Which Are Your LEAST Comfortable Heels?
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Which are your least comfortable heels? I'm in the midst of updating The Corporette Guide to Comfortable Heels today (finally!) and I noticed an interesting suggestion from one of the readers amongst the comments: that we should talk about which brands are our LEAST favorite for comfort. So let's hear it, ladies — which brands of shoes do you avoid? Are there any that are so cute that you'll withstand the pain anyway? Overall, which are your least comfortable heels?
For my $.02, a few of the brands that you won't see me recommending (they just don't work for my feet) include:
– Bandolino
– Claudia Ciutti
– Corso Como (even though a ton of readers swear by them as some of their most comfortable heels)
– any wedge that doesn't have a strap — I just cannot walk in them! (but again, some women love them, particularly for commuting!)
(Pictured.)
Ladies, over to you — which are your least comfortable heels?
Nickels – they’re at Famous Footwear, and while they’re inexpensive and a decent shoe, if you have to do a lot of walking, they are killers.
Second for Bandolino.
Third.
Fourth! Bandolino are the worst shoes for walking / standing/ sitting .
Fifth!
Sixth
I guess it really does depend on your foot because my bandolino’s are in heavy rotation for work heels because they are more comfortable than my other non comfort brand shoes.
I agree with this. I have a pair of patent kitten heels that have been through a lot of hearings :)
I also wear my Bandolino heels a lot. They are the Bandolino B Flexible kind, so maybe the regular Bandolinos aren’t as comfortable.
I have found that Jessica Simpson’s brand of shoes are extremely uncomfortable- heels and flats.
I agree with you about the Jessica Simpson pumps. Painful.
I actually love bandolino, but my main shoe from them is a boot.
My bandolino’s – both the ‘comfort’ line and not – are the most comfortable heels I have. They are better than my Cole Haans even.
I have a pair of Bandolino “Berrys” and I absolutely love them (and I am not someone who tolerates heels well at all). Granted, they are kitten heels, so it is what it is. But I consider them my most comfortable heels.
As far as styles go, kitten heels (1-1.5″) are FAR more likely to pinch and be uncomfortable for me, even compared to medium-height heels (2-3″), so I generally avoid them. Perhaps it’s because you have all the instability of a “normal” high heel, but not the associated weight shift to the ball of your foot?
I’ve sworn off Calvin Klein and Anne Klein after needing to resort to my commuting flats midway through the day.
I agree with the kitten heel comment. The 1″ is great on riding boots, wedges, etc where it is putting your foot at a more comfortable walking angle than completely flat shoes, but only because it supports the entire heel and arch. the 1″ stilletto drives me crazy and throws me off balance to have my foot in a position to put weight on the heel, but not the stability to actually do so. Also, they don’t have the same leg/butt lifting properties of other heels, and just aren’t as attractive looking in general.
Of course, I live in flats and flat-ish boots anyway so my opinion on heels doesn’t carry a whole lot of weight.
I twist my ankle in stilleto-style kitten heels more than I have ever in regular heels. I just don’t buy them anymore.
Also agreed on Calvin Klein. The arch just doesn’t fit my foot right.
Agreed on Calvin Klein. Their foot model just has weird feet, I think.
Anne Klein – I barely made it through an evening in a pair flex pumps
i know i’m going against the grain here, but my cole haan shoes HURT. i have 2 pairs of air talia mid-heels and my feet are always screaming by lunchtime. i only wear them if i know for sure that i will be doing a lot of sitting and not much walking!
Second for Cole Haans
i don’t own any corso como heels but i do hair a pair of their flats (insanely cute!!!) and they are horrible. they are even a half size bigger than normal but i think the toe area is too narrow. they are really rigid and my pinkie toe always gets a blister on it when i wear them. sad to see such a fabulous pair of shoes go to waste.
Second! I’m afraid to even touch Corso Como heels because my one pair of flats took a month to break in (and they’re also a half-size large but too narrow in the forefoot). I think I’ve managed to break them into wearability, but I wouldn’t have that kind of patience for heels.
Same here! I’ve bought and returned several pairs of Cole Haan heels because they pinch my toes. But I do have a pair of CH open toe wedges that are comfy. Something about the toe area does not fit me.
I was about to say Cole Haan! I have a pair of patent leather heels in their Nike Air line that are so awful. My feet hurt just thinking about them.
I’ve tried Cole Haans and will never buy them. They are just way too uncomfortable for my feet. But I have a wide instep, high arch and narrow heel and I know that a number of people have commented that Cole Haans run a bit narrow in the instep.
Yes, this is me and I have the same problem.
Don’t like CH at all. Love Kate Spade though.
Agreed with respect to Cold Haan heels hurting and Kate Spade being awesome. I do love my 1″ Nike Air wedges for walking around, though I need to buy a half size up. CH has the narrowest darn toe box.
Haha, exact opposite experience. I’ve never liked any Kate Spades I’ve tried on, but wear my Cole Haans into the ground. Feet are funny.
BTW, for anyone with feet like me, I splurged on a pair of Aquatalia booties (the pair Kate Middleton has) and oh.my.god. I would sleep in them if my husband would let me. They were worth every cent of the price. And they look amazing. And they’re waterproof and cozy. I have never been so in love with a pair of shoes.
Yay! I keep trying on Cole Haan’s at the store and thinking that I must be missing something, because my baby toe is always pinched… but apparently I’m not missing anything! Guess I’m glad I didn’t spend the money.
Third. I’m trying to get rid of a pair of CH Air Violets because I can’t even sit in them they hurt my feet so much.
I’ve found with CH that it really depends on the style. Most flats and the Tali wedges are heaven to me. Anything else makes me miserable because the toebox is so narrow. And even then, the sizing is funky. I’m a 10, 10.5 or 11 depending on the specific style and how much stretch the leather has. One pair of Tali wedges are basically worthless to me now because it stretched so much after I purchased. That’s a lot of money to spend to experiment. Darn you, CH!
Cole Haan just doesn’t work for me either. And I didn’t finally come to terms with that until I bought two pairs of heels at full prices. I finally gave them away to Goodwill a few weeks ago.
DITTO! I have a pair of slingbacks I got at a great deal that I’ve worn maybe twice. Gorgeous shoes but they hurt.
I *LOVE* my Cole Haans. They are the only heels I have found that I can wear. But then, I have narrow feet and they are one of the few brands that actually makes a narrow (and only in black, rarely in nude – boo! for the lack of color selection).
Nine West–instant pain
Yep, plus, the shoes don’t stand up to regular wear and tear!
Cosigned.
omg, nine west is the WORST! i tried 2 pairs of boots, ballet slippers, heels and loafers before i finally learned. Nothing has ever made my feet hurt so badly.
Me too. Pinch my toes like crazy, even in non-pointy toe styles
Aw, this is late, but I loooooove my (multiple pairs of) Nine West flats.
Yep – these are probably the worst for me.
Haha this thread looks like everyone just has different feet. I love love Nine west shoes and they are my most comfortable shoes, and I greatly prefer them to the one pair of Cole Haans that I ended up buying.
Agreed! NW always tempts me because of the price point and style, but the pairs I have bought are viciously uncomfortable.
Funny- I have a pair of Nine West heels that I refuse to throw away (despite receiving them as a gift 5+ years ago), and they’re the only heels I can stand/walk/dance all night in. I specifically keep them for wear in “tough” situations- such as a high-profile event I was working where there was nowhere to sit between 4:30pm and 1am. By the end of the night, my friends/colleagues all wanted to chop their feet off, but I could still tolerate walking. No other heels have done that for me.
That being said, some of their newer styles just don’t have that magic.
I always considered Nine West to be the prime example of “you pay for what you get.” Would never buy these for work shoes.
OMG, definitely the Corso Como. Made my feet bleed during an interview and I wanted to die.
Franco Sarto. They cut into the top of my foot and are crippling!
ooh, totally agree. Talbots has the same problem.
So true about Talbots! I ordered kitten heels in 3 sizes and 2 widths. I kept the wides, but the toebox is so flat they cut into the tops of feet and make my toenails ache. They may work if your feet are like two-dimensional planks.
Weird, I love the Franco Sarto shoes I own for their comfort. However, I did find that the outer part of the shoe “chipped,” for lack of a better word, faster than other brands.
Charles David. They are pretty, but they pinch my toes and the vamp seems to low for my foot. YMMV – maybe my feet are weird (narrow heel, wide forefoot?).
Kelly&Katie (cheap–bought at DSW). They don’t kill my feet but for some reason my ankle/knees/back are thrown out of alignment within an hour and they are only like 2.5inch heel.
Jessica Simpson (also cheap and bought at DSW)—this is weird but they make my feet sweat a lot.
i sadly stopped shopping at dsw because i always came out empty-handed and super disappointed. i used to like them but there came a time where absolutely nothing in the store did it for me at all.
I always stop and look because they are in a popular area near me, but I don’t buy often. I think I have more luck with sandals and summer shoes then I do with boots/heels/flats. Then again, I’m not someone to spend a lot of money buying a large amount of shoes.
I have never, ever purchased a comfortable shoe at Aldo (I realize they are neither known for their quality or their work-appropriateness, but they sometimes have cute things). I refuse to even go in the store to look.
Cosigned x 1,000,000.
I was going to post this. I even once bought a pair of platform rubber *flip-flops* from Aldo, and every step was agony.
I also refuse to even look. It’s poorly made crap.
Wow, so I am not alone!
The only two pairs of Aldo shoes I have purchased in the last decade were so utterly miserable to wear I just gave up and tossed them in the donation bag. I tried professionally stretching them, wearing them with thick socks around the house… didn’t matter. Cosigning the “don’t even bother looking” statements.
Completely agree. Aldo shoes are gross.
Ballet flats.
Ladies, learn from the (now) older, wiser me. I wrecked my feet running around in ballet flats. They’re bad for your soles, they’re bad for your ankles, they’re bad for your arches. I know they’re cute – that’s why I was wearing them. But no good comes from it.
Ugh, I can never find a pair that work on me. Always so pinchy across the ball of the foot area. A 1 inch heel makes all the difference.
I don’t frequently find ballet flats comfortable either, but I got the Gentle Soles Bay Unique and they are the most comfortable shoes in the whole wide world. Seriously amazing and worth every penny. I took them on vacation and without even breaking them in for more than a day, I was able to walk around all day on windy streets with zero discomfort. My SO was complaining about his feet way and I just kept going, “oh come on!” And the suede is so lush and amazing. Seriously, I am considering just buying another pair for future use I am so impressed.
Gentle Soles are awesome. I have a pair that I have beat to death on the outside, but the insole support is still so comfy I want to wear them everywhere! Now I want to buy the Bay Unique.
You should! They are really comfy and cute. I actually took pictures of my feet in them I liked the way they looked so much. Super cool, I know, but I couldn’t help it.
I can hardly wear anything else. Vivobarefoots Kali – awesomely comfortable. Great for your ankles and feet – no support at all so my feet do all the work they were meant to do. You probably just didn’t spend the time to correct your foot muscles to be able to walk in a normal flat footed way. I have a number of friends who can’t make the switch from heels, and that’s fine. Me, I can’t wear anything over 2.5″anymore.
These are generally not work-appropriate so rarely get discussed here – but Poetic License/Irregular Choice shoes. I cannot wear them. On the other hand, they are perfect for my sister’s feet. I guess it all comes down to my wide instep again….
Seconded.
My only Poetic Licenses (?) are not even heels but they just about kill my feet even if I put them on and sit down.
Ann Marino (from DSW/Famous Footwear was another brand that hurt a lot.
On the other hand, I love Nine West and Corso Como. Have one pair of heels by Jessica Simpson and they are OK.
Louboutin heels. Even the low heeled ones. I’ve acquired a few pairs over the years when they were on sale: boots, heels, sandals, and espadrilles. Gorgeous as those red soles are, they are paper thin and you feel the impact in every step you take.
I read a quote from Louboutin somewhere along the lines of “I design for beauty, not for comfort. I don’t care if they are comfortable.” No kidding, buddy.
Yeah, I’ve tried them on at Neiman’s a couple of times, and they feel atrocious. And aren’t, IMO, as attractive as similar Prada styles.
Voice of dissent. I find mine very comfortable, even the four inch heels.
Agree on the CLs, sadly. I have 3 pairs and they are all murder on my feet. But they are also beautiful, so I suffer through it. :)
Sorta related-
I believe I have strained not one, but both of my achilles tendons (I was playing a sport and the floors were slippery so I think that caused it) back in early December. I didn’t really take time off to heal (bad, I know). Recovery has been a lot of 2 steps forward, one back. They are stiff in the morning and take a long time to loosen up when I run.
So, do I really have to stop running for a chunk of time? I wanted to train for some races this winter- are there other types of cardio I can do to increase my endurance?
Have you tried swimming? I got really bad shin splints in high school and had to take time off of any high impact activity, so I did a lot more swimming to keep in shape.
Hmm I never seem to get any huge cardio benefits from swimming. I think I’m not fast enough to actually get the heart rate up enough. But that is a logical suggestion.
I found using a kickboard (so your legs do all the work) gets my heart rate up a bit more (and tires me out much faster!).
Tread water for 5-10 minutes straight. That will get your heartrate up.
Also, having a set workout (on a piece of paper I put on the edge of the pool) helps a lot. If I just jump in and do a few laps I get lazy and slow down. Having a set warm up, then specific sets with time intervals, then a planned cool down keeps me in “workout mode”.
All wonderful suggestions! Thank you!
I joined a triathalon training swim group a few years ago and believe me, that was cardio! I moved away from that area and I still miss it – what a fantastic workout.
Sadly, yes. I actually have Achilles tendonitis in my right ankle, and it’s from playing sports when I was in high school. I had to take almost 6 months off for it to go back to normal. And be sure to do ankle exercises too, to strengthen your ankle. For example, balancing on one foot. If that’s easy, try doing it on a pillow or bosu ball. When your ankle has to stabilize, it gets a workout. Also, stand on the edge of a step (and hold onto a hand rail) and go all the way down and all the way up to almost your tip toes. And do it SLOWLY. That will help, too.
I’m not qualified to offer any advice, but my rule of thumb is generally if I can run pain free and running doesn’t make the pain worse after I run, I run through the pain. In 10 years, I’ve never had a serious running injury and I’ve run through lots of little nagging things.
That’s usually my MO, but I did some googling and it appears that you can’t really do that with an achilles problem.
I would do more spinning, but apparently that is bad if your achilles is injured according to some running websites.
Phoebe- thanks for those exercises. I’ll incorporate them into my strength training workout.
I would take a break from running to let yourself heal properly. Do you have access to a pool? Swimming is amazing cardio and would be great for your break from running. I would avoid an eliptical trainer as well, I think that would continue to strain your tendons since it’s the same motion as running, albeit lower impact.
Find a physical therapist trained in ART (active release therapy) and/or Graston Technique. It will fix you up asap.
I cannot stand Steve Madden, Sam Edelman, or Nina, though those aren’t exactly work shoes. Any shoe from Zara is the absolute worst. I don’t understand how they’re designed to fit an average sized foot.
+1 on Steve Madden. Ouch.
Wow – I have a pair of Steve Maddens that I once wore all day, walked 40 min in the city to a party, stood an hour or so at the party and then waked 10 min home in them! Love them. AND I got them on clearance for only $25. I have very wide and small feet though.
I love Steve Madden, but I also have wide/small feet. One notable exception is anything Steve Madden that is patent leather (causes my feet to sweat).
I also love Jessica Simpson, even the highest of heels.
I disagree about Sam Edelman. I find them very comfortable and I can get through an entire work day, plus public transit commute to and from the office, and then later go out in the evening in the same pair of shoes.
Naturalizer outlet. Bought a few pairs of shoes that were just terrible. Regular Naturalizer is great, but the quality of their outlet shoes leaves much to be desired.
On the other side of the spectrum, I’ll put in a plug for Ivanka Trump shoes – I’m still wearing her 3 inch heels now, even while 9 months pregnant. Super duper comfortable.
Another thumbs up for Ivanka Trump — not kidding, I tried a pair of 4-1/2 inch heels that were very comfy (did not buy, as that would make me 6 foot 3, but I was very tempted!)
You should get them! I’d love to be 6’3″!
Third of Naturalizer outlet. They have really low arches so while they feel comfy at first, they hurt a lot once you have worn them for a couple of hours
Converse. Not heels or office attire, I know, but I am still heart broken by how uncomfortable they are after just a few hours. They are barely wide enough for my fat feet, and adding insoles makes them too tight. I am heartbroken. Can anyone suggest comfy alternatives?
Anon #2 — Converse totally make my feet sweat too! In a few hours, I am cold and uncomfortable because of this. *sigh* I love my silver sparkle Converse though.
I have gold sparkle Converse! They’re my party shoes :) (Not like, formal parties… just casual get togethers)
I love my converse all-stars that I bought at Target. I have worn those shoes out.
Fridays are jeans and tennis shoes at work, so they really are work shoes for me. :-)
Sometimes I wear my Converse to work on Fridays too (hey, if the male partners are doing it, I think I can too!) and I have never received more positive comments on my shoes than on my bright pink Chucks.
Oooh, I have a pair of hot pink Chuckies too and I love them. Tho I admit they are not walking-and-standing-all-day shoes.
My sister and I didn’t know that we both had a thing for Converse until we showed up wearing matching outfits: I wore a pink polo and pink Chuckies, and she was in a blue polo and blue Chuckies.
I rocked the pink high-top Chucks in college and wore ’em till they had holes. God, I loved those shoes. A pair of decent insoles made them easier to walk in, though – there’s not much cushion in there.
Man, I miss those shoes. Now I wanna buy another pair…
Ooh, are we shoes twins? I am currently wearing mine.
Admit- sometimes I wear my chucks for commuting, then don’t bother to switch. And no one seems to care that I wear my pencil skirt with my chucks.
I love them because I have wide feet, so after a few hours of running around in them, they mold to your foot and become the most comfortable things ever. Been wearing them since high school and will probably never stop.
K.P. – I love love love my Camper Peu sneakers. But some of the leathers are softer than others -I wanted the water resistant black but went with soft grey. My wide-ish feet are SO happy! I’ve worn Chuck for years, too though.
Can I get some advice from the tribe? First a little background:
I was just promoted to be a supervisor for a small team. Their manager is out of state. She will continue to manage them in terms of big picture – reviews, major issues, etc. As a local supervisor I am responsible for day to day operations and providing onsite support. The other manager and I are on equal level and report to the same person.
My problem is that I am anxious to dive into the role, but I am sensing hesitation from the other manager. Whenever I try to jump in and offer to handle a day-to-day level operation she just says, “No I can do it.” I feel like she is not happy about my new role and how it affects her. How do I get her on-board? I know she has complained about her workload and her 80+ hour work week, if she would let me take on some responsibility that would lessen her load. I don’t want to just come in and demand certain tasks fall to me, because she and I need to have a good working relationship.
Any advice?
I’m a little confused. Are you saying that there’s an out of state manager, plus you and another on-site supervisor? Or is the out of state manager the same person as the other manager?
There is me and the out of state manager. The out of state manager and I both report to the VP. Sorry if I rambled a bit and got confusing!
I think you need to sit down with her and discuss division of roles/responsibilities, how you two will checkin with each other etc. I say do this sooner rather than later because the more you let this be the status quo, the harder it will be to change it. And it’s perfectly okay for you schedule a conversation around this because she too knows that you are playing this role – if she has any concerns about your taking on this role, this would be the right time for to bring them up… or get on board with the new arrangement. Say you need to do this so you have a better sense of your own workload and can plan ahead of time. It’s much better to get ahead of something like this rather than wait around and take small bits of work from her plate. If possible, make a list of the things you want to take over or do and bring that to the meeting. Another thing I’d suggest – don’t just think about this as taking on things to lighten the other person’s workload or let her give you things that are non-essential… this seems like an opportunity for you to show the VP your management skills so go into this conversation with a clear idea of what role you want to play as a manager. Good luck!
Oh and I think you can do all this and still have a good working relationship, if you approach this professionally. Plus, if you think about it, if you don’t take on these additional responsibilities, you don’t actually have a working relationship with her… you are just two colleagues. But actually dividing up responsibilities and coming up with a system to update each other will help you create a “working” relationship – it may be awkward at first but if you power through I am sure she will quickly realize how much value you are adding and how your new role is helping her have a lighter workload
Thank you! I really appreciate all of your input!
Reckon you should try to understand the trigger/ rationale for the change, as a first priority.
Was it to free up the other manager for other responsibilities ? Was it because there were issues with off-site supervision – in which case what were the issues and were there specific consequences ? Was it because there are opportunities perceived in more timely on-site responses ? Was it to come in-line with wider corporate policy or industry best-practice ? Are there any long-term intentions hovering on the horizon either to shift oversight back to the on-site team, or alternatively, to integrate the team more fully into a multi-region/ multi-manager unit ?
I truly think it would be hard for you to figure out your role and which specific functions you should be taking on without some answers to the above. I would suggest booking time with the other manager to ask her thoughts about the rationale and allow the discussion to move naturally into a logical way to split tasks, rather than the more haphazard approach of jumping in with random offers of participation.
I would also seek the thoughts of the supervising VP on the rationale. It would be ideal if you find a context to ask without needing to fix a specific appointment, but I wouldn’t hesitate to make the appointment if it turns out that other manager has very different ideas on rationale and next steps to your own understanding.
Thank you – that’s true, it would help me know how to help if I know more about WHY I was put in this role. It’s my understanding that they simply wanted on on-site supervisor, which leads me to believe upper management suspects the team I am to be supervising might be taking advantage of having an out of state manager.
This morning I came in to an email from our VP with the out of state manager cc’d – saying that she (the VP) had spoken to the out of state manager and they need me to take a “stand back approach” and stop doing “check ins” (not even sure what that means, I haven’t done anything of the sort), and to not email them telling them what to do, etc. (Again, weird because I’ve done nothing of the sort.)
I have a feeling the out of state manager is feeling VERY threatened and insecure in her role now that I am in the picture. I did respond to the VP right away and let her know I was a bit confused because I haven’t done any of those things. I left it at that. I’m irritated that I was so concerned with out-of-state manager’s feelings and here she went and threw me under the bus for ASKING to help, even though no action was even taken! Sounds like this will be a “fun” working relationship….
New Balance sneakers of all things. Everyone I know loves them. The metal plate in the heel cuts up my feet. I haven’t found a pair I could wear comfortably. They are made in the US so I really wanted to support them but couldn’t make it work.
Brooks sneakers don’t work for me. They are too tall top-to-bottom. I have a wide forefoot, narrow heel, and adidas work the best.
I have the exact same foot — wide forefoot, narrow heel. But I love Brooks! They are my favorite running shoes.
I have found that Asics hurt terribly. They cut the top of my foot whenever my foot bends (you know, at the ball of the foot).
Mine too! I went through 3 pairs assuming it was my foot and not the shoes. It’s the shoes. New Balance totally eats my heels.
I always blow out the back of the heels in New Balance shoes. I buy Pumas now (but they run crazy small, have to size up a full size!).
Ugh, I hate Asics! HATE! Brooks works on me but Mizuno is now my go to. (Nerdy lawyer story: When I bought my first pair of Mizunos, I was working on a case involving the Japanese bank Mizuho. I didn’t realize it was Mizuno, not Mizuho, and thought “hunh, I-banking and sneakers, weird combo of business units.”)
Threadjack:
Checking in — has anyone heard from e_pontellier recently?
I hope she’s having a good break away post-finals, and has had some time to herself to think and recuperate.
Yes, I have been wondering about her too and worrying a bit after her last few updates…
9 West. Just the worst. I cannot wear any of their shoes. I have an adorable pair of wedge peep toes in my closet that I guess I should get rid of, but I can’t because they are so cute. It has been at least 3 years now, and the back rubs my right heel like crazy. No amount of bending or flexing them up or down or stretching has ever softened them up and they are real leather. I thought they would soften up and I bought them anyway. Stupid I know. I guess I’d better donate them. Sigh.
I will not even try on KORS Michael Kors shoes at this point. They could be free and I would probably turn them down.
I also don’t find Stuart Weitzman’s to work for me even though everyone raves and raves about how great they are. I have two pairs and they’re both under 3 inches and one is just okay and the other kills my feet.
I think CH can be great but if you have a wide-ish foot like me, you need to do a lot of breaking in first.
Agreed on the CH breaking in. I have wide feet and I love my CHs…after like a month of discomfort. Worth it though. I think.
Not heels, but I detest the signature Tory Burch flats. Horrendously uncomfortable.
second this. the elastic digs into my ankles like mad and i don’t find them supportive or cushion-y at all.
Tory Burch flats are very uncomfortable on the top of my (wide) foot, but I have one pair of TB wedge heels that look like they should be uncomfortable but are great.
time to get healthy again.. can you recommend a PCP in the DC/NOVA area?
i think i have seen three of the.worst pcps in town
i’m sorry i am no help. i just moved from DC/MD and finding a PCP seemed like an impossible task.
Does PCP = primary care physician? If so, I second what Joy says — good luck. I kind of just see whoever at GWU hospital will see me. Seriously, I don’t get what’s up around here.
I had a horrible time finding a doctor in DC, and ended up going to a nurse practitioner named Erin Bagshaw at NW Nurse Practitioners up by Woodley Park. I don’t believe she takes any insurance (other than Medicare), so that might be out of the question for you, but her per-visit fees are very reasonable and she spends a LOT of time with you discussing your concerns, plotting health strategies, etc, and is great about following up on the phone. Totally worth it in my opinion compared to the miserable wait times/rushed attitude at 95% of normal insurance-taking doctors’ offices. Oh, and she uses a mainstream lab for testing that took insurance, so you don’t have to pay for that on top of it.
I live in NYC now, but I found another similar fee for service practice (I believe some call it “concierge medicine”)– I decided if I can spend $100-$200 on shoes/a dress for work I can spend it to visit a doctor who actually seems to care/spends more than 5 minutes in my presence/bothers to call (even email!) with results in a timely fashion.
oh, I forgot to mention I think you can still get reimbursed for a portion of an out-of-network visit like these, depending on your insurance. you just have to submit the claim yourself.
anyway, here’s the website for the nurse practitioner in DC: http://www.nwnursepractitioners.com/primarycare.html
highly recommended!
Wendy Wong in Silver Spring off of Georgia Avenue (if you live close to there). She’s in her late thirties and down to earth. I didn’t have to wait long and I haven’t had any problem getting refills over the phone. She also answered a question for me via phone instead of having to come in like a lot of doctors.
If it’s not too late in the day for responses, can you give me more details about Wendy Wong? Is she solo, or part of a larger practice? Is it hard to get appointments (for regular visits and same day/problem visits)? Thanks!
One Medical Group has been satisfactory for me, and I believe most of their practioners are taking new patients. I think I’ve mentioned them on here before – they do try to get you in and out pretty quickly, but they’re punctual and competent and have same-day appointments, so it works for me.
I went to One Medical Group (maybe renamed to Metropolitan?) in SF and loved them!
One Medical Group is where I’ve ended up at – and so far, I’ve been very happy.
Watching this carefully, I need one too!
Jennifer Gorrelick at Virginia Hospital Center, but she may not be accepting new patients.
Semi regular poster, but anon for this.
I saw Dr. Gorrelick for a physical this summer. It was the WORST doctor experience I have ever had. Some background – I am in my early 30s, married, no children, and just recently finished law school/started my law career. At my physical, Dr. G introduced briefly introduced herself and then asked why I wasn’t pregnant. She spent the entire exam, including the female portion of the exam, lecturing me on why I needed to get pregnant immediately. She never bothered to ask whether my husband and I are planning on having a family. In fact, I don’t think I managed to get a word in during the entire exam. I found the experience incredibly upsetting and will find a new doctor for future physicals. Luckily, I really like the PAs in the practice in the meantime.
I spend my entire day on my feet getting in and out of my car, walking to and from clients. I only take my heels off when I am driving.
In my opinion, Corso Como heels are cute but way uncofortable after a few hours. Cole Haan’s are also horrible. They slip and pinch my toes. My foot does not stay in place in their shoes. Nine West do the same after a few hours. I get blisters.
Of all my heels, I wear my VInce Camuto’s, Donald Pliners, J. Vincents, and Nina pumps (that are now over 5 years old and no longer made) the most. I can wear them all day and even run in them through airports.
BCBG and Banana Republic are also the worst. I could cry when I wear their shoes.
Completely forgot about BR. I have the cutest pair of pointed flats that are way too stiff. I was hoping they’d break in a bit, but I think that ship has sailed.
Ann Klein – the cheaper department store ones. I have a pointy-toe pair of flats that are the most painful things I’ve ever put on my feet.
I had a pair of Camper heels that were cute, but so, so painful. I bought them as dance shoes because they had rubber soles and heels, which I like for folk dance. The rubber was so hard and unforgiving that I quickly demoted them to non-dance shoes, since my feet felt like they were about to break in half after a coupe of hours of wearing them. There was absolutely no padding or arch support in them. They were so narrow that it took about a year of leaving shoe stretchers in them to make them stop pinching my forefoot. The buttons came off both of them DURING my college graduation ceremony–fortunately the straps stayed in place and you couldn’t tell as I walked across the stage. They finally got better when I put some Spenco insoles in, but then the awful cobbler I took them to to fix the buttons lost them. I bought a pair of Earthies which feel so much better, even though they’re an inch higher.
Zara, Payless, Steve Madden, Urban Outfitters, and anything with synthetic lining.
Wow – different people with different bodies and lifestyles have different experiences? Unpossible.
LK Bennett and Via Spiga. Both make my feet bleed.
The worst pair I have had so far is this extremely expensive pair of flats from J. crew (well, extremely expensive for me), and they are so cute that I am trying to break them in. On the other hand, I have a pair a few years old from them that I have broken in well enough that I danced all New Year’s Eve with them on….
Guaranteed pain: Nine West, Clarks, Bandolino, Sofft, Banana Republic
Also, I can’t wear kitten heels, period. They’re the worst of all worlds. But I love wedges or heels that are mid height (2.25 – 3.5).
JCrew. They hurt so much and are really expensive.
Bandolino’s are killers. So are aerosoles (which I was pretty surprised by).
I really like Aerosoles’s leather/suede offerings; haven’t had good luck with their synthetics, though, especially in strappy sandals.
Also, Ralph Lauren. If you have anything other than a super narrow foot, forget it. Makes me hurt just thinking about it.
EasySpirit–yes, really–for heels, at least. I bought a pair of 2″ patent leather pumps and they slip off my heels (can’t size down as I’m already wearing a size 5) but pinch my toes terribly if I add any sort of insole or moleskin.
Great info here. I am obsessed with comfy cute shoes. Hate sarto, sofft and stuart weitzman for comdort. Danskos ugly/cute but too heavy to wear all day. Pliners used to rock, but lately, meh. Love gentle souls, but best yet are AGLs from Nordies (stands for italian name.). Expensive but worth it. Best cheapo brand is b.o.c. ( made by Born)
Banana Republic shoes always end up making me cry. I also can’t wear any kind of peep toes because the opening always pinches my skin.
Rene Caovilla. Both pairs of his I’ve owned have been torturous. Gorgeous, mind you, but torturous.