The Comfortable Shoes Retail Workers Swear By 

If you work(ed) in retail, you know just what a pain that can mean for your feet, especially after long hours (sometimes even a full day) of standing on them. Mix in improper footwear—we're talking a flat pair with zero cushioning and no arch support—and hard marble flooring, and well, you have a recipe for serious foot problems. So what are the best shoes for retail workers, if any at all? To answer this question and more, we went straight to the source and tapped our incredible network of readers who have experience working in the retail landscape to get their input on the shoes that they swear by (and can stand wearing for hours on end).

The consensus among the majority of them was clear: Comfortable shoes are key (so skip the stilettos) and opt for a pair with a slight heel—that means no flats, either. As one Facebook user notes, find a style "with a little heel for support (because standing on flat shoes for ages can make your soles feel raw)."

Other things to look out for? Closed-toe shoes may be slightly more work-appropriate than sandals (and will keep your feet warmer when the AC is blasting). And while sneakers were certainly the top contender for best style to wear when working retail, one other user noted that because of dress codes that prevented her from wearing the more casual kicks, she opted for boots instead—another good, comfortable pick. Read on to shop the shoes retail workers swear by from classic Converse to Adidas Superstars that one user notes, "have never failed her, even for nine-hour shifts."

Next up, shop the best summer sandals to wear when walking long distances.