If you want a cute pair of incredibly comfortable walking shoes, look for Arche "Gratin". It's a current style that I bought to see if they are comfortable enough for my upcoming trip to Italy, and I wear them all the time. They are great,and feel good without socks.

I'll check them out, we have a few stores that have a wide variety of Arche shoes; I once had black suede arche sandals that used to stain my feet badly though....

Try Komfts - made in New Zealand. They are very comfortable with great arch supports. The Mary Jane style has a velcro strap that is adjustable and easy to get in and out of - yet great support. I'm taking my to Italy in the Fall.

As I have yet to see a "cute" pair of comfortable shoes, I did a web search for Arche Gratin. My position remains the same.

I have to agree with Ann41. The closest I've found to "cute" comfortable walking shoes are some of the Dansko sandal clogs...and it looks like they've got some new, even cuter styles than they did when I bought my Monikas last year. But no comfortable walking shoe will ever be as "cute" as a pair of strappy heels!

My Girlfriend just bought a pair of the Dansko sandals "Anais" and she is absolutely in love with them. They are very pretty and aparently quite comfortable.

Where do you find Komfits? I Googled, but with no luck.

I was getting my hopes up, also, because I'm going to Paris and thought I could even get them there. HOpes were dashed when I saw them online. These are not cute to me, either. Maybe they are cuter than just a tie-up oxford, but I'm not sure. I don't think grown women should wear Mary Janes, either, I think they look funny on adults. Maybe they are cuter than tie-ups, but I think you really have to be the young waif type to carry them off (Mary Janes) and they don't go with many casual clothes.

I don't wear pointy-toe shoes or heels, and they're STILL not cute to me! At least they might be cheaper than $240. in France...

Christine, I agree wholeheartedly with you. Cute Walking Shoes - an oxymoron?

I also recently bought the Dansko Anais sandals to wear as my walking shoes in Italy. I agree that comfortable shoes usually are far from "cute." But I do think these are better looking than some, and I actually received a couple of compliments. They do have a little heel (I just couldn't let that go!), so you may not think they are a good walking shoe. But I wore them all over Manhattan, and also chasing after my two boys in our backyard & neighborhood the past week. So far, so good. Here's a picture of them: http://www.shoestoboot.com/moreinfo....p;Category=186

Cute is in the eye of the beholder, largely influenced by current fashion. Is there some sort of mass amnesia happening? Am I the only person who remembers that the current craze for extremely pointy-toed shoes is only a about 5 years old? There was a time before, and there will be a time after, when everyone wants round or square toed shoes, flat or heeled, chunky or sleek, blah blah blah.

Also, am I the only person who considers "cute" shoes (i.e., tolerable to be seen in) a different animal from "sexy" shoes (made for posing, not for walking)?

Has anyone tried Taryn Rose shoes? The styles are really cute and supposedly quite comfortable as the designer used to be an orthopedic surgreon specializing in feet.

Re: Taryn Rose shoes. They look lovely and very well made. But IMO if I'm going to pay $250-300 for a pair of shoes, I want more than a pair of black flats.

I just came back from Italy and based on opinions and suggestions on this board I purchased a pair of Mephisto Mobils in black, a pair of Joseph Seibel in red and a pair of Aerosoles in tan. I wore them everywhere. They were extremely comfortable - and not too bad looking. We walked and walked and walked.... with no aches, pains or blisters. I just don't understand how most of the Italian women can walk on those cobblestone streets with such pointy toed shoes with 2 to 3 inch heels. They look great but I know that I couldn't wear them all day and still look graceful and comfortable.

tolerable to be seen in- lol, I do agree that when you have feet that are hard to dress comfortably, you can't aim for "drop dead gorgeous" shoes.....

I have a few pairs of Taryn Rose shoes, the width is good for me, the leather is soft; when I find shoes that fit my ugly bunioned feet, I praise the lord and buy them......

Re: <i>Cute is in the eye of the beholder, largely influenced by current fashion.</i>

To a certain (and perhaps large) extent the &quot;eye of the beholder&quot; thing is true. But do you really think that if fashion mags were promoting shoes that looked like large cinderblocks people would find them cute? Or is the difference between, say, Brad Pitt &amp; Rush Limbaugh, or Kate Beckinsale &amp; Janet Reno, really <i>only</i> in the eye of the beholder?

Re: <i>Is there some sort of mass amnesia happening? Am I the only person who remembers that the current craze for extremely pointy-toed shoes is only about 5 years old? There was a time before, and there will be a time after, when everyone wants round or square toed shoes, flat or heeled, chunky or sleek, blah blah blah.</i>

I was in Rome on back-to-back trips in 2001 &amp; 2002. I recall seeing very few &uuml;ber-pointy shoes in 2001, while there were tons of those square-toed shoes in store windows and on female Italian feet. However, in 2002, things seemed completely different.

Re: <i>Also, am I the only person who considers &quot;cute&quot; shoes (i.e., tolerable to be seen in) a different animal from &quot;sexy&quot; shoes (made for posing, not for walking)?</i>

I wouldn't say all sexy shoes are made for posing. Whether they're reasonable (if not blissfully comfortable) for walking depends, I'd think, on the point of the toe and the height of the heel.

Capo, I happen to be old enough to remember when shoes that looked like cinderblocks WERE in all the fashion mags and considered the height of cool.

Haven't you ever looked back at a photo and said omigod how could we wear those clothes/shoes/hairstyles? Do you really think today's fashions are any different? I promise you some day someone's kids will look at these pointy-toed shoes and say, omigod, mom, that is the funniest thing I ever saw, why would you want to wear shoes that make your feet look 2 sizes bigger? (Can you tell this particularly trend leaves me cold?)

Also, just for the record, I have the feet of a 25-year-old, and no problem finding stylish and comfortable shoes that fit. I just wish the rest of me looked the same age as my feet!

Gee, Capo we were in Florence in 2001 and saw TONS of so called &quot;uber pointy&quot; and assuredly uncomfortable high heeled shoes in store windows and on female italian feet! We commented in amazement on how they can wear those with the cobblestone streets. I think that fashion dies hard, but have seen more of the rounded toed mary-jane styles this year (which I hate). I got around flawlessly in two pair of black open toed Steve Madden Sandals for two weeks in Italy without a single blister. Us girls also did a nightly footbath pampering ritual in our hotel. Worked like a charm! Trish

I've been considering the Dansko Anais, but am worried about the strap rubbing on the front of my ankle. Is that a problem?? I like the look of the Anais better, but don't want blisters, so was thinking maybe the Dansko Heloise would be better?