ode to Dansko’s

I know that Dansko shoes often get a bad rap in terms of style. But I’ve got to speak up for them. Yes, my Dansko love is primarily comfort-based, but if I had to choose one (comfort or style) for the rest of my life, comfort would win hands down.

When I had recurring foot problems last summer (and the summer before that), my Dansko Margrete’s were the only shoes I could wear that didn’t hurt my feet.
dansko margrete

Here’s my impassioned defense of these poor maligned shoes (with a liberal helping from my past as a shoe sales representative).

The Dansko brand is officially approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association as having the correct combination of support and materials to provide not only support for your feet, but to put your legs and spine in the correct alignment. As a result, Dansko makes a whole bunch of shoes for medical professionals who are on their feet all the time and a whole bunch with non-slip soles for restaurant workers, where oil and grease are more likely to be on the floor.

Dansko also offers the look of wooden clogs and sandals without the drawbacks of real wooden soles (lack of shock absorption and flex). Instead, the Dansko polyurethane soles flex with your feet (but not so much that there’s no support) and offer shock absorption so your bones and joints aren’t taking the added stress.

If you’re interested, Dansko’s web site has a whole section devoted to the technical specs of each of their lines. If you’re a shoe geek like me, some of the information there is very interesting.

Now, here’s for the style defense. Dansko, like many comfort shoe companies, has upped their style quotient in the past few years. To wit, here are a few of their new styles:

dansko risa boot

the Risa tall boot ($180 at TheWalkingCompany.com)

Dansko Rhea low boot

the Rhea low boot (on sale from $165 to $129 at Clogscentral.com  Timberland Bootsplus enter dansko10 at checkout and receive another 10% off)

Dansko Rue slingback

the Rue slingback ($145 at TrackAndTrail.com)

Dansko Reese pump

the Reese pump ($149 at Zappos.com)

Dansko Daphne sandal

the Daphne sandal ($110 at Onlineshoes.com)

Dansko Roxy ankle strap

the Roxy ankle-strap ($145 at ClogWarehouse.com where entering d88 at  Moncler Coatscheckout will get you another 10% off any clogs)

No, these are never going to be the most stylish of all shoes. But for how  Louis Vuitton Mens Shoesdivinely comfortable they are, these are some mighty fine stylish options in my book.