I really enjoy your blog. Whenever I need a laugh, I read it. Lately I’ve been looking for the perfect flight attendant shoe, any suggestions? My dogs are barking
Flight Attendant Debbie M, ORD based. Oh the flight attendant shoe, the subject of many a male fantasy, as well as flight attendant nightmare (or two). The perfect navy blue shoe is not easy to find, as most of you, I’m sure, already know. You want to look good, but you need something comfortable, something you can wear while stomping up and down the aisle , picking up trash, while kicking luggage out of your way, for hours on end at 35,000 feet. Debbie asked, I listened, and off to DSW Shoe Warehouse I went…
DANSKO CLOG (Pictured above) – The Dansko Clog is to flight attendants what Tumi luggage is to Business Travelers. Next time you’re on a flight, look down, you’ll see em, because they’re everywhere! Definitely the favorite among crew. Cady, my good friend, owned a pair of these clogs for almost as long as I’ve know her (12 years!) and I think it hurt more when the clogs fell apart (a few months ago) than when she quit her flight attendant job, a job she kind of wish she hadn’t quit (over a year ago). Need I say more?
TAHARI ($69.95) – I love this shoe. Probably because it reminds me of a tap shoe, which reminds me of my childhood, which is probably why every shoe I’ve ever owned looks a lot like this one – with a strap and buckle, but a shorter heel.
R2 ($39.95) – This shoe does not look good sitting on top of the box, but on the feet, they actually looked cute. So cute, in fact, I almost bought them – a couple times in the same day. That’s me down there, trying them on, one of several times, turni
ng side to side in the mirror. Not only were they cute, they were also comfortable – a flight attendant must. BUT…the wedge, it worried me. Probably not a good idea to pair a casual wedge with a conservative uniform. Save these for the day off. 
PALLADIUM ($39.95)- I really have seen a flight attendant wearing these shoes, and I actually saw that flight attendant in the terminal, not on the airplane hidden behind a cart. This, to me, is just wrong – for so many reasons. I don’t care how cute you are.
MUDD ($39.85) – My current work shoes are an older version of these MUDD heels. Obviously, I like this shoe. What do I like about it? The heel. There is one. Yet it’s short enough to work in. And looks nice enough to wear through the terminal. No switching shoes for me. What I like even more than the heel is the rounded toe. When you’re working on your feet for hours on end, you need room, PLENTY OF ROOM. The bow/tie on the side gives it a flirty feel. I actually went to DSW to purchase this shoe in particular, but they didn’t have my size.
ME TOO ($59.95) – Yes. I’ve actually seen em in-flight, and if you can’t believe that, get this…I remember thinking, not bad. For in-flight shoes. I bet they’re comfortable. Though I can’t see ME in a pair, you might be a different story.
MADDEN GIRL ($39.95) – These looked fun and flirty sitting on top of the box, but not so cute on the feet. Black patton paired with cheap polyester…not so sure about that.
CL BY LAUNDRY ($39.95) Something about this shoe caught my eye in the store. Still trying to figure out what it was, exactly, that caught my eye.
COLE HAHN ($119.95) – I threw these in the box and marched straight to the cash register, credit card in hand. Yes, they’re pricey (the husband would die), maybe a little too expensive, especially for work, but they’re cute! And comfortable. And they made me feel good. And they looked good. REAL GOOD. And they had my size. Did I happen to mention how good they looked on me? I mean what more could a flight attendant want?
Flight attendant fantasy shoe…for men. I’m not just talking about the men in drag. Add a few more inches to the heel and these, to me, scream available and desperate! At least on the airplane they do, because in REAL life I kind of, maybe, sort of, like them. Okay okay, so I actually own a pair, but I wear them hidden under a long jean, not on the airplane, nor in the terminal! Why? Because they say is there anything else I can get you? (Wink Wink). They belong to Cockpit Connie. Or do they belong to my flight attendant friend Steven? Or was it me? I can’t remember.
ANNE KLEIN ($54.95) Ummm…can you say Senior Mama? Can you say retire already so I can finally get a little seniority and fall off the reserve list already. Before I’m 50. Can you believe the person who now wears these sensible comfy loafers once wore those sexy go-go boots…So when you see a pair of these tired looking loafers walking down the nappy blue aisle, remember where they
‘ve been. What they’ve seen. What they’ve done. Because, trust me, you’ll never have that
The new and improved version of what I already had – MUDD (Lucky me – someone had just returned a pair in my size this morning!)
Heather Poole 
After you kick me in the six for proposing it, I would pay to see you in a pair of Taharis.
My boss wore casual flats/ballet flats like these from DFW to PHL this week, and they looked very comfortable (she confirmed they were comfortable, but they did not seem so comfortable that I’m willing to change teams). Too bad men can’t/shouldn’t wear shoes like this: http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2981881?Category=&Search=True&SearchType=keywordsearch&keyword=casual+flat+in+All+Categories&origin=searchresults
My limited male intuition tells me they’re not your typical style, but go for it. Every woman deserves a new pair of shoes (I never argue with a woman about the quantity of shoes and handbags she owns, and a women should excuse men for our OCD when it comes to television remote controls and fear of the vacuum cleaner; this apparatus is difficult for us to use because it reminds us of childhood nightmares of clowns).
I love my Clark’s loafers, but then I wear the trousers to work. Plus I can’t imagine wearing heels in my pregnant state.
And I have the same reaction any time I see the Palladium flats. What are they thinking?
HP,
I swear you crack me up – (senior mama in comfortable loafers lol.) For U, it’s 2.5 inch black pumps (measured from the inside only) regulation pumps for the concourse and of course, dansko clogs are 30.5 regulation for in flight. So I treated myself to cute Nine West Nuncio’s that are 2.5 inches and I also purchased SoftWalk jupiter (which are mary janes too) I would post pictures but blogger won’t allow it.
AVIATRIX – have to look up the clark loafers.
NICKYJET – The nine west shoes are nice, AND SEXY, and the Jupiter Solfwalk look exactly like a pair I wore for YEARS, the pair that pilot called birth control. I loved those shoes, but when you gain weight, you just look like a fat girl in orthopedics, and so they retired.
PG- I love the casual ballet flat – on other people. I don’t know if it’s me, my feet, my pants, or what, but they just don’t work on me.
AVIATRIX – have to look up the clark loafers.
NICKYJET – The nine west shoes are nice, AND SEXY, and the Jupiter Solfwalk look exactly like a pair I wore for YEARS, the pair that pilot called birth control. I loved those shoes, but when you gain weight, you just look like a fat girl in orthopedics, and so they retired.
PG- I love the casual ballet flat – on other people. I don’t know if it’s me, my feet, my pants, or what, but they just don’t work on me.
Well, I think I may have bought a shoe that is a half size too small. !@#$%^&*( I mean they fit, but they are a little snug. I think with time they’ll be fine. It’s just my trip is coming up and I don’t have time to wear them in, and I have no idea where to buy a shoe stretcher, so here’s what I’m going to do…(I found the info below online)
Q: How do you stretch the width of leather shoes?
Stretching Leather Shoes
Sometimes rubbing the area that needs streching with alcohol while the shoe is on works.
Another option.
Soak the shoes in water for 24-48 hours. put on a pair of thick socks and wear the shoes till they dry. This will conform the leather to your feet. This is the way cowboys made their cowboy boots conform to their feet. Hope this helps!
Well, I think I may have bought a shoe that is a half size too small. !@#$%^&*( I mean they fit, but they are a little snug. I think with time they’ll be fine. It’s just my trip is coming up and I don’t have time to wear them in, and I have no idea where to buy a shoe stretcher, so here’s what I’m going to do…(I found the info below online)
Q: How do you stretch the width of leather shoes?
Stretching Leather Shoes
Sometimes rubbing the area that needs streching with alcohol while the shoe is on works.
Another option.
Soak the shoes in water for 24-48 hours. put on a pair of thick socks and wear the shoes till they dry. This will conform the leather to your feet. This is the way cowboys made their cowboy boots conform to their feet. Hope this helps!
I find it interesting hearing about other flight attendants’ shoes. We have very strict rules regarding our shoes, heel heights and cabin flats- we’d never see such a variety of shoes (or hairstyles!) as there seems to be in the US airlines…
Hi Heather,
I love your blog. I am always laughing after reading your blog.
I wanted to make some comments. I also love the Mudd pumps. I have worn them to work forever. I am with you, no switching shoes for me.
I also wanted to tell you about a shoe stretcher that I bought. I also have bought shoes that I did not have time to break in.
I bought this shoe strecher on QVC.com The link is below.
http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.aol_refer.false.tpl.detail.msn_refer.false.item.V23023.ref.GBA?cm_ven=GOOGLEBASE&cm_cat=Fashion&cm_pla=Shoes&cm_ite=V23023
This stretcher works on pumps, flats with no problems.
Take care Heather
Marie J.
Flight Attendant
Based in CMS
Your page saved me !!! I’am starding my FA training next week and I had no idea what shoes to buy for the uniform and thank God I found your page that helped me sooo much. I ended up buying the new “mudd” shoes which I think fits best my personality.
thanks so much !!!
You are too funny!!!!! I have found the greatest pair of shoes at TJ MAXX!! They are Etienne Aigner all leather and only cost $39.99. The heel says i have some flair but I don’t want to pick up every guy in the airport!!!!!
I wear a pair of Cathy Jean flats. They are super comfy. I’ve worn mine out!!
Long live the Dansko! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!
None of these shoes meets my companies requirements! They all have buckles, bows, and straps! Chances are they don’t meet yours either.
You know what I think is funny? I have tried so many shoes and the one I recently found that is so comfortable to wear with my dress is from PAYLESS!!!! They are a new line called Comdort Plus and they have a temperpedic style insert!! They are classy and comfy and like $25!