Shoes.
Does this conjure up all sorts of things for you? Truthfully shoes are one of my clients’ biggest struggles.
I get it (especially as someone that stands for most of their job and walks miles to shop).
When I began shopping at A Pied, on Roscoe, my shoe life changed.
Their knowledge and brands opened my shoe world so I wanted to share three of the best brands I’ve learned from them that marry both comfort and style:
- ALL BLACK
- Hispanitas
- La Canadienne
A Pied on Roscoe changed my shoe life forever- I hope it will change yours!
P.S- I didn’t learn until very recently that my one foot is much closer to a size 8 and the other is an 8.5 and it’s why some shoes (when I try one on) seem to fit and then- not (Thank you A Pied for the foot measurement!). This knowledge seriously changed my shopping habits (in a great way).
We chat about a lot of these things inside of Stylist in Your Back Pocket.
The rest of the shoes are trial and errors that my clients (and myself) have found both to be stylish and comfortable.
HISPANITAS
About (taken from their page)
Part of a fashion family for three generations, Hispanitas(r) owners Luis and Carlos Chico de Guzman continue to expand Spain’s unique design influence here in the US through their brand of high quality women’s shoes and leather goods.
While Hispanitas is available in the top fashion markets of the globe, all of their shoes are crafted in the Alicante region of Spain following traditional processes with the latest manufacturing technology. The secret to their success has always been in their exceptional detailing including the use of specially tanned leathers, the perfect seasonal colorations, and trend-right outsole features.
Hispanitas footwear combines the expertise of Spain’s top shoe designers, the Alicante region’s tradition of high quality shoe manufacturing, a trend right European aesthetic, exceptional material detail, comfort engineered into every pair and the heritage of a family owned and operated company.
Hispanitas shoes make a woman feel as wonderful as she looks which is why their motto is ‘Joy Is A Choice.’ Choose Hispanitas!
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $79 – $230
- Sizes Available: 5 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: A Pied, Nordstrom
WONDERS
About (taken from their page)
Wonders defends and symbolizes values that are perceived in a very direct way in our way of understanding and approach the development of footwear: Care for detail, choice of raw materials, the importance of each of the workers in the process. The comfort of the product is a priority. Likewise, maintaining the highest levels of comfort in our productions and making them reach men and women all over the planet is our main goal.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $83 – $250
- Sizes Available: 5 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: A Pied, Nordstrom, Wonders.com
ALL BLACK
About (taken from their page)
ALL BLACK is a fashion forward contemporary shoe brand that combines innovative materials with retro inspired designs and still offers the important element of comfort that women of all ages desire.
ALL BLACK has evolved over the past 10 years to a position of a trend setter in the contemporary design segment of the women’s shoe market. ALL BLACK has established a look that is well known for being just enough different to be unique but not too far over the edge to be risky. ALL BLACK has also earned the reputation as a dependable, high quality brand, which looks more expensive then are prices represent. ALL BLACK has introduced signature materials such as tilapia fish skin that was copied and used by a range of high end designers as well as our mid level competitors. Our recycled newspaper collection has received global recognition as both innovative and fashionable.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $115 – $209
- Sizes Available: 5 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: A Pied, Allblackfootwear.com
KEDS
About (taken from their page)
Made for WOMEN, whatever that means.
What does it mean to be a woman?
WHATEVER. YOU. WANT. IT. TO. MEAN.
We can’t shout this loud enough.
There is no box. There is no ideal. There is no right way
to be a woman; and there is certainly no wrong way.
So we’re not going to try to define, or redefine, what it means to be a woman, and instead listen to what it means to each and every one of you.
Then, we’re going to create and innovate to support whatever that is.
Made by WOMEN for WOMEN. The Keds team is made up of mostly women (nearly 90%), and our leadership team is entirely female.
As a beloved, well-known brand of over 100 years, we realize that we have a unique opportunity to empower other women with our platform. That’s why with every single project we do, we recruit women-on-the-rise whenever possible, from collaborators to photographers, stylists, printers, illustrators, editors—even our fonts were designed by women.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $20 – $120
- Sizes Available: 4 – 12
- Known for: Canvas Sneakers, Embroidery, Floral Patterns
- Where to Purchase: Nordstrom, Zappos, Keds.com
LA CANADIENNE
About (taken from their page)
La Canadienne began in Montreal, the heart of Canada’s fashion capital. Our goal was to create comfortable, versatile boots that would offer unbeatable protection against the cold, wet Canadian climate.
Today, La Canadienne is recognized worldwide not only for our unbeatable protection against the elements, but for our fashion forward footwear, outerwear & accessories.
Environmentally friendly dyes and protective agents, as well as recycled materials are used for our packaging materials.
Our focus on detail extends to our keen awareness of the environmental impact of our products. We are proud to use the highest quality Italian hides available that are by-products of the food industry. This allows us to utilize materials that would otherwise have been discarded.
We are committed to meeting and exceeding all environmental regulations, not just in our product but in our factory as well.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $425 – $675
- Sizes Available: 5 – 11
- Known for: Great Weatherproof and Cold Weather Boots
- Where to Purchase: A Pied, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Zappos
COLE HAAN
About (taken from their page)
Cole Haan – We work for you, so you can work for what you believe in.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $40 – $280
- Sizes Available: 5 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: Nordstrom, Zappos, 6pm.com
PEDRO GARCÍA
About (taken from their page)
Brother and sister Mila and Pedro García are the third generation to lead this family shoe-making firm. Mila holds the CEO post, while Pedro is the brand’s creative director. They took over the reins from their father, who was also named Pedro García, as was their grandfather, who founded the firm in 1925. The company is now counting more than 120 employees and selling in nearly 40 countries across the world.
All the brand’s shoes are made at its own factory, located where the family firm was founded, and where it remains to this day: Elda, a town with a long tradition of shoe-making, in the Mediterranean region of Alicante.
Every phase of production can be closely monitored by the company’s creative directors, which is what makes their unique design process possible. The combination of the designers’ talent and the skilled hands of the artisans turns the factory into a genuine “design laboratory,” where experimentation continues until the perfect aesthetic solution is found.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $495 – $750
- Sizes Available: 5 – 12
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: Nordstrom, YOOX, Zappos, Neiman Marcus
TARYN ROSE
About (taken from their page)
Taryn Rose was founded in 1998 by orthopedic surgeon and shoe designer Dr. Taryn Rose. Combining her medical know-how with beautiful materials and superb design, Taryn Rose created a footwear line that pioneered the “luxury comfort” category.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $34 – $340
- Sizes Available: 5 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: Neiman Marcus, 6pm.com, Nordstrom
PAUL GREEN
About (taken from their page)
Paul Green shoes are made with great passion and mastery, which is expressed through sophistication, quality, style and the perfect fit. The result: Unique, uplifting wear comfort!
We are Austrian based artisan shoe-makers, passionately committed to making the highest quality one-of-a-kind shoes by hand in our beautiful town of Salzburg.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $180 – $485
- Sizes Available: 6 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Zappos
SEYCHELLES
About (taken from their page)
Since 1984, Seychelles has created a dedicated footwear following and has become known for its comfortable, chic, and effortless style.
Seychelles is a celebration of femininity and everything that means to us: being strong, confident, and unapologetically yourself.
We believe personal style is a form of expression ⏤ a way to communicate your point of view.
We believe being feminine and strong are not mutually exclusive.
We believe what you wear should not complicate your life. Rather, it should empower you to move through it more easily.
We believe your shoes should make you feel comfortable, both mentally and physically.
We are devoted to continually inspiring our customers to show the world they can be unapologetically themselves.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $85 – $278
- Sizes Available: 6 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: Nordstrom, Zappos, 6pm.com
EILEEN FISHER
About (taken from their page)
Renew, Waste No More, Women Together and the Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute—just four more ways we’re committed to changing the clothing industry and women’s lives.
EILEEN FISHER
Clothes are where we start. We believe they should be ethical, timeless, well-made clothes designed to work together, wear effortlessly and be part of a responsible lifecycle. We challenge ourselves daily as we work to meet—and exceed—both our VISION2020 goals and the requirements for B Corp Certification.
Renew
Begun in 2009, Renew is a take-back program that gives EILEEN FISHER clothes life beyond your closet. You bring back your old pieces, and we find them another home—or turn them into entirely new designs. Because making clothes is a lifetime commitment.
Waste No More
Waste No More is part of a circular system designed to upend the conventional cycle of consumerism. We’re taking our clothes back—over 1.4 million so far—and transforming the pieces that are damaged beyond repair into entirely new designs.
Women Together
Part workshop, part retreat Women Together is a day of inspiration, self-reflection and connection that empowers women to find their inner strength and mobilize it for positive change.
Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute
Eileen created EFLI in 2010 to help young women find their voices, explore their passions and cultivate a personal philosophy of success. The program is a journey of discovery that helps them find the confidence to become changemakers in their families, their schools and their communities. EFLI is an initiative of the Eileen Fisher Community Foundation.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $70 – $310
- Sizes Available: 5 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Zappos
MJUS
About (taken from their page)
We are a team of designers and craftsmen, driven by our passion for shoemaking, passed down from generation to generation. Our aim is to inspire modern stylish women with every shoe and collection we make.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $84 – $250
- Sizes Available: 6 – 11
- Known for:
- Where to Purchase: YOOX, Simons Shoes
COUGAR
About (taken from their page)
As a family business with humble beginnings making shoes in a converted parachute plant, we’ve refined our craft over decades to grow into a Canadian footwear staple with distribution all around the globe.
We’ve curated the best boots from our footwear archive that spans over 65 years. Our Heritage Collection features classic Cougar designs updated with the latest construction and waterproofing technology
We use special tanning and waterproofing techniques with advanced cushioning technology to make sure your shoes are comfortable and long-lasting.
the brand at a glance:
- Price Range: $100 – $250
- Sizes Available: 6 – 11
- Known for: Waterproofed Leather Boots
- Where to Purchase: ShoeMall, Zappos, Bloomingdale’s
Did you know that you can make shopping requests “looking for” inside of Stylist in Your Back Pocket?
You sure can! For example, some folks asked about comfortable sandals so I’ll put together a general roundup like this.
