I had a few issues going on:
1. One foot is 1/2 a size larger than the other. No one ever told me I should buy shoes to fit the larger foot, so I'd usually size down 1/2 a size so the smaller foot would not be slipping out of the pump. That resulted in the bigger foot having toes squished into shoe, which led to bunions. Never wore taller than 2.5".
2. I was never taught how to buy genuinely supportive, high quality shoes. I'd have jobs where I was on my feet all day and I'd be wearing lousy $25 tennis shoes from Payless or KMart. I would sometimes put Dr. Scholls insoles in them to make them more comfortable, but when you are on your feet all day, you need heavy-duty support shoes like the ones nurses always wear.
But, in my younger years, no one ever told me I should invest $100 every 6 months in nursing-type shoes. I just didn't know. Plus, when I was young, my attitude was OMG, "I can't wear Clarks! My MOTHER wears those! I am young!!! I need to wear young people shoes!"
Today, sometimes when I'm in restaurants I look at the workers' shoes, especially if it's super-busy and the staff is looking exhausted. I see so many terrible work shoes. People still buy black crossfit or running shoes and think those are good enough for standing all day because they don't know about arch support either! Or, God forbid, CROCS. People standing all day in Crocs. Those make me mad. I'll see so many pronated ankles among wait staff and fast food workers. I want to tell them about shoes, but, of course, I don't.
3. There is a cultural expectation among women that your fancy shoes are going to make your feet hurt and this is to be expected - beauty is pain. That is still true with young women today. You think every pair of Jimmy Choos are comfortable? No. But they are worn anyway because they are Jimmy Choos. I never had expensive dress shoes, but I'd buy for looks rather than comfort just like everyone else did. Lots of toe smooshing.