Peter_S_Aus

Sadly for Christina, irony is a form of expression that may not be evident to all.

Pepper_von_snoot

Yeah, I may be pretentious but at least I am not a moron.

Peter, most Americans don't "do" irony.

Americans are like fortune cookies-- hollow and full of nonsense.

Thin

suze

<but the problem is the number of women who wear sneakers ALL of the time>

WHY would that be such an earthshaking "problem" if it were true? Not to mention I can't think of a single woman I know in real life who wears sneakers *ALL* the time.

anneinmanhattan

I'm in Spain, shortly going back to Paris, and then Venice. Hate sneakers so wearing anhu ballet shoes and amazed they're so comfortable, $68 on amazon. Look delicate and wear well.

chartley

As they say in Britain -

Pretentious? Moi?

cigalechanta

Though I like mon ami, thin's taste, for city walking you need a closed comfortable shoe so that dog doo and dust
won't make your feet dirty. Wear what is your comfortable shoes at home.

Pepper_von_snoot

Hi Mimi!

Keith and I are going to Milano and Venice in 7 weeks. We are meeting Cousin Muffy and children. 9 days in Italy.

Then we are flying to Austin TX to see Aunt and Uncle Keith. We will be there 5 days.


Thin

txtree

My dilemma too. I live in NY and I'm fine wearing my birkenstocks or other ultra-comfy shoes during the day. But in the evening in the city, I want to look like a normal person yet still be able to walk a ton. We are going to Istanbul this summer and I just got these for that very purpose:

http://www.camper.com/en_US/women/sh...amas-21573-006

They are somewhat more stylish than the Clarks/Mephisto/etc. But a little bit fashionable. And VERY comfortable. I walked all over town the other night to test them out. Great shoe.

amer_can

The height of the sandals would be a cause for worry IME. Cobbles, uneven sidewalks, crooked curbs led to turned ankles and turned ankles lead to spoiled holidays but that's just me. Whatever is most comfortable for you is the key!!

cigalechanta

thin, send me your new email.
sounds like a great trip.

Holy Hermes! what shoes will you be wearing

txtree

As I get older, I find I need a little more of a heel. The sandals I got have a wide platform so they are very stable, even as I walk or run the uneven streets of NY. Anyway, we can all acknowledge the difficulty of finding the perfect shoe to take us through two weeks of vacation abroad. If I weren't going to spend time in a major city (Rome, Istanbul, Paris, London, Madrid), I would just wear my Birkenstocks and running shoes the whole time.

Shall we discuss travel handbags next? I have this bag, which is really perfect for travel, but it's totally unfashionable.

http://www.tumi.com/family/index.jsp...goryId=4151196

Pepper_von_snoot

I do like the Camper sandals.

They look very Sonia Rykiel.


Thin

jan47ete

You MUST wear footwear that has very thick soles and preferably a strap. Streets in most Italian cities are rough, cobblestone, broken and it is recommended to wear thick soled footwear with a strap to keep your feet secure.

I actually just found some at Walmart on Saturday: Earth Spirit, bought a pair and ordered a different pair online. I also have a pair of nicelooking shoes from REI I found online, on sale.

Was in Spain, Paris and Dublin for a month (April 3-May 4, 2013) and surprised how casual dress was but did see women in high heels and it looked very dangerous.

ahiddenbird

I have to come to the defense of Keds!

They're amazingly comfy and they're classic. I think they're adorable and very chic!

ahiddenbird

nytraveler: <Yes, but the problem is the number of women who wear sneakers ALL of the time (usually with jeans/tee or sweats) unless they are actually going to a special event.>

While I agree about the sweats being a problem, what's wrong with a pair of sneakers (say Converse, Keds, or something) and a pair of skinny jeans and a t-shirt for touring around a city during the day? It sounds like a completely appropriate outfit to me.

I'm starting to second-guess myself, because that is totally how I was planning to dress a lot of the time (I'll be bringing dresses and skirts too, but still). Are all the French and Italians going to think I'm a bum if I wear jeans, t-shirts and canvas sneaks?

Tulips

Jeans, sneakers, tshirt are absolutely fine for touring any city in Europe. Nobody wears high heels when walking all day.
Take a pair for going out at night. Heels, skinny jeans and a great top or jacket will be fine for all but the most formal restaurants.

I prefer sneakers to these sandals with straps and thick soles - most of those are hideous.

suze

<Are all the French and Italians going to think I'm a bum if I wear jeans, t-shirts and canvas sneaks?>

Short answer... no they won't think you are a bum. Actually they probably won't think anything about what a tourist has on their feet! Seriously!!!

Mimar

txtree, Istanbul has the roughest streets and walkways of any city I've been in. I had to be very careful where I stepped. (What is this about dogdo and dust anyway? I've worn walking sandals everywhere in Europe. Maybe my feet get a little dusty on occasion but most city streets aren't dusty. And you do have to watch where you step.)

I like your camper sandals, but platform soles make it easier to turn your ankle, especially on rough surfaces.

Mimar

<Are all the French and Italians going to think I'm a bum if I wear jeans, t-shirts and canvas sneaks?>

All the young French and Italian girls are wearing skinny jeans. And maybe ballerina flats. But they're not wearing big, loose t-shirts; maybe a close-fitting designer t-shirt, often a jacket and scarf.

cigalechanta

Converses are very popular in Paris and Rome.
Here's a bit of what to wear.
http://www.primeitaly.com/italy-trav.../what-to-wear/