One bride's search for chronically fabulous footwear

One bride's search for chronically fabulous footwear

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We featured Mishy's wedding a few weeks ago, and did you notice her shoes? Based on reader feedback, we know there's a lot of interest in truly orthopedic footwear for brides who are dealing with disabilities and chronic conditions, so we asked Mishy to share her advice...

My personal motto is "Chronically fabulous," since I honestly truly believe that my disabilities can't prevent me from being as fabulous as I can - in fact, they just add to it. They are part of me, and frankly those medical devices make my life a lot better.

That said, shoes have been my constant struggle. I've worn an AFO brace for eight years now. And have struggled with general limited mobility most of my life. So I need pretty comfy shoes. And for years, I've mostly worn one pair of shoes. (Actually, I wear two different shoes, because I like the way it looks and the comfort I get from the two different shoes.) So when Offbeat Bride approached me about this article, I really struggled. Because it's incredibly hard to find "stylish" shoes that work with things like braces. But I felt that it's important to contribute some words, and possible choices.

When you look at weddings, shoes tend to be a pretty big part of the whole "bridal look." So for those of us who struggle just to find regular shoes, it's pretty easy to feel left out. I will admit, it was hard for me to find "nice" shoes for my own wedding. I did feel a bit left out from choosing super cute shoes. I had to remind myself that the goal of the day is to be comfortable and be able to actually enjoy my day.

That mindset helped me a lot to be happy with my choice to wear my regular shoes. And to actually be proud of my brace.

So based on my own experiences with finding shoes, these are the things that have worked the best.

My first favorite choice would be these that I wear everyday. They are New Balance sneakers. They fit my AFO brace perfectly, and provide as much comfort as possible. They're quite practical and with mobility issues, this is generally a priority for me.

Plus they come in pretty neutral colors. So you can easily fit them to the proper occasion.

I also own these beauties by Propet. They are quite supportive of my foot, and look nice.

I have found that while trying to find shoes that fit bulky braces like an AFO or feet that swell easily, diabetic shoes are your best bet. There are diabetic shoes that are often made in extra-wide sizes, so they can accommodate various different foot needs. Zappos has a really great selection.

My biggest advice I can provide is this: embrace all the things about yourself. I know that sounds super cliché...but it's the truth. Embrace all the parts of yourself. Confidence and body acceptance are key. I would say, society doesn't really think that we can be both disabled and fabulous. And often assumes that to do this, we wish to hide our disability. I personally take the radical approach of not hiding it away. Those devices help me lead my life, on my terms. And ultimately, being fabulous is how you carry yourself. The goal here is to be happy with yourself.

I hope this is helpful. And remember, stay chronically fabulous.

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