The material of a shoe is going to affect so many aspects of the shoes you are considering. There are dozens of materials and blends that can be used to make one shoe. When choosing what sort of shoe material you need it is important to know the pros and cons of each material. From there, base it off of what you see matching your needs the closest. Here are a few of the most common options that are to be used as materials for springtime shoes.

Leather- While most people consider leather not a good choice for a warmer weather shoe, there is only a slight truth to that. Oddly enough, leather is very breathable. However, not as much as other materials. For a springtime shoe, you might be perfectly fine wearing a leather-based option as it has not reached its peak temperatures yet. Also, leather is good at wicking moisture away from the skin. Therefore, on warmer days the leather shoe might actually keep your feet drier than another type of material. Lastly, leather is very easy to clean. It can be scrub with a rag and soapy water and just about comes right back to original condition. On the other hand, unless leather has been properly broken in, it starts out as pretty rigid. It sometimes needs leather conditioners to get it in the prime shape to be thoroughly enjoyed. Cow leather is the most common type to be used. The leather is a popular choice as it is stretchable and durable. Also, it can be dyed to many colors with ease.

Mesh- Typically, the mesh is a go-to material for athletic shoes, water shoes, etc. The lightweight and durable material is easy to care for. Mesh is widely acclaimed for its breathability component. Therefore, when searching for a spring shoe, it is advisable to go with a mesh composition. Mesh is also very comfortable against the skin. Furthermore, if it gets wet in those pesky spring pop-up showers, it will dry relatively fast. That is great because wet shoes set up a breeding ground for bacteria and other fungi. Technology today also allows shoemakers to treat the mesh with antimicrobial properties before they are sold. Lastly, the mesh is easy to dye to many colors and compose to many shapes and adornments. The downside of the mesh is the structure of it. If you are looking for a more rigid type of shoe, you will hardly find one made of mesh. Mesh is made to be bendable and flexible. It is supposed to move with your foot. Another negative factor regarding mesh, especially if a very loosely woven mesh, it has the tendency to pick and fray easier. Think of it like a knitted blanket. The loose rings are easy to catch on things such as branches when walking around.

Canvas- A very popular material that is widely used is canvas. This type of material is always touted for its lightweight feeling as well as its durability. Canvas shoes are ideal for long distances when walking since they are not heavy. Your feet won’t feel the fatigue from wearing them. Also, the canvas results in shoes being very flexible. If you need your springtime shoe to bend and move with you on the go, canvas shoes make a great option that really feels like an extension fo your body instead of a separate thing. Conversely, canvas even though lightweight, could take more time to dry than some other types of shoes in the category. Depending on the thickness and weave of your canvas, you might be walking around in soggy shoes longer than you care to.

Foam- Generally speaking the foam is used in the soles of the shoe most often. However, there are still two types of foam that can comprise a shoe. There is closed cell foam and open cell foam. Open cell foam is available in different weights, thicknesses, and colors. You will typically see open cell foams used in the collars and tongues of shoes. Interestingly, thin sheets of Polyurethane, or PU, are used to make the backs of fabrics is a lot of styles of shoes. This helps the stitches to “stick” in a shoe and prevents wrinkling and creases. In opposition, there is closed cell foam. It is very dense. Most recognizably known will be EVA foam, usually used in the soles of shoes. The thickness of the EVA also has to do with whether most shoes are waterproof. Using 2mm of foam sheets will waterproof the fabric. Latex and neoprene are the next runners-up in closed cell foams. A trick to remembering this is “closed cell” means closed off. “Open cell” has more room in between the fibers of the material.

Spring is in the air and designers from around the world flocked to New York City to show off the trends and styles we should look forward to when the flowers start to bloom. From wild neon colors to animal print, flats to slingbacks, plastic to lace, there was something for everyone. When it comes to shoes, designers like Caroline Herrera debuted seaform green wedges, while H&M went with a daring pair of snake-skin pumps. Whatever your preference, our list has you covered for Spring 2019 trends to watch out for.

We ranked each of the products on our list for style by assessing whether or not they will help you get noticed (in a good way!) when you’re walking down the street, in the mall or even at college. Some of the styles we awarded high marks to were:

Animal Prints
As stated, animal prints were the rage of NYC FW for 2019. On our list, we have an awesome pair of Cole Haan Tali Bow Flats that can help you unleash your inner animal. Just be aware that some of the options on our list use genuine animal product, if that is a concern for you.

White Sneakers
Sneakers, specifically white sneakers, were highlighted in the list of spring shoe trends to watch out for. On our list, we have the Converse All Star, a classic look that never fades. White signifies purity, lightness and perfection, and the white canvas CT All Star will get your spring started on that foot.

Green
Green was one of the colors of Fashion Week. Everything from lush, spring green to seafoam made its way down the runway. As a fan of green, we highly recommend to you the Sam Edelman Hazel pump. Stunning in and of itself, regardless of the trend, but the Spring Green color, specifically, will help you lead the trend curve.

Although any of the spring shoes on our list will look good, watching for the things we mentioned above will have you leading the pack when it comes to beating the trend!

One often overlooked but a highly important thing to consider when searching for any new shoe is the arch support that it offers. Most people don’t know the number of things in or with the body the arch of the foot can affect if not properly taken care of. Did you know that with every mile walked, our arches endure 200,000 to 300,000 pounds of stress? It is no wonder with all of that blunt force our arches sometimes hurt us more than they should. For example, two common major complaints are plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia. Big words. However, they can cause major issues for people and they solely revolve around the arch. One of the ways to help prevent these conditions from occurring or to help symptoms if you already have them is picking shoes that properly support the arch. Some symptoms of improper arch support are pains in the arches, tingling, pain in other areas of the foot that radiate from the arches, among other signs. It is also very important to know the type of arch you have so that you can properly support your individual arch. There are many ways to determine your arch shape, most of which involve at-home, simple tests that don’t cost a thing. You simply use household items you already have on hand.

Once your arch type is determined it will be easier to get a shoe that you need for correct care. There are three types of arches.

Average arch- This is what the American Podiatric Medical Association deems as a typical arch. You will see a nice curvature from the ball of the foot to the back of the foot. When examining it from the side it does not seem overly high at the arch.

Low arch- Sometimes this is also more commonly known as “flatfooted“. If you stand in front of a mirror and look at your feet, you will have trouble seeing any space from the floor to the top of your arch. Also, you can wet your feet and stand on a paper bag or similar. If there is a wide and solid print as opposed to a cut in at the arch, you can assume you are on the flatfoot side. Furthermore, people with low arches tend to overpronate. This means that the foot rotates too far inwards with each step.

High arch- People that have higher arches tend to have a foot that rolls outwards; known as underpronation. This can cause issues with your stance and stride. The side of your foot is taking the impact as opposed to the entire foot. A higher arch will also need insoles that can reach the arch. Higher arches have a more likely chance of collapsing if not supported properly.
If you feel that your typical arch supports and insoles that come with the shoes you are buying do not support your foot in the way you need personally, you can see a specialist and have inserts made specifically for your foot. This is the best remedy to help get rid of the pains you have. They will not fit into all shoes, however. Make sure the shoe you are buying can accept an arch support without being seen and without causing your foot to improperly fit into the shoe once the insert is in.

No one likes to spend their hard-earned money on a new pair of shoes only to have them tear up or fall apart after just a few uses. The shoes we picked are highly reviewed for durability. We also stress that you take care of your shoes per the manufacturer’s instructions. A few general care tips are to never wash shoes in the washing machine as it lessens their lifespan, pretreat with stain repellents when safe on the fabric and appropriate, and finally, use a waterproof spray if and when appropriate. This will help your feet as well as the shoes!

Really, value and durability go hand in hand. You don’t want to get an affordable shoe and have to sacrifice the durability of the shoe. Conversely, you don’t want to sacrifice the durability just to get something affordable. It pays to plan in advance sometimes. If you need to, make a budget and set aside money for weeks or months in order to purchase the shoes you need without having to worry about the cost.

However, if that is not an option as you need the shoes right now, you can rest assured the shoes on our list are highly rated for durability across the board. You will have to determine what is an appropriate amount for your budget personally. We do take into high accord the price range of shoes when making our list. We strive to bring shoes that can easily fit into almost any budget.