Cocktail and Formal Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis

A member of the Wardrobe Oxygen community reached out asking for advice on cocktail and formal shoes for plantar fasciitis. She saw my reel discussing my new favorite sneakers and how I deal with wide width feet and plantar fasciitis and hoped I had some suggestions for dressy shoes for fussy feet like mine.

I have difficult feet, but I don't love wearing difficult feet shoes. So many of them are ugly, frumpy, and it's hard to find any dressy enough for a cocktail party or formal occasion. When I find a pair of evening shoes that work for my wide feet and don't cause my plantar fasciitis to flare up, I treasure them. Below are formal shoes for plantar fasciitis that I own, or recommend. They're good choices for women who deal with plantar fasciitis and they're all relatively stylish (or at least inoffensive).

Cocktail and Formal Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis

I own several dress shoes from Ros Hommerson; they are well made, not bulky, and so incredibly comfortable I can wear them all night. The Leandra from Ros Hommerson is a wearable heel height, delicate yet supportive straps, comes in three colors and four widths. Code ALISON10 gets you 10% off.

I personally own the Lydia sandal from Ros Hommerson; I have it in cork (seen in this video) and in Taupe Suede and love them for all-day (or night) comfort and just a hint of heel (1.75″) for lift and formality. With nine colors including several metallics and four widths, this is a safe bet dressy shoe for fussy feet. Code ALISON10 for 10% off your order.

For garden weddings and outdoor galas, consider the Scarlet from Sofft. A classic strappy sandal with a subtle 1.75″ high wedge gives height yet stability. Available in four metallic colors.

Sole Bliss focuses on shoes for those dealing with bunions, but the shoes are also great for support, cushioning, and quality. The Cecilia from Sole Bliss is a podiatrist-approved dressy closed-toe 2.5″ heel available in a range of colors and finishes.

Another closed-toe option is the Caliente from Ros Hommerson, which I also personally own (red suede; seen in this Instagram Reel). I find them ridiculously comfortable and appreciate the roomy toebox. Code ALISON10 for 10% off.

The Zinfandel block heel sandal from Vionic is stylish, comfortable, and versatile. Available in a variety of metallics, neutrals, and fun prints, you can have a pair for a night out, a pair for a gala, and even a pair for the office. The 2.7″ heel is thick enough to handle an event on grass or gravel, but still looks dressy enough for an evening affair.

David Tate makes high quality comfortable shoes. The Icon heeled sandal from David Tate is elegant, sparkly, and ready for your next cocktail party or black tie gala. Black satin and rhinestones is a classic, and this shoe comes in two widths.

If you deal with high arches, high volume feet, or very sensitive feet, strappy shoes may not always work for you. The Abeo Avenue Strap is adjustable to work with, not fight against your feet. With BIOsystem® comfort technology, these strappy heels offer arch support and responsive cushioning to provide comfort and help relieve foot pain. Nine different colors to choose from.

If you want to steer clear from any heel at all, the Ally Shoes Forever Flat is a great option. With structure, support, and cushioning, this isn't your everyday ballet flat yet it's elegant and dressy in silver with an elongated toe. Designed with a podiatrist, these are some of the only flats I can wear without foot pain. Nine colors and four widths available. Code WO2 for 20% off.

For really fussy feet, the Naot Limit sandal may be a good choice. With a padded front strap, this shoe features a TPR sole with a metal shank that provides the illusion of a 2″ heel without compromising on comfort. Available in four neutrals and a strappy enough style to blend in at evening events.

Do you have a favorite formal shoes for plantar fasciitis that I didn't include? Do share in the comments and help out other members of the Wardrobe Oxygen community!

Where to Shop for Formal Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis

I know that you may come across this article months after it is published and some of my recommendations of occasionwear shoes may be sold out. These are the places I go to when shopping for formal shoes for plantar fasciitis:

• Abeo: A known brand for comfort shoes, Abeo was relaunched in 2023 under WalkingCo with a product overhaul and branding refresh. Abeo continues to be quality shoes great for those with foot issues including plantar fasciitis.
• Ally Shoes: Designed to offer pain-free heels and other styles of shoes focused on the workplace, Ally shoes are designed with a podiatric expert and are extremely high quality with a great size range (4.5 – 12 and four different widths).
• David Tate: David Tate shoes have been around since the 70s and are known for quality materials, comfort, a great size and width range, including wide calf boots. When I had severe foot pain and plantar fasciitis after childbirth, David Tate boots were some of the only shoes that both fit and didn't hurt. The quality was stellar and with regular visits to the cobbler I happily wore those boots for over a decade until my shoe size changed. You can find David Tate shoes sold at retailers like Zappos, Nordstrom, and The Walking Company.
• ECCO: ECCO makes cool looking shoes that are also hella comfortable. From sleek sneakers incorporating current trends to sandals that could almost be mistaken for a hip Scandinavian brand, ECCO is an excellent brand for plantar fasciitis. I also look to ECCO when needing comfort trail or hiking shoes. You can find ECCO at Nordstrom, Zappos, The Walking Company, Dillard's, and the ECCO website.
• Healthy Feet Store: I am mentioning Healthy Feet Store because it's a popular choice and the site a useful resource in general, but I find the prices there higher than most anywhere else and the selection not the most… fashionable. If you find a pair you like there, go to your favorite search engine and enter the shoe brand and style name and very likely you'll find better color selection and price elsewhere.
• Naot Footwear: Naot makes such comfortable and supportive shoes, it has an entire collection accepted by the American Podiatric Medical Association for promoting good foot health! While Naot isn't the first place to go for dressy shoes, I have found great sandals and boots for everyday. You can find Naot at Zappos and Nordstrom, but the best selection is on the Naot website.
• Ros Hommerson (AKA Walking Cradles): Ros Hommerson is a brand of comfort shoes that has been around for decades and I swear by. Incredibly comfortable, supportive, and well made. Walking Cradles is the same company, I am not sure why the shoes are sometimes one name or another, but you'll see they're the same model name and design. Both Ros Hommerson and Walking Cradles can be found at many shoe retailers; if you shop the Ros Hommerson site use ALISON10 and you get 10% off.
• Sofft: When pregnant, my feet ballooned in size. After having my daughter my feet were still bigger, wider, and now had plantar fasciitis. The only shoes that fit were Crocs, David Tate, and Sofft. Maybe other shoes would have worked, but Sofft looked stylish in a retro way with my work dresses and pants and kept my feet pain-free for hours at the office and at social events. Sofft is sold at several online retailers but the best selection is on the Sofft site and returns are reasonable ($6.95 within 30 days). Sofft is the same shoe company as others comfort brands like Born, Comfortvia, and Kork-Ease, but I find Sofft to have the highest-end looking dress shoes.
• SoftWalk: Fun fact, SoftWalk is the same company as Trotters (shared below). Often support comes at a cost: weight. SoftWalk is known for comfortable and supportive lightweight shoes. You can often find SoftWalk at DSW for less; the brand is also found at Nordstrom, Zappos, and the SoftWalk site.
• Sole Bliss: Sole Bliss is primarily a company that designs shoes for bunions, but it also has a selection of shoes great for those dealing with plantar fasciitis. I've shopped Sole Bliss and find the quality and style excellent.
• The Walking Company: I've already mentioned The Walking Company a few times already; it used to be a chain of stores but now is exclusively online. And The Walking Company, IMO, curates the absolute best collection of shoes from dozens of brands for difficult feet including a category just for shoes for plantar fasciitis.
• Trotters: Since 1935, Trotters has been making shoes focusing on comfort (fun fact, the first Trotters shoes were moccasins made by Native American craftspeople in Old Town, Maine). Sizes 5-13 and five different widths, Trotters shoes are sold at Belk, Macy's, Zappos, as well as the Trotters website.
• Vionic: Vionic is my go-to when I am looking for stylish formal shoes with arch support and comfort and many come in wide widths too. Vionic does a great job of translating trends while still making shoes that are classic and relatively timeless. You can find Vionic at many online retailers like Nordstrom, Zappos, Macy's, and the Vionic website.
• Zappos: At Zappos, you can narrow by formal shoes for plantar fasciitis; this link takes you to women's dress shoes 2″ heel and shorter that are great for those with plantar fasciitis. While you will see some shoes that are just for wide widths and some of the brands already mentioned, you often can find styles and colors out of stock on the brand sites and some for a lower price, too.