95, free shipping. Check out Amazon for a great selection of Haflinger clogs for under $100.

Comfortable Women's Shoes | PG Lite Alegria Paloma Review

Thank you HealthyFeetStore.com for putting my achy feet into these sole savers. The Pg Lite Alegria Paloma mary jane, albeit clunky, has earned the honorable title of Most Comfortable Shoe in my closet. Lately my feet have been suffering nagging heel pain from plantar fasciitis as well has ankle and toe pain from rheumatoid arthritis. Even some of my most trusted go-to shoes have let me down over the last weeks. But when I put on my Alegrias, my feet are virtually pain-free.

So what's so great about the Pg Lite Alegria collection?

• Rocker outsole: Rolls forward gently with each step to relieve pressure on forefoot and heel. Promotes healthy gait and good posture.
• Insole: anatomically correct to form to natural shape of foot AND is removable to accommodate a custom orthotic.
• Toebox: Alegria shoes have extra depth for a roomier fit for toes.
• Uppers: Pg Lite Alegria clogs and mary janes come in many eye-catching colors and patterns.
• Instep Strap: That button may look like a bugger to fasten, but it's purely ornamental. The strap actually fastens with velcro!
• Heel: I love that these have some elevation to them.

The Pg Lite Alegria Paloma runs true to size and fits medium to wide feet best.

• Available at HealthyFeetStore.com for $104.97 with free shipping. Use promo code barkingdogs for 10% off your order.
• Pg Lite Alegria footwear is also available at:  OnlineShoes.com, Amazon.com, and PegasusShoes.com 

Comfortable Women's Shoes | Sale Shoes at Athleta

 I've recently discovered Gap-owned Athleta as a fantastic source of not only fitness wear, but of stylish, easy-fitting clothing and comfortable footwear. Checking out their sale section, I came across a few shoe deals I'd like to share with you:

1. Simple GT Jane: The black is cute, but the plaid is irresistible!  Best for wide feet that don't need much arch support. The insole is removable and would probably accommodate a thin orthotic insert. Was $85, now $44.99.

2. J-41 Aquarius: J-41 makes adorable footwear that is relatively comfortable. I like to classify them as a 60/40 brand. 60% style, 40% comfort. So if you're looking for a fun bum-around town shoe, the Aquarius is a good choice with its memory foam footbed and generous toe box. But it's not a serious outdoorsy shoe as the copy might have you believe. Was $99, now 54.99.

Another great sale: 6pm.com has Softspots footwear marked down to $24.95 (come in three-four widths with "pillow top" footbed) and Bass shoes for $21.95.

Comfortable Women's Shoes | 8 Stylish Shoes for Bunions

I'll be back with new posts in a few days, but bringing back the "comfortable shoes for bunions" post as I've received a few emails from readers asking for suggestions.

It's that time again. Closed-toe shoe season is closing in on us, which means one thing for those of us with bunions--ouch. After poring over customer reviews at Zappos, I discovered eight stylish yet comfortable shoes that received two thumbs up for bunion-friendliness (coined for the first time today here at BarkingDogShoes.com).

Casual

1. Arcopedico Shawna: roomy toe box, anatomical footbed, soft leather uppers and comes in many colors...even croc patent. 65 five star reviews. $132

2. Rieker Jagoda: Soft leather, doesn't cut across bunions. Although only comes in medium width, customers with wider feet find the shoe very comfortable. $94.95

3. Keen Madrid: Both mary jane and ballet flat have synthetic upper that fits like a soft glove around toes--no pinching or crushing of bunions or hammertoes. $84

Dress Casual

4. Kumfs Cruise: elegant mary jane, comes in medium, wide and extra wide widths. Removable, shock-absorbing insole, orthotic-friendly (great brand for problem feet). $179

5. Naot Pleasure: pretty shoe for those with narrow to medium width feet with bunions. Vamp crosses the foot below the bunions. Shock-absorbing footbed. 105 customer reviews. $163.95

6. Sudini Sedona: Three customers with bunions rave about this shoe. Generous toe box for a dress shoe, fully padded insole, manageable low-heeled demi wedge. Comes in narrow, medium and wide widths. $88

Boot

7. Naot Allure: You really can't go wrong with Naot. High, rounded toe box and supportive footbed.  $291

Sporty

8. Patagonia Kenosha: Exhaustive list of comfort features at Zappos. I've sworn by Merrell Siren for years as a supportive, comfortable sport shoe, but this one is a definite competitor--seems the toe box is roomier. $81

Now for three of my own recommendations. Wolky, a Dutch comfort shoe company, makes wonderfully supportive shoes with room for toes to spread out. My personal favorites are the Wolky Jewel sandal and the Cloggy clog. And of course, no post about bunions would be complete without awarding honorable mention to both Dansko and Sanita clogs. Many Dansko and almost all Sanita clogs have roomy toe boxes and rocker soles designed to take pressure off the forefoot. You'll especially love some of Sanita's new styles for fall/winter 09.

Do you have a shoe that has been kind to your bunions? Leave a comment and let us know!