Said It Here

Professional shoes for standing all day with flat feet and wide toe boxes

Standard athletic shoes like Hokas, Brooks, and Altras provide support but violate strict professional dress codes, while flat shoes offer no arch support for people over 40. This forces educators with flat feet and wide toe boxes to search for dressy loafers, Mary Janes, or Oxfords that keep their feet happy without making waves at a new school.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Wearing running shoes or athletic brands like Hoka, Altra, and Brooks despite wanting a professional look
  2. 2
    Adding supportive insoles like Superfeet to standard footwear
  3. 3
    Switching to brands known for comfort like Dansko, Keens, or Naturalizer flats
  4. 4
    Buying supportive non-sneaker brands like Dansko, Birkenstock, Clarks, Orthofeet, or Dr. Scholls
  5. 5
    Switching out standard insoles for more cushioned ones
  6. 6
    Wearing comfortable boots, loafers, or Mary Janes instead of sneakers

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/Teachers2 people · September 2026

“So y’all‘s previous recommendations of Hoka, Brooks, and Altras aren’t allowed. I’m in my 40s so my old feet won’t be happy with ballet flats. So I guess I’m looking for something in a loafer, Mary Jane, or an Oxford.”source ↗

GreenHeronVA · r/Teachers · 8 upvotes

“I am so flat footed and have a very wide toe box that I despise shoes. I’ve gotten to the point where I need supportive footwear.”source ↗

“I prefer not to wear tennis shoes but I do have a really good pair that o love. Does anyone have suggestions for shoes that will look more professional ?”source ↗

BobbyNewport6113 · r/Teachers · 3 upvotes

“I 100% agree! But as the lowest person on the totem pole at a new school, I don’t want to make waves by asking for an exception right off the bat. I’d rather buy something that’s in line with their guidelines, even if I think the guidelines are stupid.”source ↗

GreenHeronVA · r/Teachers · 3 upvotes

Where this came up

r/Teachersfootwear

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