I'll never forget the first time I learned about Dansko. It happened six years ago. I was at Kaiser for my annual physical. When my doctor walked in, I immediately noticed her amazing shoes. Over the years I had experienced so many disappointments with so many different brands that I eventually came to believe that style and comfort were traits that ran orthogonal to each other. I came to believe that if I wanted to wear a pair of foxy kicks, I would have to sacrifice comfort---and vice versa. Five inches in width flat on the ground, my wide flat feet chose for me: it chose Plain Jane comfort. Left with no alternatives, I wore my running shoes everywhere with almost everything.
Having to choose between style and comfort ended the very day I saw my fashion forward doctor wearing her foxy comfy Mary Jane Danskos six years ago. Since that fated day, I've purchased several pairs of Dansko from brick and mortar stores and from EBay. Needless to say, Dansko and I were love at first sight.
Can you imagine my ecstasy when I found a lovely brown box with Dansko inscribed on the side, waiting for me in my mailbox? It felt like Christmas in late May. I thank Dansko for sending me this pair to wear, test and review. And without further ado, let's get to it!
Dansko sent me a red slide from their Golden Gate line, called Midori. Midori is a lovely Mary Jane half backed clog. It features darling details such as welting that runs vertically down the toes, and hand stitching that runs all around the perimeter of the shoe. The Midori comes in several colors: Pomegranate (the lovely pair featured in this post), Black, Brown, Butterscotch, Thyme, and Teal (a great color, too!).
I first wore the Midori on a long hike without socks along the Coastal Trail in San Francisco about a week ago. As I did for the Sanita's Catalina Wave, I kept my two Sensitivity Issues in mind, the first being the open area above the strap of the Mary Jane, which becomes an issue only if the shoes aren't wide enough. The second area I keep in mind is the heel, which only applies to open back clogs with a slight heel. Neither of these issues were relevant to the Midori -- the width and lengths were perfect. However, I did experience an isolated and mild discomfort (about an inch in diameter) on the base of my LEFT large toe knuckle. 
Actually, the official name for this area which I speak of is: The Great Toe's Metatarsophalangeal Joint. But I prefer to call it "Toe Knuckle". This
toe knuckle resides directly beneath the vamp beside the mouth of the Mary Jane. That small area in the left shoe, about an inch in diameter, rubbed against my toe knuckle as I walked. Though, the rest of my feet were quite happy and quite comfy in them. I've been wearing my Midoris daily since that first hike along the Coastal Trail and to Dansko's credit, the
discomfort around my left "toe knuckle" has abated and disappeared.
Hey, for those of you who love certifications, it will please you to know that the Golden Gate line carries the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance, which designates footwear products that promote good foot health. Midori is part of the Golden Gate and is officially good for you.
If you want to check out the Midori, I suggest you visit your local comfort shoe shop and try on a pair -- they're stunning in person. As far as other brick and mortar stores are concerned, Nordstrom has them in stock. You can also get these babies online:
If any of you have Midoris, please feel free to share your impressions -- I'd love to hear what you think.
Again, a million thanks to Dansko for making this review of Midori possible!
Stay tuned for:
Midori by Dansko (Part Deux), The Gallery of Bottoms!
, $124.95
