I'm looking for some good shoes to wear daily that will support substantial walking and toddler wrangling but are kind of okay looking and go with dresses/skirts as well as shorts/pants... is the perfect shoe out there? Any suggestions or should I resign myself to wearing my reliable white joggers full time?
Birkenstocks or Keens. I have a fantastic pair of Keens that are sort of like a maryjane. And I have about 6 pairs of birkenstocks which are amazingly comfortable.
Try somewhere like the Paddy Pallin website for some ideas of the different walking shoes about (they have some that are designed to be the only pair of shoes that a traveller takes with them so they have to be multipurpose).
I second the colorados - I have a black pair of slip-ons, they have a very slight heel so your calves look good, and they have great grip. I used to wear them when I was bar-chicking, I wear them to work and at home too. They don't feel like slippers, even though they are slip-on, and they are a matt leather, so don't need polishing.
I have a couple of pairs of ballet flats that I live in, BUT I find they have to be leather, and they need the usual wearing-in (like, I wore my currently most-worn pair in over stockings for a week or so).
I agree that Hush Puppies are bringing out some un-granny like stuff lately too.
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