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The best swing shoes will be comfortable and supportive with a smooth sole of suede or hard leather, but no so slick that you'll be falling all over the place. Sandals are out of the question. No sandals. Just... no. Sneakers are hard to dance in because they have so much traction and they leave marks on our nice dance floors. Ladies: Wear high heels at your own peril. I have seen VERY few people who can dance well in four inch heels. What do I wear to my first lesson?Guys can get away with sneakers for the first bit, but if you have a pair without a lot of traction to the soles you'll be better off. Girls will want shoes without a lot of traction, which helps you get through spins and such. I have found ballet flats to be a good option as long as they stay on well. Now for the options to look into once you know you want to keep dancing: OPTION 1: TAPE [$]Yes, duct tape can do anything! Simply get an old pair of shoes and some duct tape. Anything will do, even old sneakers, but Keds and Vans work particularly well. In high school I used an old pair of gym shoes that still fit. Put the tape on the soles vertically from heel to toe and make sure it's nice and flat so it won't catch and peel off. Walk around on the dance floor a bit to make sure the adhesive is stuck on really well before you start dancing. It will start out a little sticky, but after you dance for a while you'll wear down the tape's texture so it'll be smoother. You can also use masking tape, but this comes off easier and it's REALLY slick. Taped shoes will last a few months and then you'll have to replace the tape. OPTION 2: SUEDE [$$]If you want to go a step above duct tape, you can try putting suede on your shoes. This will last you a year or two, and then you'll probably have to have to do it again. The first option is to take your shoes (again I recommend Keds or Vans) to a good shoe repair shop and ask to have them chromed with suede. This usually runs about $30 per pair. The other option is to do it yourself. You can buy leather suede (a.k.a. chrome tanned leather) at shoe repair shops, fabric stores, or craft stores. You can also use faux suede or felt which are cheaper, or Ultrasuede which is more durable and more expensive. Trace and cut the material to approximately the right size, glue it on the sole with rubber cement, then trim the edges. Here's a good link that goes into more detail:
OPTION 3: SWING SHOES [$$$]If you really want some high quality fancy-shmancy swing shoes, go with Aris Allens or Bleyers. Both are excellent, though Bleyers tend to be a bit more expensive because they're imported from Europe. I use Aris Allen brown and white wingtips, and they are awesome! Here are some websites with more information about these shoes and how to buy them:
Another option for girls is character shoes - general dance shoes with a bit of a sturdy heel. They can help you dance on the balls of your feet, which makes Charleston in particular much easier. The Hip Joint in C-ville on the Downtown Mall has them, with the advantage of being able to try them on in the store. SHOE CAREIf there's one thing to say about taking care of your swing shoes is this: DON'T WEAR THEM OUTSIDE! It's bad for suede, and you duct-tape shoes will be torn up in no time. Carry them or bring them in a bag and change shoes at the dance. Try not to get your suede shoes wet, especially from soda or beer. If it's just water, they should be fine once they dry out. If your nice suede shoes do get glazed over or gunked up from dried soda or caked on dust or whatever, clean them with a wire brush with short steel bristles. You can get them at most shoe stores, or ask for a "file brush" at a hardware store. Another option is to scrape them clean with a sharp knife blade held sideways. MORE INFOHere are some good general FAQs about swing shoes:
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