My Favorite Work Footwear

When I was younger, I couldn't imagine life without high heels. Practically every shoe that I own had to have high heels, even my sneakers. Remember the Spice Girls-style sneakers? I actually owned a pair and it lasted me so well. I even used it to run for my P.E. finals (I made it by the way). However, a decade or more after my high heels obsession, I'm into flat shoes. I didn't even know why I loved high heels back then in the first place.

There are times when I work that I need the height boost, like if I'm about to give a workshop/demo or a talk, for photo purposes. But when I know that I'll be standing most of the time, as in really working, like a client call, wedding, fashion show, or a shoot, I know I need my trusty flats. It pays to be comfortable since I'm on my feet a lot and not to mention carrying all my equipment myself. Sky-high heels and lifting trolleys are a no-no. :)

So far, in my shoe collection, I have a few go-to shoes for work which I find super comfy with minimal pain over the course of time.

FitFlops

I wrote about FitFlops way before and in fact, they rank by far my most favorite footwear of all time, nevermind if they're not very pretty for my feet. It's quite expensive at Php3,500 almost but for me, it was super worth it. They conform to my feet and give me the right elevation I need so my ankles and lower back do not suffer that much. I can drive wearing them!

Boots

rock, leather, and boots for a wedding gig with my friend Lei Ponce. 

I own a pair of leather boots I bought at CubaoX last 2012. I found these boots in fact while shooting a prenuptial shoot then and I didn't want to let go of the boots and thankfully, they had my size. It was originally supposed to be my boots for Stellar 2 but somehow, I used it beyond Stellar. Boots are great for me during the rainy season or when it's a bit colder and I'm in a venue where it's better to keep my feet covered or when I have to be a bit dressier. Currently, the boots have a bit of wear and tear and a few kitty scratches. I was wondering if anyone knows where I can have them restored a bit since I want it to look a bit dressier but if not, then I may have to wear this for more casual occasions where the scruffy look actually adds to the appeal.

Ballet Flats

Ballet flats keep my feet covered and I can still wear skirts, shorts, jeans, pants, or dresses and still look like a girl on the occasion that tells me I should. I could wear this when I have to be a makeup artist during the day and then head off to a press launch at night (no more heels for this Tita of Manila). I found these quirky dog-cat ballet flats at a bazaar. Thankfully they had it in black.

I get funny comments with these shoes if I forgot that I left the house wearing different shoes or if I made these shoes myself. They are great for driving and feel as if I'm driving barefooted. The only problem though is that they're too flat and since I have a high foot arch, walking on them for quite some time can put pressure to my ankles so I usually reserve this for events that I won't be out so much, I have that same problem with regular flip-flops and super flat sandals, so not to worry, it's not the shoe; it's me and the foot arch.

I discovered though that Melissa shoes have flats with just a teensy height boost so it's less stressful on the ankles.

I'm crazy for leopard prints so it's just apt that I get myself a leopard-print shoe like the one above. I was just so glad that they had it my size. I'm currently in the process of breaking these shoes in and I discovered wearing them with footsocks takes the friction off the feet.  Although while I was at the store, there are a few shoes that I'm eyeing on so this may not be my last Melissa shoe though.

perfect for me because I'm a cat lady. This however, did not have my size but I like looking at it.

The Maleficent shoe got my villain heart pumping. I would wait for this to go on sale. *wink*

Sneakers

They're great for working out, for walking around, and of course, why not for #MUAduties?

working with my now kumare and fellow makeup artist Jinky

My Fila lilac sneakers were purchased on sale last 2011 (notice how I keep on the lookout for sales?) They aren't for training though but okay enough for walking around and standing. Again yay on the arch support, For sneakers that I can take from training to work to long walks and on my rare travel occasions (since I hardly travel nowadays), Skechers memory foam sneakers give me support, cushioning, and comfort. I don't have a photo of the one I have right now though but I super love it since it's super comfy. I've not only worked wearing it but also done HIIT, cardio hiphop, insanity, etc.

I used to obsess on high heels back then because I thought they are the only ones that would look good when I need to wear a dress. Actually, now I discovered flat shoes need not be flat and boring because there are so many styles to choose from. I'm not much of a style person but I know the importance of looking presentable especially in my job, because I have to be my own advertisement. There are situations when I can get by with my usual shorts, tank top, and flip flops with no makeup and my hair in a scraggy bun. However, on times that I need to insert a bit of style whether classy, sporty, rock, or glam, there are shoe options to try without sacrificing comfort or risk losing balance and getting injured.

Photo sources:
FitFlop photo: FitFlop Facebook Page
Melissa Flats: Melissa Facebook Page