Because we now are raising a puppy for the Seeing Eye in Morristown, NJ, I have a new fashion conundrum. The puppy we're raising is a German Shepherd, currently 10 months old and nearly 80 lbs! Because the puppy will lead a blind person, he cannot be taught to heel. That ruins a potential Seeing Eye dog. Instead, the puppy needs to learn to *lead*, but not pull hard. It's a balance, and our pup is doing well. But I need to wear sneakers with good tread. There goes my classy shoes, completing my outfits. I'm completely lost now, wearing sneakers with good tread. My goal for dressing is to be very comfortable, yet look classy, and have people wonder "How does she look so nice, wearing such comfy-looking clothes?" (It takes a lot of thought, and core wardrobe-building, as MSP says!) I used to dress comfortable business casual, but sneakers ruin the look. I'm searching for nicer looking sneakers, but meanwhile, how do I keep dressing nicely, when the shoes make a different statement? (Now that summer is around the bend, I can pull out the single pair of cute sneakers I own. I'll get more as the budget allows.) Others must have this issue too, needing to wear different shoes than they'd like, whether for safety, health, injuries, etc. Suggestions for how to maintain my dressy-yet-comfortable style? I intend on raising service dogs for some time, so this won't be a "one and done" issue. (Also, I've saved many MSP issues over the five years of my membership. If anyone can refer me to past articles, please let me know the date it was shared, and I'll see if I have that saved.) Thanks!

Ruthanne, First of all, how wonderful you are training guide dogs!

To answer your shoe question, you want footwear that will work for walking. You need sneakers, and walking sandals that are comfortable with good treads. Some of your footwear can be in neutral colors (matching your outfit)...other times, like with cropped pants, perhaps you want to wear something fun in a color.

Here is a sandal example to consider. (I went to Nordstrom and searched women's shoes-comfort) Here is the link: https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/born-trang-sandal-women/4797620?origin=category-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FWomen%2FShoes%2FComfort&color=blush%2F%20blush%20leather

Hope this helps get you started. Other brands I like are Ecco and Keen.
Love, Leslie MSP

OH thank you SO MUCH!!!

Hi Ruthanne. I work in a lab with a business casual dress code and also have a VERY hard time making my shoes go with my clothes. They may be a bit heavy for summer, but if you continue to have such shoe needs into the year I find myself reaching for a black pair of Doc Marten oxfords very often. They have tons of tread, are very durable, and I even like the look with opaque tights and an a line skirt. Good luck with the puppy—you are doing a great service!

Hi Ruthanne. I work in a lab with a business casual dress code and also have a VERY hard time making my shoes go with my clothes. They may be a bit heavy for summer, but if you continue to have such shoe needs into the year I find myself reaching for a black pair of Doc Marten oxfords very often. They have tons of tread, are very durable, and I even like the look with opaque tights and an a line skirt. Good luck with the puppy—you are doing a great service!

Yodie99, I used to work in a lab as well. Any closed-toe flats worked for me, but it really depends on what kind of lab you're in, as to what shoes work. Thanks for your suggestion. Regarding shoe brands, I found Hotter shoes to be pretty good. They're European, so I order a half size down. Very good quality. Does anyone else have more brands of shoes I can look into? This is so helpful. THANKS!

Look up Josef Seibel shoes for cute sneakers, some with leather uppers. Not cheap, but classy.

I agree with the shoe brands and would add Rieker.

Seconding the above, and adding Cobb Hill (a Rockport line), and Rockport in general.

I often wear Skechers GoWalks for work. They are casual, but a bit nicer than a staight-up athletic shoe. They generally have grippy bottoms.

Fantastic, thanks so much for all the resources! I'll check these all out, and will post a few pairs of shoes that work for both "cute" as well as work for walking a service dog.

Look forward to your finds, Ruthanne. Seeing them will help all of us!