Editor’s Note: This post has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy on May 2022 and reflects an up-to-date selection of the best straight last shoes for women.
Has your medical professional advised you to wear a pair of straight last shoes? Are you dealing with a foot condition such as flat feet that is causing you pain and discomfort? If you are dealing with a foot condition that is causing your feet to overpronate, there are certain straight last shoes that can improve your foot posture as well as your walking gait.
What Are Straight Last Shoes?
Straight last shoes are also referred to as motion control shoes, and they usually provide better material maintaining support beneath the medial column of the foot. Basically, your shoes might have a straight or curved last.
Most women have a hard time identifying which shoes have straight lasts and which ones have curved ones.
How to Identify Shoes with Straight Lasts
If you want to identify the “last” of your shoe, turn the shoe upside down and take a look at the outsole. Try picturing an imaginary line that runs from the center of the heel of the shoe to the center of the toe area of the shoe. Let me show you an image of the difference between a straight last shoe and a shoe with a curved last:
The issue that most women have is that their shoes don’t come labeled as with a “straight or curved last”, so it’s pretty challenging for them to figure out which shoes to choose.
The good news is that I am going to provide you with a list of the best straight last shoes for women that I have fitted before.
My Experience Fitting Women’s Shoes
There are several women who walk into the store complaining about foot or leg pain, and the first thing I do is check the shoes they are wearing and also take a look at their feet. I have helped several women with foot pain significantly reduce and, in some cases, fully eliminate their pain, and I believe I can help you as well.
Some women are referred by their physical or occupational therapist to be fitted for the correct pair of shoes. Sometimes women bring orthotics with them to be correctly fitted inside their shoes, and sometimes we fit them for a pair of orthotics at the store.
One of the most common questions I get asked at the shoe store that I work for is: “What is the best shoe style or best shoe brand for helping treat my flat feet?”
There is no such thing such as an ideal shoe style or shoe brand for helping treat a particular foot condition. While someone might recommend one pair of shoes that may seem ideal based on support and structure, your individual foot shape indicates what type of shoe styles and shoe brands you can wear.
Before I show you a list of the best straight last shoes for women, I want to make sure that you are 100% sure of your foot shape.
How to Figure Out Your Exact Foot Shape
Do you know whether you have narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet? Do you know whether you have a high instep or not? These are all factors that determine what shoe brands and shoe styles you can wear.
Most women always buy the same shoe size simply because that’s the shoe size that they have worn for years. Did you know that just because you have worn a certain size for most of your life that doesn’t mean that your foot size has not changed? As we age the body’s ligaments and tendons lose their strength and ability to spring back, which means that our arches decrease, which flattens and lengthens the foot and toes. This often results in an increase in shoe size by a half-size or more.
Since most specialized shoe stores are closed now, I came up with a free system that helps women determine their exact foot size and shape from home:
How to Measure Your Foot Shoe Size – The Most Simple and Effective Way!
Take the time to follow the instructions in that article. Believe me that knowing your exact foot size will end up saving you a lot of time and money.
Now we can take a look at the best straight last shoes for women. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Straight Last Shoes for Women ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Take a look at the description below each shoe to figure out if that specific shoe can fit the shape of your feet. By now you should know whether you have narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet.
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodate high insteps
- An ENCAP midsole combines lightweight foam with a durable polyurethane rim to deliver all-day support
- Dual-density collar foam that offers support and comfort for your heels and ankles
- Suede and mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Cushioning outsole with a mild rocker adds spring to your step.
- Multiple cushioning layers provide pillow-like support that works wonders to enhance comfort and help ease pain on the foot and heel
- Soft, stretchable knit fabric uppers with extra foam padding ease pressure on the foot and provide superior comfort and protection for sensitive feet.
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Technology Cushioning System helps attenuate shock during impact and toe-off phases
- DuoMax system enhances stability and support
- Engineered mesh upper improves breathability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow or medium feet
- Durable full-length EVA midsole to absorb shock and offer stability
- Breathable open engineered textile mesh upper with seamless synthetic overlays
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Medial post helps control pronation
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Medial post helps control pronation
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet and also accommodates high insteps
- VERSARUN cushioning absorbs impact and reduces pressure for comfortable strides at every level of walking and running
- Added heel support for a more comfortable, secure hold.
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- DNA LOFT offers incredibly soft cushioning that now extends beyond the heel, allowing for an easy transition from landing to toe-off.
- Removable foam insole for excellent underfoot comfort and support.
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
- Fits women with narrow, medium, and wide feet
- Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Technology Cushioning System helps attenuate shock during impact and toe-off phases
- DuoMax system enhances stability and support
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your longest foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths and also accommodates high insteps
- CMEVA (Compression Molded EVA) midsole delivers lightweight, durable, responsive cushioning
- Strategic high-abrasion rubber zones to reduce weight
- Soft, stretchable knit fabric uppers with extra foam padding ease pressure on the foot and provide superior comfort and protection for sensitive feet
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your longest foot size
What Shoe Size Should You Order?
Take a look at the description below the shoes that I recommended to find out what shoe size you should order.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me if you are looking for a different pair of straight last shoes to help treat and prevent your foot condition:
comfortablewomenshoes@gmail.com
Make sure that you always keep your shoes properly tied at all times. When you tie your shoes correctly you are providing yourself with better support and stability.
Are you dealing with a specific foot condition that is making it challenging for you to find shoes that fit? Have you found a specific straight last shoe that has worked well for your feet? Share your findings below so other women can benefit from your experiences.
Do you stock straight last narrow fitting walking boot for women?
Hello Rhian,
Not, I don’t, but there are two boot styles that are available in narrow widths (N) and provide semi straight lasts:
Option 1
Option 2
I am trying to find some nice shoes, not sneakers, that are made on am straight last.I would like to wear them with jeans and slacks, not dresses. Do you have any companies, or styles that you would recommend? I can not live my life in sneakers every day! Your help would be greatly appreciated!
KH
Hello Kathleen,
I am happy to help. I want to be able to help you to the best of my ability so can you please tell me your exact foot shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide, high instep), and what specific foot condition you are dealing with (flat feet, high arches).