Best Shoes For Standing

We always hear about the ideal footwear for working or long walks, but what are the best shoes for standing? Yeah, standing around doesn’t seem too difficult, but even if you’re standing in the same spot all day long, your feet are going to get sore and swollen. You’re going to want to find shoes that will be gentle on your delicate feet, and below are a few suggestions from us (in no particular order) as far as keeping you as pain-free as possible.

1. Ecco. This brand prices itself on comfort and style alike, so it’s worth a shot to at least try a pair on. In addition, this brand is aimed at men, women, and children, so you can get comfy footwear for the whole family. Be warned, though, Ecco shoes are expensive. One pair may set you back about 200 bucks.
2. Standing Comfort. Wow, the brand name doesn’t get any clearer than that. These shoes have been rated as the number one shoe in comfortable shoes for standing by more than one source, so you can likely safely assume Standing Comfort knows what they’re doing. But with great comfort comes great expense; some of these shoes run upwards of $130, so be prepared to do some spending, especially if you want more than one pair.
3. Clarks England. These shoes have been dubbed "the first comfortable shoe," and they still maintain a great reputation today as a manufacturer of comfort shoes that allegedly look so good, you’d never knew they were made for relief. These shoes are a bit more affordable than Ecco, with prices falling between $90 and $135. If you’re on the lookout for shoes for standing that fall within a bearable price range, these are the choice for you.
4. Birkenstock. With an impressive alleged history dating back to 1774, this brand seems to really know what they’re doing as far as shoes. However, their selection is not only limited, but expensive—expect to spend over $200 for certain styles. But hey, leather and suede shoes were never cheap.
5. Dansko. If you’re looking for a variety of styles, just skip over this one. Unless, of course, you really adore clogs, because every pair of Dansko shoes looks like clogs. This brand is pretty reasonably priced as far as shoes go ($75-$120). 
6. Sketchers. While not meant to be worn professionally, Sketchers sneakers are quite comfortable if you intend to wear them for recreational purposes. A really nice pair will set you back almost a hundred dollars, so you should probably make sure you really want the ones you choose.
7. Ugg. You know what these things are … you see everybody wearing in the summer, usually with shorts or skirts. They may be comfortable, but they look utterly ridiculous and they’re way overpriced.

Well-fitting shoes are an absolute must if you need to do a lot of standing. Wearing uncomfortable footwear will not only make your feet ache like mad, but it can sometimes lead to plantar fasciitis, and this is by no means a fun condition to endure. Don’t cheap out if it could mean ill effects on your health—bite the bullet and pony up the extra cash to get some decent shoes for standing.