It didn’t take long after our relocation to Minneapolis for me to realize that I owned all the wrong shoes. Sure, I owned plenty of comfortable shoes…ones I could walk miles in or ride a bike in….but my shoe wardrobe severely lacked comfortable shoes that suited my new city life. You know, shoes that you can walk a mile in, hop onto a Nice Ride bike and then pop into a client meeting while still looking put together.

Finding shoes that were both comfortable and still stylish proved to be harder than I had anticipated. I turned to the internet for help, crowdsourcing friends on both Instagram and Facebook. Although a few great suggestions came in, the majority of them were for TOMS. Don’t get me wrong — I own a lot of TOMS and absolutely love them (definitely one of the most comfortable brands out there), but I find their collection to lack what I’m looking for. Even their pointed ballet flats (I have a pair and love them!) come across as more casual than what I was needing, and their more formal heeled sandals or wedges are not something I’d walk 3 miles across the city in.

So what is a girl to do? Well, I ordered about 25 pairs of shoes from across the internet and put them to the test. These are the three pairs that turned out to be absolutely amazing and were added to my closet. I can walk all day in them. I can pop on and off (and pedal) a bike, and I can pair them with work-appropriate outfits for client meetings or social events.

VIA SPIGA GALEA SLIP-ON SNEAKER from DSW ($79.95) – These are the most casual ones I got, but I wanted something that I could wear for longer bike rides and still feel comfortable going into a restaurant or concert. I’m comfortable pairing these with my Athleta Metro Slouch pants for long bike rides, or boyfriend jeans, a graphic tee, and blazer for meetings and events. I took these on my recent trip to Paris and they were perfect for long days of walking around airports, plus easy to slip on and off for security and comfy travel.

ROTHY’S POINT FLAT ($145, get $20 off + free shipping with THIS LINK) – Discovering Rothy’s might have been the best part of this shoe journey. These shoes are incredible! Rothy’s are made out of recycled bottles — so not only are they some of the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn….but they are also eco-friendly! I also love that these are machine washable. I took a pair of these on my trip to Paris and wore them almost every single day of the trip (we walked over 30 miles!). They’re amazing shoes for travel (especially when you always travel with a carry-on!) because they are so light and easy to wedge into a crowded bag. When we got home, I tossed them in the washing machine and they were like new again. The material of these shoes is another favorite aspect. They are completely seamless, which means there’s nowhere for your foot or toes to rub or get blisters, and the entire shoe kind of forms to your foot after your first wear. I originally ordered them in gray, but quickly added 3 more colors to my collection (black, red and flax) to replace older pointed flats that weren’t as reliable. At $145 the Rothy’s are definitely some of the most expensive shoes I own but have been 100% worth the price and I know that their cpw (cost per wear) will be low. The insoles that come with the shoes are pretty basic but are removable. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time standing, you could easily swap these out for something with more arch support or custom orthotics (hey, doctor/nurse friends!). Don’t forget to use my code for $20 off and free shipping!

ALDO GALINSKY FLAT from DSW ($59.95) – This shoe is kind of a hybrid of the other two pairs. It’s a loafer but has the sophistication of a pointed toe. They are incredibly comfortable and I like pairing them with anything from black ponte pants to destructed denim.  These are made of the absolute softest leather (buttery!) and had virtually no break-in period. I’m thinking about getting these in the tan option, too, because I just love them so much.

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This post was not sponsored. I bought my first pair of Rothy’s with my own, real money! Along with the other two pairs, dang it. However, after mentioning Rothy’s they did send me a few free pairs to say “Thanks for liking our shoes, man” and I couldn’t say no to that.