Choosing a comfortable dress shoe can be a very difficult undertaking. There are many things to consider when selecting a comfortable dress shoe for both women and men. Familiarity with various brands and an understanding of the shape of your feet will go a long way in determining an ideal and comfortable dress shoe.

There are three foot shapes that a majority of the population has: flat foot, normal foot, and high arch.

Flat feet can be hereditary, or flat feet can develop over years of foot abuse. Shoes that fully support your arch and that have a firm heel counter are recommended for stability and strength. Women with flat feet should consider the Drew Lora. This shoe offers a removable insole that can be replaced with custom orthotic insoles prescribed by a doctor. Men should try the P.W. Minor 5th Avenue.

Those with normal feet can typically wear any comfort dress shoe without any major problems. Keep in mind that you still need to make sure that you have proper arch support and an excellent fit in order for a pair of comfortable dress shoes to be effective. Women should try a nice comfortable dress shoe such as the Easy Spirit Ilene. Men will find a superb comfortable dress shoe when they wear the Mephisto Squall.

Individuals with high arches have a lot of foot pain. Custom orthotic insoles are oftentimes used by individuals with high arches to alleviate pain. Those that have foot pain that is not severe enough to go see a specialist need to make sure they are wearing shoes with the right support and that have a great fit. Aetrex Sarah is a great comfortable dress shoe for women with high arches. The shoes have removable insoles, providing you with the ability to wear custom orthotics without wearing a shoe that screams "I'm orthotic." Men should try the Drew Arlington.

Uncomfortable feet make for an uncomfortable life. Finding a great pair of comfortable dress shoes is very important.

When it comes to footwear, seniors and baby boomers have various viewpoints. Consider the example of high-heeled shoes for women. The older a woman gets, the more difficult is the challenge of donning high-heeled footwear. Yet senior women tend to be more traditional and may maintain a desire to wear high heels to church or on formal occasions.

Fashion experts, as a general rule, define high-heel footwear as shoes with an elevation of more than 3.5 inches. If it's "only" 3 inches, it's "just" a mid-heel. Go ahead and groan, ladies. The fashion experts setting these strict high-heel standards, of course, are men such as Maurizio and Paolo Gucci, and Jimmy Choo.

Who in the world invented high heels in the first place? One version is that the first wearers of high heels were men. As the Dark Ages gave way to the Renaissance so many moons ago, one great revelation among the fellas on horseback was that heels would help prevent their boots from slipping out of their stirrups. This can't be proven, however, not even on the History Channel.

Which ethnic group of women first started to get all fashionable with their footwear, progressing (or regressing, if that's your view) to higher and higher heels? Wouldn't you know it, the French and the Italians were in the lead roles. In fact, there may have been a sort of a combo trend sparked in 1533 by Catherine de' Medici. She was Queen of France, although she was of Italian stock, and she was really, really short. Therefore, legend has it, Catherine de' Medici had a chat with her cobbler. The rest is history, or rather, herstory.

Podiatrists tell women that if they must wear high heels, they should try to reserve this footwear for special occasions, not for daily work in the office. High heels add stress not only to a woman's feet, but also to the knees. Furthermore, the height of the heel isn't the only concern. Some high-heel shoe styles also smash the toes together, which isn't healthy either. Still, a quality high-heel shoe also can provide comfort...as long as not much walking is on the agenda.

SOURCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-heeled_footwear
http://www.randomhistory.com/1-50/036heels.html

All it takes is a trip to Italy as a student, tourist or professional traveler to realize that the shoes that work in the U.S. may not necessarily work on the cobblestone streets and walkways of Rome. Wise up students and travelers and look for comfortable shoes and comfortable boots to accommodate the geographical environment.

After scratching up and destroying the leather on the high heel of a pair of really fly boots, you'll realize that walking down a sidewalk in the U.S. is not the same as walking down the old cobblestone streets of Rome and other European cities. This is an easy way to quickly destroy one's shoe budget. It is definitely necessary to find comfortable shoes to accommodate the geographical environment of countries that don't have modern streets, walkways and roads.

For students studying abroad, plan on purchasing comfortable shoes and comfortable boots that allow you to maintain your footing without destroying the investment of your footwear. A great choice of low-quarter boots, which can be worn year round, is the Vigotti Amari. Trendy and made of premium leather, the low-quarter boot has a flat heel and a non-slip rubber sole in addition to a comfortable, round toe ideal for walking. A great choice for men is the Timberland Urban, which is a comfortable boot and can also be worn year round and is well made and rugged, providing solid footing.

During the winter in Europe, flat riding boots, Uggs, and other good walking shoes and solidly constructed boots that are able to tread the surface of a rough road or walkways are what is required to feel secure and in control. One must consider comfortable shoes to accommodate the geographical environment in whatever country being visited to avoid spills, falls and the destruction of heels.

Studying abroad and traveling abroad is a great adventure. One simply must remember to acclimate to the region. Wearing comfortable shoes and comfortable boots that allow one to venture out and explore the region while looking sharp pay for themselves several times over.