+1 for Stormy Kromer

Alden 403 or any other makeup from other retailers. The TruBalance last is really fantastic. People will whine about the leather board heels blah blah blah. They’re just fine. Get some factory seconds from The Shoe Mart for $400. I can wear mine all day without discomfort, the neocork sole is ridiculously long lasting and they easily pair with a pair of chinos for work.

Depends on your budget. Do you need steel toe? Either way, a wedge sole (Vibram or equivalent) works best for concrete. On the lower end, Thorogood and Red Wing make solid boots (boots > shoes) and on the higher end, White’s, Nick’s, JK Boots, Frank’s and Wesco.

Nice! Glad you're coming from experience here.

Ever owned a pair before?

I watched it and still don’t care. People are making too much of a stink about that video. Someone just posted a photo of 10 year old Indy’s the other day. They look stellar. To each their own but it’s still a solid fitting boot and seconds are a great option if firsts don’t seem worth it.

White’s MP or Bounty Hunter model. Order from Baker’s Boots to nail down your sizing. White’s offers ton of lengths and widths to accommodate your foot. Baker’s has a great customization tool so you can get an idea of the leathers. You might have to wait a while if you customize (6-9 months) and they have a 20% Black Friday sale. The big appeal to me is that they offer the ability to rebuild MOST of their boots. They’ll replace everything except the upper quarters. I like the waxed flesh leathers from Horween. They can take a beating and look great in both settings. If you want something you can shine, Chromexcel can be nice.

I also like my Alden Indy’s. You can get factory seconds from The Shoe Mart by emailing them and ask to be added to their list. You’ll then sign in on their site and have the ability to shop for their seconds. Indy seconds start at $400. Alden also offers lots of lengths and widths to find right fit.

Viberg is out of your price range but you could find some secondhand in that range.

Grant Stone is another solid option under your price range that also offers goodyear welted footwear and a good amount of sizes and great leather options for Horween and C.F. Stead.

Gustin 2-pack for $36. Made in SoCal and a much heavier weight than most of those listed. Mine have lasted longer than any other tee I’ve purchased.

Depends. How do you plan to wear them and in what types of environments? What's your price range? Are you looking for a lace up or slip on? What style (sleek, chonky or something in-between)?

Both Blundstone and Thursday are enough to satisfy the majority of the population. Most of Thursday's women's line is NOT goodyear welted and not resoleable. Keep and eye out for that.

u/goodyearwelt has a guide to quality women's footwear

If you run into the issue of wide forefoot and narrow heel, several of the PNW bootmakers (pending you're in the US) can make a combination last (merry the forefoot of one last and the heel of another) to account for that discrepancy. They're pricey but can be worth it. I.E. White's, JK Boots, Frank's, maybe Nick's and Wesco too.