happytoes

Oh , are white sneakers a bad idea? I mean I am talking a lower profile little white sneaker, not a big clunky running shoe.

My husband will stand out more. For anything casual or walking all day he believes in wearing the most comfortable clothes possible -- plain hanes type tshirt, denim shorts or gym shorts, and sneakers.

kodi

Again, you'll be fine with the shoes you have. Nothing wrong with sneakers, no matter what colour... you will see that as soon as you arrive.
The ONLY thing I'd change is your husband's shorts. Ask him to wear the denim ones.
T shirts are fine as long as you aren't talking about the muscle sleeveless t shirts.

White t shirts and denim shorts and sneakers will be fine. You'll see hundreds dressed the same.. but not at nicer restaurants.

Even to go to the theatre people wear jeans ( not ripped and torn).

toedtoes

While they're not the greatest looking sandals, I found a pair very similar to the Rieker Annett at Kmart.

They come in black or beige suede and are EXTREMELY comfortable. And, they only cost about $20 regular priced, so the price is definitely right.

I've worn them with casual skirts (broomsticks, denim, etc.) and they look OK and don't stick out like a sore thumb.

And, at that price, you could toss them into the back of your closet to use for travel only.

Mine are currently packed in my suitcase for my upcoming trip.

happytoes

thanks toedtoes for the suggestion.

However I checked the weather - 10 day forecast goes up to first couple days in Paris. Highs are only low 70s! To me that's a bit too chilly for shorts and sandals! I might have to stick to my sneakers. I was thinking it might be more upper 80s or even 90s for some reason. And I suppose evenings would be even little more chilly.

nona1

We are having an odd summer in Europe this year. Parts are baking and parts are drowning. In London we've had everything. Be flexible - it is quite possible you'll get those 80s and 90s days, and it's quite possible you'll get 60s and 70s. You'll probably get some of all of these!

You will need something other than shorts for the evenings.

Wear your sneakers. No one cares.

nona1

At your ages I can understand why you don't want to do 'frumpy' and your clothes sound ok (although I'm not sure what basketball shorts look like, are they those massively wide knee-length ones? You'll see them around on teenagers sometimes but not really on adults.
Here jeans are the main thing worn by virtually everyone. Different ages wear different styles, that's all.

travel_buzzing

London's great for shoes, also a good excuse to go shopping there, I would wait.
Generally don't understand these threads about comfy shoes while in Europe- How come Europeans seem to manage walking round in inappropriate-yet-pretty shoes up all these "cobbled streets" then? (cobbled streets a minority)
i don't rate sightseeing as fair reasoning for ugly shoes.
You're in your 20's, you need to show off wearing hottie shoes while you can!

caroline_edinburgh

Are you planning to visit any churches ? Shorts are not acceptable at some - both of you should have at least your shoulders and knees covered, to be on the safe side.

The temperatures could be anywhere between 15 and 32 centigrade, so take a selection and plan to layer.

littlejane

A suggestion - wear what you would wear in NYC for a weekend. The same rules apply - you will be walking a lot and don't want to kill your feet, and you are in a city not at the beach.

alanRow

Why does no-one in America sell shoes that are comfortable and stylish? Is it too difficult?

karens

Unless you are planning on spending a lot of money, I don't think shopping for shoes while in London is a great idea with the exchange rate being what it is...

hopscotch

Basketball shorts? With matching tank top and baseball cap askew I presume? And you are so worried about your shoes being ugly? LOL

Ilovetotravel18

I agree about the "frumpy looking" comfort shoes. I have really bad feet - plantar fascitis, high arch, etc.- and spend hours looking online for comfortable shoes that don't look like something my grandma would wear (oh, and I am a 50 year old grandma myself!). I love walking, but have so much trouble finding shoes that don't hurt either the top of my foot (I have a big bone that sticks up on top of my right foot, so straps don't work well for me), or ones that don't hurt the bottom of my heel. Also, I agree with the poster that said $50 a pair for shoes is a lot for her - I know I have never paid more than $40 for a pair of shoes. Maybe that is why my feet hurt, I know that some will say. I know someday I will break down and spend a lot of money on shoes, but right now it just doesn't work for me. Anyway, does anyone else have any adviceon buying shoes for similar foot problems short of going to a foot store to buy shoes? I love reading all the advice here. I hope happytoes has a great trip. Really, no one else is going to care what you look like. Do try to dress up a bit, but don't worry yourself over the details. Have a wonderful trip and enjoy yourselves is my advice!

hdm

The Sketchers I bought on sale for $60 are normally $90 which I think is outrageous for a pair of casual shoes. BUT when I think about how often I wear them as compared to shoes that cost less, I can consider them a bargain. They're probably cheaper in the US.

Ilovetotravel, the strap is Velcro'd closed so they can be made quite loose (or, I suppose you could even cut the strap right off). Would that help?

janisj

&quot;<i>Why does no-one in America sell shoes that are comfortable and stylish? Is it too difficult?</i>&quot;

That is definitely what these sorts of threads make it seem - huh? I don't get it.

But definitely NOT the case. We are not limited to either frumpy &quot;old lady support&quot; shoes or stylish foot killers. There are hundreds of styles that are decent and good looking. If one doesn't want to buy actual walking shoes, there are all sorts of flats and low heeled shoes everywhere from dirt cheap Payless Shoesource to upscale Nordstrom/Saks.

Happytoes - go to any Macy's and you'll find lots to choose from.

(the ONLY good thing about the basketball shorts is they are long and baggy - 15 years ago BB shorts were tight short shorts - now THAT would be a sight )

suze

You don't have to dress differently. But I would most definitely check the weather just before you leave. Then pack from your own normal &quot;weekend wardrobe&quot; picking things that will be appropriate to the temperatures you'll be finding.

Fashion sense aside(!) it won't be fun if it is only 65 degrees and you have packed clothes for temps in the 90's.

happytoes

When you say have something to wear in evening, do you mean pants/long sleeves for temperature wise or something more dressy for restaurants? We honestly don't plan to do any fancy or dressed up occassions. Also, in Amsterdam we might go to the Red Light District in the evening to see what it's all about. Are these places we can wear jeans or cargo pants (for me - girlie cargo pants) or are we suppose to be more on the business casual side?

L84SKY

If you're leaving in a week, take the most comfortable shoes you own that you love to walk in.
Don't try to break in a pair of walking shoes in a week. Unless you bring a nice supply of moleskins for your new blisters.

BoniseA

You definitely don't need to dress up to go the RLD in Amsterdam. Cargo pants and jeans are fine.

That goes for all of Amsterdam. Many of the tourists in Amsterdam are college age. They all wear jeans, shorts and cargo pants. Very informal.

scatcat

happytoes

I have been to Amsterdam many times. I always wear jeans. If you are going to a high-end restaurant,(I don't), just wear a nice blouse with your jeans and shoes other than athletic type.