shoe help! major foot issues

I've had foot issues for 5+ years--a giant bunion on my big toe and plantar fasciitis that comes and goes.

My shoes need giant arch support.  

I wore a pair of Dockers for a day a few years ago and it kicked up my PF for a couple of months because they are so flat/no support. 

They are ALL ugly (I would love someone to correct me on this and find some normal looking shoes)

Luckily I'm in the south and almost never need closed-toe shoes.

The cheapest ones are some crocs (not the original style) but the sandals with support.

Also I have some Tevas.   They are actually cool looking and they adjust with velcro so they are custom for your foot.   But they are Key-Westy/casual, not sure if you could wear them to school. 

But the "nicer" ones are at the "Walking Store" type shoe stores.  Expect to pay $100+ for these.

The WAlking Store! That's the name I was trying to recall. They do a computer analysis of your foot and can help you find a shoe that will work for you. Their shoes may be pricy, but find out when they're having their annual sale. I twice stumbled into the store on the day of a sale and left with multiple pairs of high end shoes for $40 each. Not bad for shoes originally priced at 3-4 times that. You might get lucky and find something in your size.

I wear Vionics. They have great arch support, which is what I need. I also wear Dansko clogs, which are great for my feet. But sometimes my ankle rolls and I fall off them. 😳

The most supportive and comfortable shoes, the ones I wear when I know I'm going to be walking the most at school are Vionic. I especially like the Vionic suede sneakers that are exclusive to QVC for now. I bought a charcoal pair when they first had them available for a great price and then I bought a black pair even though they were no longer such a good deal. They come in five colors and I really like them.

It depends on what your problem is. I tried Vionics and hated them. I can only wear Alegria, Croc Athens (in the house), and a running shoe the running store fit me in with custom orthotics. I think going to a shoe store (the Walking Store, Foot Solutions, etc.) so they can help would be most beneficial.

Merrell .. Keen ... FitFlop ... (they have styles that aren't "flip flops") ... Ecko -- all good supportive brands

The key is to take all these suggested brands and go try on as many as you can. You have options to try. Once you find the one(s) that work for you you will be able to order them online, often for less than in a brick and mortar store.

Not sure why the doctor isn't sending you to a specialist to get shoes custom made for you in this situation. Where I'm from if it's doctor prescribed it would be covered by your medical.