Women's Work Shoes in Australia: How to Choose Comfortable Styles

One pair, a very long day

A work shoe has a longer day than almost anything else in your wardrobe. It covers the walk from the station, a morning of meetings, a lunch run and the trip home, in an office where the air conditioning and the weather rarely agree. Choosing work shoes for women in Australia adds a few variables of its own: dress codes that run from formal corporate to relaxed smart casual, commutes that can include a stretch on foot, and seasons that look very different in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Shop the edit

• Wear: Elaia Point-Toe Bow Buckle Heels · AU$129 · cowhide leather on a 2.5cm block heel, lambskin lining and insole, in beige

• Wear: Yvette Buckle Square-Toe Pump Heels · AU$136 · cowhide patent leather on a 5cm heel with a cushioned insole, in khaki

• Wear: Phoenix Knot Detail Suede Loafers · AU$136 · lamb suede slip-ons with a flat leather sole and rubber grip, in khaki

• Wear: Nova Bow Covered Flats · AU$119 · lambskin flats with a round toe and a simple bow, in black

Start with your dress code

Dress codes differ by employer and industry, so your handbook, or a look at what your colleagues wear, is the real guide. As a general guide, here is the office shoe that suits each one.

• Corporate and client-facing. Closed shoes with structure, usually a pump (a closed-toe heel) in leather or patent with a low to mid heel. The Yvette pumps give the most formal line in this edit, and the square toe and buckle keep them current. They have a cushioned insole and a sturdy heel, two things that matter most in comfortable corporate work shoes.

• Business casual. A low block heel carries the polish of a pump with less height. The Elaia is the one to start with: it moves easily from workwear to after-hours, and the 2.5cm heel keeps it comfortable across a full day.

• Smart casual. Work loafers and flats do the job here. The suede Phoenix loafers suit an office that leans relaxed, and the Nova flats sit happily under tailored trousers or a midi skirt.

If your workplace asks for closed shoes for work, all four of these qualify. The work wear collection pulls together more options across heels, flats and loafers.

Plan for the commute

A route with a few blocks of CBD footpath, a platform change or a flight of stairs asks more of a shoe than the dress code does.

• A heel you can walk in. A block heel has a wide base, which makes a low block heel such as the Elaia a practical choice for days that include a walk.

• Grip underfoot. Polished city pavements and station stairs can be slippery when wet. The Phoenix loafers have a rubber grip underfoot, which makes them a sensible choice for a longer route.

• A fit that stays put. A shoe that slips at the heel is tiring to walk in. Check the fit at the heel and over the top of the foot as well as the length, and walk a few blocks in any new pair before its first commute.

If the walk is long, plan for two pairs: a flat such as Nova for the journey, and a heel waiting under your desk for the meetings that call for one.

Choosing a heel height for work

Heel height is the decision that takes the most thought, and it gets easier once you know what your day looks like.

• Flat. For days with a lot of walking, stairs or standing, work flats such as the Nova, or loafers such as the Phoenix, are the pairs to reach for.

• Low, around 2 to 3cm. The Elaia sits here at 2.5cm, as does the Marlie Buckle Patent Leather Low Heels at 2cm, a polished low patent pair that carries into an evening event.

• Mid, around 4 to 5cm. The Itzel Love Embellished Bow Low Block Heels are 4cm and the Yvette pumps are 5cm: enough lift to look dressed for the boardroom without committing to a full heel.

• High. The Stefano Patent Stiletto Heels are 8.5cm, with a thick padded insole and a cushion at the back of the heel. They suit presentations, client dinners and days with more sitting than walking.

For more ways to match the heel to the day, the pumps collection groups styles by low, mid and high heels.

A day at the desk and on your feet

Many office days are a mix of both: long stretches seated, then a run of meetings, a site visit or a lunch across town. When you are choosing comfortable work shoes for women, ask how they feel when you stand and how they hold up by the end of the afternoon.

When you are choosing comfortable heels for work, look at what the construction offers. The Yvette pumps have a cushioned insole and the Stefano a thick padded one, and the styles above are lined and insoled in lambskin or a lambskin blend. Rotating between two pairs across the week is an easy habit, since it gives each one a day to rest.

If your role needs certified safety or slip-resistant footwear, that is a separate category from these office styles, and your employer's requirements come first. For a broader look at what makes any shoe comfortable, read our comfortable shoes guide.

Australian seasons, city by city

Australia covers several climates, and the right work shoe shifts with them. Melbourne winters can be cold and wet, Sydney's are milder and Brisbane's milder still, while summers run warm across most of the capitals.

• Summer. An uncomplicated flat, lined and insoled in lambskin like the Nova, is an easy choice for the warmer months. Low-heeled pumps such as the Elaia keep the look formal when the dress code stays the same in a heatwave.

• Winter. Suede suits cooler, dry days, which is where the Phoenix loafers come in. On a wet commute, patent and smooth leather, like the Yvette and Itzel, are easier to wipe clean. Keep suede for dry days and look after it with the shoe care collection.

• Between seasons. Melbourne's changeable days are where a closed, structured shoe earns its place. A low block heel or a loafer copes with a cold morning and a warm afternoon equally well.

Sizing, delivery and returns in Australia

Every product carries a conversion chart with European and US sizes and the length of the shoe in centimetres. Check it against the size guide before you order, particularly for a pair you plan to wear all day.

Orders ship from Singapore and arrive in 7 to 10 working days. Delivery is free from AU$150, AU$9.90 for orders from AU$80 to AU$149.99, and AU$39.90 below AU$80. A work pair and a commuting pair, such as the Elaia at AU$129 and the Nova at AU$119, come to AU$248 and ship free.

Returns are accepted within 30 days of receiving the item. Overseas orders go back to the Singapore warehouse at the customer's own cost, after you send Customer Service photos of the item's condition. Sale items are not refundable. The full terms are on the shipping and returns pages.

Shop work shoes

Start with pumps for work if your office is corporate or business casual, or the loafers if your dress code leans smart casual. For a wider look at building a workwear shoe wardrobe, read Essential Office Shoes for Women.