When we first got married, my husband was very confused about why I owned so many pairs of black shoes. I explained to him that each of the shoes fell in a different position on the style-to-comfort continuum.

The best-looking were also the least comfortable, but I needed them for parties. The low-heeled practical shoes fit well and were essential for running around the convention center floor at trade shoes and conferences. He was (and still is) baffled. “Why don’t you just get one pair that looks good and fits,” he asked.

Men just don’t get it. Much like finding a pair of jeans that make you look skinny, finding a pair of truly comfortable yet fashionable dress shoes is the holy grail of shoe shopping.

I recently received a pair of shoes (the Iris Loafer in Black Suede) from Asgi’s Fall 2008 line in the mail. Asgi was founded to meet the need for comfortable yet stylish shoes. Designed with patent-pending Soleplex technology, Asgi shoes have molded and anatomically contoured footbeds that conform to your foot for fabulous arch-support as well as built-in stabilizers and cushioning pods for comfort.

The shoes were comfortable, but more importantly they looked cute. Asgi shoes are designed in Italy using high quality full-grain leathers. I’ve been pairing the Iris loafers with slacks and jeans. I loved them so much that I went to Nordstrom and tried on the Marcy Mary Jane, which is quite possibly the most comfortable heel I’ve ever worn.  

Asgi shoes are available at Nordstrom and online at www.endless.com. The Marcy Mary Jane sells for $184.95, and the Iris Loafer sells for $154.95. While spending over $100 on shoes might stretch your budget, it would be cheaper in the long run than spending $30-$80 on multiple pairs of cute yet uncomfortable shoes.  Endless has free shipping and returns, which makes trying these shoes hassle-free.

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