I once bought two pairs of ECCOS and wore them for 2 weeks in France the next week. I still have one pair (just plain black "oxford") 10 years later. I'd buy the other pair again in a heartbeat but they don't make it.
I think Eccos are a good last, but mostly you need to find the shoe last and toe (for me) that "fits" your foot. Mephistos are practically a lifetime investment. They will repair them forever.
And the Nordstrom's idea is a good one--even by mail, I'd think. They have GREAT shoes.

I picked up a pair of OTBT Springfield shoes from a local store (also available online through various sites); really love these shoes; very comfortable & look great with pants, skirts, & casual dresses.

Have also had good success with Aravon shoes, the Gabby (older style), similar to the Tia, looks great with pants & the Maya which I wear with everything & have it in black & burgandy.

I also have had success with Clarks "Un" series, the Un.Poem in black is what I have, great with pants, casual skirts.

http://www.sasshoes.com/main/view_st...id=4&prodid=64

The padding in these shoes is amazing. I can wear all day and not cry.

Size 7 1/2 wide is difficult also. I find wides at Maryland Square--

http://www.marylandsquare.com

Perhaps you'll find something in your size as well.

I have a size 11 wide foot with very short toes, and I have problems with Mephistos -- total pain! But last year I found that Clark's has their Wave line, which feel like walking on pillows IMO. I wore out one pair of sandals and just replaced them with another. I also have a pair of their closed shoes in Mary Jane style. I tend to avoid closed shoes if possible because of my foot structure, but the Wave shoes work for me.

I wear a size 9-1/2 also, which is difficult to find, but I don't think there is any magic answer here or any magic brand. I don't have any narrow heel issue, though. It just depends on some brand fitting you best, that's all (and then some model within a brand). Some people swear by shoes that are excruciating for me (eg, every pair of Clarks I've tried on). I have numerous pairs of Naturalizer which are very comfortable and which I can wear for hours and all day.

But frankly, I can't think of any pair of walking shoes that are really going to stand up to hours and hours of walking that I would wear out in the evening. None--except with pants that basically covered them. But with a skirt or dress? I don't think so. But I just care more about what I wear out at night than the "no carryon" rule, it is a trade off. I would never wear the same shoes all day, anyway, I don't think it's good for your feet or the shoe. Well, rarely I might if for some unusual reason I cannot go back to my hotel in the interim (I try to go back to rest a bit and change and shower for dinner).

I hve a pair of Ecco sandals that are good for walking with a cork sole, and it is stretching to wear them with a skirt in summer.

I'm not a believer in the whole breaking in thing, I think shoes should be comfortable from the start and if not, they don't fit. And I don't think it makes any difference if you break them in gradually or not.

My best luck with non-summer walking shoes has been Naturalizer, actually. They aren't for skirts/dresses, but these were my go-to shoes this past Fall/winter, I bought 2 pair, brown and black http://www.amazon.com/NATURAL-SOUL-N.../dp/B004MS22VG THis is another style I bought 1-2 pair of, but they are similar loafer type shoes http://www.onlineshoes.com/womens-na...ede-p_id234118

Naot and Helle work best for me. Not cheap, but you can find them on sale on line. Buy well before you leave and wear them a lot, to be sure they're broken in and suit your feet.

Naot, Merrells, Keens and Aravon. Oh, and Wolky sandals.

I kept Sally Ann supplied with Mephistos and Birks until I
saw the light!

A pair of lightweight pretty sandals take up virtually no room in a suitcase.

I absolutely agree, you should NOT have to "break in" shoes. You should be able to walk out of the store with them on your feet and wear them all day the first day. If you can't, the don't fit.

I've only seen ads for Aravon, but they always looked interesting to me, so thanks for the mention of those. I'll have to track them down.

Interestingly I also wear a 9-1/2 but never have any problems finding my size.

If you can find a pair of Eccos to your liking you may have a winner. I also have a pair of Eccos for many years and have worn them on countless trips. The only reason I really need a new pair is the strap is chewed up. Not the fault of Eccos except the the leather was tasty to the dog.

Too bad you can't wear Clark's. Have you tried them on lately?
Sometimes a brand that wasn't comfortable in the past is either better made or my foot has changed.

My daughter wears a half size (one foot is 1/2 size different from the other) and has very narrow heels. She can wear some Clarks which she orders (yes, you can order narrow half sizes in many styles even if they don't have them in the stores). Some Clark styles feel great on me while others are awful. Find a Clark's outlet and try on a hundred different styles. You'll find a few that work for you. The Clarks that work for my daughter aren't the Clarks that work for me. You might try Privo by Clark sandals also - very cushiony.

DD also finds some cheap shoes (about $40) that work at Carnival Shoes. She's found several loafer style that had padding at the heel. She's also found Natural Soul there by Naturalizer that fit and are comfortable enough to be on her feet at work all day. Some Anne Kleins and Liz Claibornes also work for her.

Brands that are always to narrow for me are Grasshopper, Franco Sarto, Bandolino and Sam Edelman so perhaps they would work for you. You can find most of those at places like DSW.

Unfortunately, shopping for shoes can be tiresome, because indeed, fit varies from style to style even within a brand.

I will also say that I walked around in all kinds of crappy shoes, for miles and miles, when I was younger without any damage. I still have healthy feet, but need better shoes to avoid blisters and exhausted tootsies.

Do you have a DSW shoe store near you? http://www.dsw.com/
They have lots of locations and now they ship too.

polly,

I recommend the Lylyana flats by Me Too. Check the link

http://www.lordandtaylor.com/eng/Sho...dtaylor/171083

I wore them last year in Greece and this year in France, not every day (although I could do that, too) but quite often, and walked in them all day long. They are beautiful enough to wear to a restaurant and so comfortable. You have a nice springy cushion under your feet. I bought them because a woman I met at a shoe store last year had them on and she swore by them. She told me that she used them the year before in Italy and could walk in them 8 hours a day. I bought them and I am very satisfied. I think they are so popular that they've been back year after year. I am going to get anohther pair.

I can only last an hour in flats. It's sad, lol.

Easy Spirit's are the best. They are walk out of box/store comfortable.

Wear the TravelTime line for airport travel; easy slip on/off.

You can find on Zappos and if you Google Easy Spirit coupons, you can come up with some good sales: or Zappos carries.

http://www.easyspirit.com/

Maybe I should rephrase my comments about breaking-in shoes. I also think if the shoes don't feel great on your feet in the store, chances are they never will. But I've traveled with people who buy new shoes for a trip and don't ever wear them until we're in Europe. And then the fun begins. Blisters, aching feet, miserable. It has happened several times to different people, who insisted the shoes felt fine when they tried them on in the store. Therefore, I do think one should wear them some before traveling, just in case there is something that rubs or causes some irritation or pain.
I also agree about stick on heel things or pads, they have not worked well for me at all.
I hope you find some that really feel good to you immediately, and only get better with wear.

I like the Merrell brand. They are not always the most feminine, but I bought a great pair years ago to walk all over San Fransisco. They never hurt and looked great with pants and jeans, definitely not with a skirt. But no sore feet and I wear 8.5, so they come in halfs.

Try a few different brands; indigo by Clark's are actually comfy and fashionable. Naot are very comfy but limited in their stylish, Munro are both comfy and fashionable All these are $100-$150.