What Are the Best Dress Shoes for Kids with Flat Feet? – Supportive, Comfortable, and Stylish!
Most parents get confused as to what type of shoes their flat-footed children should wear for dressier occasions. I already created a resource that describes the best sneakers for children who have flat feet, and in this specific one, I will show you what are the best dress shoes for kids with flat feet based on my many years of shoe fitting experience. The two most popular questions parents tend to ask are:
- Are there any dress shoes that provide extra support or come with a built-in-arch?
- Should I fit an orthotic inside my kids’ dress shoes?
I wanted to share these questions because you might be asking the same ones yourself. There are definitely certain kids’ dress shoes that provide better support than others, and to answer the second question it depends on how severe your child’s foot condition is and whether your child is experiencing severe foot and leg pain.
My Role Helping Kids with Flat Feet Find Supportive Dress Shoes
For over a decade year, I have helped hundreds of children with flat feet find the correct pair of shoes dress shoes. Just to give you a little bit of background, the biggest issue with flat feet is that children who are flat-footed tend to walk with their feet turning inwards, which shifts their body out of alignment and affects their overall posture.
Once the feet are pronated, the knees and hips also become misaligned. This means the muscles that move those joints no longer work efficiently, and it will take more energy for your child to do the same work as other children who don’t have this condition. In addition, having flat feet can lead to future lower back pain and complicated foot conditions such as bunions.
Are You Unsure Whether Your Child Is Wearing the Correct Types of Sneakers?
The most important piece of footwear that children with flat feet need to wear are supportive sneakers. When it comes to dress shoes there is a very small selection of shoes that provide the correct amount of support, but the good news is that I will help you find them.
Keep in mind that even if you provide your child with a pair of supportive dress shoes I suggest that you limit the amount of time your child wears them to no more than 4 hours a day.
What Are the Best Dress Shoes for Flat Feet?
1️⃣ Substantial Outsole: This is the part of the shoe that is going to support your child’s feet and prevent the feet from collapsing and turning inwards. In addition, the substantial outsole is going to minimize the impact that your kids’ feet take when they come in contact with the ground and prevent your child’s feet and legs from easily getting tired. Let me show you the difference in support between one of the dress shoes I recommend and a different style.
The substantial outsole of the shoe will help with raising your child’s arch to a normal level while the shoes are on.
2️⃣ Firm Heel Counter: This is the back part of the shoe that provides ankle and heel support. Children with flat feet push a bit harder with their heels, so the shoe needs to stay strong in that specific area for as long as possible. I always recommend parents press on the heel counter of the shoe to make sure it feels firm before buying them.
What Dress Shoe Brands Provides the Best Support?
The three most supportive dress shoe brands for children that I have fitted before are Hush Puppies, Doc Martens and Geox. Which one of these three shoe brands your child should wear depends on your child’s unique foot shape.
- Hush Puppies can fit children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet.
- Geox can fit children with narrow or medium feet.
- Doc Martens can fit children with medium or wide feet.
This doesn’t mean that all dress shoes from Hush Puppies and Geox are going to provide good support to your child’s feet. There are only specific shoe styles among these brands that provide good support, and I will show them to you shortly.
Are You Completely Certain of Your Child’s Foot Size and Shape?
For example, do you know whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet? Do you know if your child has a high instep or not? If you don’t know the answers to these questions you can’t possibly order the correct shoe size online. I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will help you retrieve your child’s shoe size from home.
Now you should know your child’s exact foot shape so let’s take a look at a selection of the best dress shoes for kids with flat feet. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.
Supportive Dress Shoes for Kids with Flat Feet
Take a look at the description below each shoe to check if it’s capable of fitting your child’s specific foot shape.
Toddler Sizes (0 to 10)
- Order the shoe style Dress Shoes by Josmo on Amazon
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Leather made
- Classic lace-up dress shoes
- Supportive outsole and high top for ankle support
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the Mary Jane shoe style by Jabasic on Amazon
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Leather made
- Firm heel counter and stable base of support
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Leather Oxford by Footmates on Amazon
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Removable, dual insoles in medium and wide are provided to allow customized fitting
- Breathable leather lining and cushioned leather-lined footbed cradles children’s feet
- Ideal for formal occasions and casual wear
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 49326 by Primigi on Zappos
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Padded collar provides additional comfort
- Supportive outsole with firm heel counter
- Breathable leather lining and a removable leather footbed
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Boys Elliot by Stride Rite on Amazon
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 100% leather made
- Sensory pods to feel the ground beneath for better traction and grip
- Seamless construction that cradles the foot’s natural shape
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Biglia 3 by Geox on Zappos
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Extra depth and width for orthotics
- Rigid heel counter and supportive outsole
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 1461 by Dr. Martens on Zappos
- Fits medium and wide feet
- 100% leather
- Breathable leather lining and cushioned leather-lined footbed cradles children’s feet
- Ideal for formal occasions and casual wear
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
Little Kid Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Order the shoe style Bucky 2 by FootMates on Zappos
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Removable, dual insoles in medium and wide are provided to allow customized fitting
- Breathable leather lining and cushioned leather-lined footbed cradles children’s feet
- Ideal for formal occasions and casual wear
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the Mary Jane shoe style by Akk on Amazon
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Leather made
- Supportive outsole with firm heel counter
- Easy on-and-off with an oversized opening hook and loop closure
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Riddock by Geox on Amazon
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Leather uppers
- Oversized opening
- Double velcro straps
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Savage by Geox on Amazon
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Leather uppers
- Oversized opening
- Double velcro straps
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Ethan by Dr. Martens on Zappos
- Fits medium and wide feet
- 100% leather
- Breathable leather lining and cushioned leather-lined footbed cradles children’s feet
- Ideal for formal occasions and casual wear
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Shark by EMU on Zappos
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Padded heel for extra comfort
- Dual horseshoe buckles with hook-and-loop closures on the straps
- Cushioned insole for all-day comfort
- I suggest that you get this dress shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
Do These Dress Shoes Come with a Built-In Arch?
These dress shoes don’t come with a built-in-arch. Remember that the support comes from the supportive outsole and the firm heel counter.
Dress shoes for flat feet need to be sturdier to do their job. Now, let’s not confuse sturdy for uncomfortable. If your child complains that the shoes feel uncomfortable make sure that you bought the correct shoe size. You should also explain to your child that dress shoes are always going to feel stiffer than sneakers.
Orthotics for Kids’ Dress Shoes – Are They Necessary?
Some parents want to know whether they should fit an orthotic inside their kids’ dress shoes to provide them with extra support. My approach has always been to try a pair of supportive shoes first and observe how the child walks on them and check if the child is comfortable or not.
If your child complains of discomfort or pain then I suggest fitting an orthotic inside the shoes for extra support. Not all orthotics work with dress shoes, but I have found one specific one that has become my go-to orthotic for kids with flat feet.
The main reason why I recommend this orthotic is that it provides excellent arch and heel support, and at the same time is not as invasive as other orthotics. This means that this orthotic allows the child’s foot and leg muscles to develop on their own while still supporting them.
Fits Toddler Shoe Size 5 up to Big Kid Shoe Size 3
- Order the Footlogics full-length supportive insole on Amazon
- Fits a toddler shoe size 5 up to a big kid shoe size 3
- Medically approved insoles with targeted cushion and support
- Deep heel cup with strong arch support
- Made from lightweight yet supportive cushioning material with shock-absorbing heel and forefoot padding
- They can be trimmed to size with scissors if needed
Fits Big Kid Shoe Size 3 1/2 and Above
- Order the Footlogics full-length supportive insole on Amazon
- Fits a big kid shoe size 3.5 up to a big kid shoe size 7 (available in adult sizes so you need to convert to kids’ shoe sizes)
- Built-in metatarsal raise
- Deep heel cup
- Developed by Australian podiatrists
- They can be trimmed to size with scissors if needed
You can interchange the orthotic between your child’s dress shoes and sneakers.
Let’s Keep Your Kids’ Feet Healthy! – Be Proactive!
How effective the dress shoes I recommend will vary from child to child – we all have different feet, different degrees of fallen arches, and ultimately, different styles of walking.
I am always emphasizing to parents to not leave their child’s flat-footedness condition untreated as it can lead to future lower back pain, bunions, as well as general foot and leg pain. Be proactive and don’t wait for your child’s foot condition to resolve on its own, the longer you wait the higher the chances your child might develop foot pain or another foot problem such as bunions, tendon damage, and joint problems.
Before you leave, I wanted to provide you with an example of a parent that sent me an image of how her feet look like now from not having dealt with her flat feet condition from an early stage:
Wearing dress shoes that support the arches can make walking more comfortable and reduce the risk of complications!
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my email if you have any further questions or if you need a different pair of shoes for your child’s flat feet.
Have you found a specific dress shoe style that has worked well for your child’s flat feet? Share your findings below so other families can benefit from your experiences.
