I take it to mean firm arches, but some may mean orthotics. I
wear shoes with closed toes and good arches when I walk. Others
may know more specifically. She really should query the folks who
told her that.

I actually have two pairs of sandals with good arch support built
right in. I had to pay over $100.00 for each pair but they last a
long time, although I would not take a long walk in them. They
look pretty good, not sure if 'cute' is the right word. :-)

Joan

Her doctor is the one who has to define support.

And her definition of cute shoes may have to change.  But there is life
after spike heals and flip flops.

Birkenstocks happen to suit my feet.  Sorry but they seldom meet even the
most modest criteria for cute shoes.  However last year I was able to get
one pair in red patent leather that I'm crazy about and have another pair
in a soft suede that are darn near attractive as well.

If sandals are possible, but maybe not as minimal as she would like, a
really good cute pedicure can take up a lot of the slack as well.

A word of advice.  If she has only recently had the surgery, she may well
need some time to adjust to the fact that things change.  A person can live
a full happy life without cute strappy sandals, but now might not be the
time to press the point.  We all need to mourn our own losses in our own
time.  Personally, I'm pretty happy with any day when it doesn't hurt to
put my feet on the floor to head to the bathroom the first time.  But it
took me a while to get there.

Jo