The first summer sandals that actually fit my wide feet.

On the ergonomic comfort sandal built for wide and sensitive feet — soft straps that never dig in, a footbed like a cloud, and enough grip to walk all day without a second thought.

I am 63 years old, and I have wide feet. If you do too, you already know the quiet arithmetic of every summer: which sandals will squeeze my feet over the edges, which will leave red grooves by lunch, and which simply do not come in my width at all.

My closet had settled into a sad little truth. There were sandals that were pretty and hurt, and one tired, stretched-out pair that was comfortable only because I had worn it into submission over three summers. I had stopped expecting anything better.

Then a woman in my Tuesday walking group here in Mount Pleasant kept up with all of us, all morning, in a pair of sandals — not sneakers, sandals — and never once stopped to rub a sore spot. I finally asked. She laughed and told me to read the Clarke family's letter first.

The Clarke family runs a small boutique here in South Carolina, family-run since 1986 — three generations, mother to daughter. The sandals are called the Eliza, and their letter walks through the handful of things they refused to compromise on. I am going to let their words carry it, because they say it better than I could.

1Made for wide — and sensitive — feet

We built the Eliza for the feet real women actually have — wider, sensitive, prone to swelling in the heat. The soft, comfortable straps hold your foot gently across its full width and never dig in, even when your feet swell by afternoon. No pinching, no overhang, no red grooves.

2An ergonomic footbed like a cloud

The footbed is contoured and cushioned — designed to support your foot instead of pressing on it. It relieves the sore, tired spots so every step lands on cushion. Women tell us it feels like walking on a cloud, and I cannot describe it any better.

3All day on your feet, no burning by evening

Between the support and the cushioning, the Eliza carries you instead of punishing you. Market to garden to dinner — no burning heels, no aching arches, no counting the minutes until you can finally sit down.

4No blisters, no breaking in

There is no painful break-in. The straps are soft, with no hard edges to bite, so you can wear the Eliza straight out of the box on a long, hot day and come home without a single blister or sore spot.

5A grippy sole, so you never slide

The rubber outsole has a tread built for sure footing — on wet tile, damp boardwalks, and slippery surfaces where a smooth sole would send you sliding. Steady, confident steps everywhere you go.

6Four easy colors, sizes 4 to 12

The Eliza comes in black, blue, pink and beige — soft, easy shades that go with the dresses and trousers you already own — in sizes 4 through 12. Most women who buy one come back for a second before the season is out.

The Eliza, against the sandals you've been buying

	Typical summer sandal	The Eliza
Fit	Squeezes wider feet	Made for wide & sensitive feet
Footbed	Thin and hard	Ergonomic, cushioned support
All day	Burning, aching by afternoon	Comfortable morning to night
Straps	Dig in, especially with swelling	Soft straps that never dig in
Sole	Slippery underfoot	Grippy, sure-footed on wet

Why they're clearing it now

They priced the Eliza at $169.95 when it launched, and it sold at that price all season. But for America's 250th, the Clarke family wanted to give something back to the women who have kept their doors open since 1986 — so every pair is going out at less than a third of that.

I ordered the black. It arrived a few days later in a kraft-paper box with a short handwritten note from the family. I have not reached for another pair since.

I do not usually write things like this. But I spent too many summers with sore, burning feet, wearing the same tired pair because it was the only thing that fit — and the Eliza quietly gave me my summers back. If wide feet have burned you too, I hope you find your size before it clears.

— Margaret Ellison · Mount Pleasant, SC

See the Eliza — $49.95 →

This is a personal account from a Clarke Family customer. Margaret was not paid to write it. · The Clarke Family · Family Fashion · South Carolina, since 1986 · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.