If you, like so many others, spend your days mostly on your feet then you really need to take good care of them. Part of that care would entail selecting the perfect footwear for whatever it is you’re doing. You need comfort and support and the Melissa brand delivers that and more.

Walking and standing aren’t the same and make different demands on our pedal parts. Therefore, we require different types of footwear for things that might make us run and walk to chase around children and something else entirely to walk from one end of an office building to another a hundred times a day then do errands and shop and walk home from the train station. Some tasks require a more stylish appearance than others. Sometimes our tastes dictate our choices in footwear and we reserve the right to decide what to wear on our feet for ourselves. If performance is your thing, you want to make the most personal statement with the coolest shoe you can find that says what you want it to say.

Most importantly you want something that you can keep on your feet without experiencing pain or restrictions. What good are the best looking heels if you can’t strut your stuff? Great booties are worthless if they pinch your toes. Flip flops and slides are completely useless if they fly off your feet when you move too fast or turn too quickly. So shoes that fit, look fantastic and love your feet until you decide to take them off are what you’re looking for and exactly what Melissa offers. Fans claim that these mold themselves to your feet over time and become a tough second skin without irritation or wearing out and loosening too much. Like the original jellies, all are made for comfort and durability. The style and panache they come with is an added benefit!

A proprietary form of the plastic, PVC known as Melflex® is the secret behind all that comfort. Soft and pliable enough to accommodate your movement, Meflex holds its form without being stiff or uncomfortable against your skin. The versatility is such that it can suitably form many parts of a shoe:

Among the latest tricks for this amazing material are the these wonderful sculpted Victorian roses and vines on boots and booties. These are bound to set off plenty of similar fabrications throughout the footwear world. Opacity or complete translucence is another impressive quality Melissa has found in this plastic and the potentials for coloration seem totally unlimited. Shiny metallics and sparkly glitters, a deep black or soft, light blue. It seems there is no limit to what the Melissa team and collaborative partners can do with this stuff.

We believe you should have options and variety and choices in your life and in your footwear. Not every day is the same and not everywhere you go requires the same style or quality. If it rains you need a waterproof, higher shoe and hot days demand that your toes get an opportunity to breathe. Surprisingly this is a brand that brings all that under one roof, using the same Melflex to provide it. Even more important than all that, is the fact that the fashion is on trend and enormously fun. The Melissa brand is about as cutting edge as it gets. The shapes are sometimes retro but they bring back the very best of whatever era they suggest and add details or new lines that create a whole new look. Each collaboration with the world’s most intriguing designers adds another flavor and often a very real innovation. We could all wear the same simple, Ugg-style boot in the same color with no regard for personal tastes but that’s not the world we live in. Why give up our options when feet are just as different as personalities? Some days you need to soar above the crowd on a huge platform and others require the happiness of wearing a piece of art, installed between you and the ground you walk on. Even when simplicity and practicality trump all other concerns there’s no reason we can’t have color or shape for inspiration.

With subtle or wild colors we can show the world who we really are and who we aspire to be. Flash and style can be a signature for a performer or any person who feels the need to shine just a little now and then. Whatever your personal style, Melissa has footwear for you and not just for one but for all occasions. There’s no limit to the looks you can have in your closet for any event, or situation or experience. Melissa’s wonderfully strange sandal inspired by architecture, a retro feel that reminds us of Candies and great motorcycle boot type footwear with Victorian roses cut into the rubber are intriguing and exuberant bits of creative art. And all of these protect your tootsies from the elements. Take yourself for a walk or to work in Minnie Mouse inspired sneakers with ears on the laces, wander on your vacation in the lightest sandals without a care. If super high stilettos are called for then Melissa has one that’s just right for you and none of these will break the bank. We made our selections based on the variety of product available and incredibly low prices. The most expensive among our picks are more than reasonable compared to the rest of the field. Melissa makes unique shoes that really last for a lot less.

While other brands do their best to use renewable sources, limit packaging and recycle their waste, Melissa is way out in front of the rest. The main product in the manufacturing process Meflex is a comparatively sustainable thermoplastic product made by parent company Grendene. They recycle or repurpose 99% of their industrial waste, reuse water and have an onsite sewage treatment facility. Their manufacturing process involves only Melflex in an injection molding system. There’s a great deal to recommend this material as it is:

With simple, seamless parts that are easy to disassemble after use, there is far less waste than from other manufacturing methods. Even long after the sale when the product is yours and you take it home there are some stores that hold events allowing you to bring back for trade or recycling any old Melissa product. When it is no longer reusable in any form it can be burned or thrown into a landfill without fear of contaminating groundwater. Every effort is made to use the PVC responsibly knowing the dangers of using such a substance. That wonderful bubblegum smell is a trade secret and though it’s non-toxic Melissa isn’t saying exactly how it’s made.

One of the things that makes Melissa brand eco-friendly is the durability of this product. The designs are timeless and such classic shapes will never really be out of style. Even if they were to sit in your closet for a few years that emitting that wonderful scent, their reappearance will, no doubt, be welcome and applauded. Since they last forever Melissa’s products may even be a generational gift, passed down through families until feet themselves have changed so much they can no longer serve as shoes. While no one knows the future we’re fairly certain Melissa’s designs will be a part of it.

When it comes to any kind of footwear, fit and comfort are two of the most important things to consider. After all, even the nicest looking shoes don't mean much when they don't fit well or are too uncomfortable to see anything but the inside of your closet.

While most fabrics will stretch and shape to your foot to some extent, Melissa shoes are made of a PVC compound. This contributes to their unique style and eco-friendly design. However, this also means that they will not break in as easily as fabric shoes, if at all. This is where fit comes in. It's very important to make sure that the shoe not only comes in the correct size but will fit the shape of your foot well.

Some shoes are made to be more narrow than others. This is the case with styles like ballet flats and some heeled designs. Sneakers, on the other hand, tend to be a touch wider and will accommodate for wider feet more easily. If fit is a concern for you, look at the size offering and charts for each design, as well as reviews. While the size offering and charts will give you the numbers, reviews will give you an idea of the real-world application of the shoe through the experiences of those who have purchased them. We've found that some of the products on this list don't come in half size; if you take a half size, try ordering the next whole size up. For example, if you normally wear an 8.5, you may want to purchase a 9. If you purchase the shoes and find that you don't like the overall fit, don't be afraid to return or exchange them. Most vendors will have robust return and exchange policies, so take advantage of that if necessary.

Last but certainly not least, the final thing to consider with Melissa footwear is the overall value. This is often judged by looking at all of the qualities of the shoe and thinking about them in relation to the price. Melissa shoes are not cheap, and prices range from mid- to high-end.

The most important question you can ask yourself about the value of shoes is what you get out of them. If you get them and find that they aren't quite up to your expectations, there's no shame in returning or exchanging them. Shoes are an important investment, and it isn't a decision to be taken lightly.

If you noticed, we spent time with each product discussing the cost and value. This is something we believe is worth researching extensively with each product, as it's a very important factor for everyone. You want to get your money's worth out of your purchase, after all.

Of course, what constitutes "value" can vary from person to person. Maybe you're particular about certain colors or are looking for something that will offer you the most in comfort, or you're on a tight budget and the price is going to be something you prioritize above other factors. When looking at the value of a product, consider what you find to be the most important to you.