Practical Shoes for the Hospital

I just got a really fun question from one of my amazing readers who's looking for shoe recommendations for the hospital. Shoe choice is obviously up to you, but if you're a practical girl like me comfort will win over style most of the time. But you don't always have to sacrifice style for comfort - here I'm sharing my comfiest options for flats, boots, and sneakers! And clogs. Clogs are hideous and there's no denying that. But spend enough time in the hospital and you will not care! 

Flats

Dr. Scholl's ($30 cheaper here)!  //  Sam Edelman  //  Tommy Hilfiger  //  Crocs

Flats are a perfect choice for clinic days, and many brave ladies still wear them while on hospital rotations too! It all depends on how long you can be on your feet and how much support you really need. All of these flats I carefully selected because they've got the best reviews for comfort (and still don't sacrifice much on style)! The styles range from sexy pointy-toe loafers, classic ballet flats, one of my favorite style D'orsay flats, and a more modest pointy-toe flat. Any of these would look great with a skirt,dress, or dress pants.

Boots

Stuart Weitzman  //  Franco Sarto  //  Blondo  //  Vince Camuto

Boots are like the flats for colder temperatures. Nothing is easier than dressing up in cool weather, actually - literally just throw on a pair of knee-high (or over the knee) boots with leggings and a pretty tunic top, or with thick knit tights and a dress! Toss on your white coat and you're good to go! Tall over-the-knee boots are my favorite, this pair is a fraction of the cost! More traditional knee high boots sometimes look better with dresses (especially dresses that are a little longer), I love this simple sleek pair, but also am drooling over this pair with a tiny bit of hardware! All of these options come in brown too, which is my go-to shade!

Clogs

Klogs  //  Dansko  //  Crocs  //  Birkenstock

Clogs are the quintessential hospital shoe for those who really are spending all day on their feet. Ask any nurse and she's either wearing clogs or sneakers! I love my Dansko clogs now, but they did take a bit of getting used to. During most of third year OR rotations I actually wore my Crocs and was really pleased with them as well (especially for their price). The one thing I don't like about clogs is that they're not the easiest to run in. I probably shouldn't be doing much running, but in the ICU or on nights I have to respond immediately to any code blue or rapid response - running in clogs is not recommended! So I've been wearing my sneakers more now. What clogs are wonderful for though is being in the OR - trust me, you do not want to be in mesh sneakers and get blood (or any other bodily fluids) on your shoes. Clogs are great for easily wiping down.

Sneakers

Pegasus  //  Zoom  //  Juvenate  //  Air Max

Sneakers are one of the most fun options for shoes in the hospital to pair with scrubs and I really love how expressive we can be with them! And I'm a sucker for Nikes so I apologize but all my picks are Nike. I am absolutely in love with this floral pair of Pegasus - my grey/coral Pegasus are my comfiest pair of sneakers and really put an extra bounce in my step! The Zooms are amazing as well and I love the all coral color! More subdued pairs like these olive sneakers and these tan/gold ones are perfect for the more modest sneaker fans!

I hope this post could give you all some ideas on what types of shoes are most appropriate for different situations in the hospital/clinic and show you that there are comfy (and stylish) options out there! As always, this post doesn't apply to just medicine, any of us who work on our feet are always on the hunt for a good supportive shoe!