Challenge
I'm in search of toe-friendly shoes; it is a delicate balance of looks and function. My criteria:
- a wide toe box
- supportive, especially under my big toe
- stylish enough for work (or play)
- small enough for my size 4.5 feet
The Brand: Naot
Naot is a popular brand for people with foot problems like mine. They have hallux and arch support, a deep heel indentation, and a comfortable footbed. They also have an impressive range of fashionable styles.
And perhaps the most unusual and noteworthy detail for me - almost all of their shoes come in my tiny size. This just doesn't happen with other brands I've researched.
And perhaps the most unusual and noteworthy detail for me - almost all of their shoes come in my tiny size. This just doesn't happen with other brands I've researched.
Style
Naot has 564 unique style/color combinations of women's shoes listed on Zappos.com, and 505 of them come in my size!! The vast majority of them are sandals.
- Sandals (365)
- Boots (57)
- Flats (35)
- Heels (34)
- Sneakers & Athletic Shoes (17)
- Loafers (16)
- Clogs & Mules (14)
- Oxfords (13)
Size
Sizes range from 4-13 (US sizing) or 35-44 (European sizing); both M/B and W/D widths are available.
Price
Prices on Zappos.com range from $90 to $340
Shoes
I tried one style of heel (Latest) and one style of flat (Taramoa).
Latest - $186
Latest is a cute black heel with a wide toe box, good arch support, a rocker sole, and an adjustable velcro strap. They are cute, comfortable, and professional in appearance. I ordered the smallest size, 35, which is described as equivalent to US 4-4.5. They fit nicely, and I added Foot Petals heavenly heelz to keep the back from rubbing against my heel.
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| Naot Latest in Black Crinkle Leather |
Taramoa - $185
The Taramoa is a basic mary jane style with adjustable velcro straps, nice arch support, and a bit of a beveled sole (not a full rocker sole). It comes in leather and nubuck options. The pair I ordered are nubuck which is soft and comfortable on my toes. While the sole isn't as fully protective as the thick rocker sole of the Alegria Paloma, it is still a nice thickness that supports my toe.
Naot Taramoa in Black Nubuck
Cute, comfy, and protective of my toe
A closer look at the sole thickness
These shoes were so comfortable that I checked to see if the nubuck came in other colors. I found them in teal(!), on clearance for $70 at planetshoes.com.
Now, I haven't ordered from planetshoes.com since March 2011. Not only was my account still active, I had bonus points that I didn't know about that were worth $24! So a big score for me and huge kudos to planetshoes.com for having a rewards system where points don't expire after 5+ years.
I'm looking forward to getting these beauties next week
source
The Taramoa is a basic mary jane style with adjustable velcro straps, nice arch support, and a bit of a beveled sole (not a full rocker sole). It comes in leather and nubuck options. The pair I ordered are nubuck which is soft and comfortable on my toes. While the sole isn't as fully protective as the thick rocker sole of the Alegria Paloma, it is still a nice thickness that supports my toe.
 |
| Naot Taramoa in Black Nubuck |
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| Cute, comfy, and protective of my toe |
 |
| A closer look at the sole thickness |
Now, I haven't ordered from planetshoes.com since March 2011. Not only was my account still active, I had bonus points that I didn't know about that were worth $24! So a big score for me and huge kudos to planetshoes.com for having a rewards system where points don't expire after 5+ years.
 |
| I'm looking forward to getting these beauties next week source |
Verdict
Naot is a home run for me! Now I have a pair of heels that I can actually wear and some cute flats. I'm both excited and worried that there are 505 style/color combinations in my size. My closet is so empty after clearing out the shoes I can no longer wear due to hallux ridigus...Naot's cute styles and broad selection could easily fill it back up again.
Click to Tweet: Shoe Reviews @NaotFootwear - the quest for toe-friendly professional shoes http://ctt.ec/s1G0z+
Questions:
- Have you tried Naot shoes? What did you think?
- What other brands do you recommend?
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