Shoes Glorious Shoes!

I will admit here and now that I LOVE shoes.  Granted, I have a hard time finding them, with a wide front of the foot, narrow heel, and high arches.  Add to that plantar fasciitis and other issues (osteoarthritis, tendon problems for example), and I can't just go to any store and pick up a pair and wear them.  A lot of times, the shoes that feel the best are pretty expensive.  I have learned the hard way that with shoes, you often do get what you pay for.  However, that doesn't necessarily mean that I have pots of money sitting around.  When I do "spring" for a pair of shoes, I have to really feel that it's worth it.  And I have to be able to return them if I get them home, wear them around the house, and realize it just isn't gonna work.

Having said all of that, I have had some luck this summer.  One of my recent purchases is one that I wanted to share, since I think these particular shoes are both attractive and ones that could be dressed up or dressed down.  I give you the Tsubo Olisa:

This is my first pair from this brand, and if they are any indication, I will be checking more of them out when they are on sale.  The Olisa is a wedge/platform type of sandal, with a toe separator that doesn't actually show when you have the shoes on your feet.  You can read the specifications here on the brand's website, but I can tell you a couple of things just based on my experience:  they are sturdy when you stand in them, because the wedge is not skinny; and, the platform makes your foot nearly flat when you are wearing them.  The foot pad is soft, and your foot doesn't slide forward, leading to them a) looking awful, and b) feeling painful.  It's really just about a 1-inch difference for your foot.

I bought them in the Infinity shade, which is a pretty navy blue.  They work for my high arches, because the part going over your foot is at just the right spot for me.  Also, that part helps keep them on your foot (I usually can't wear sandals that don't have a t-strap or something to keep them on the top of my foot).  From what I have been able to see poking around in several places, they also come in black, green (Moss), and bright orange (Fire).

I found mine on sale at Benjamin Lovell Shoes, which is near my house.  They were $99.00, reduced from $145.00  I also found them for sale at the following sites:

Tsubo brand site, for $140.00
Zappos, for $140.00
Amazon, for $94.97 to $140.00 (depending on size and color selected)

This is one that I think is worth saving up to buy.  I have been getting a lot of wear out of mine, and they will easily still look nice next summer as well!