Ladies-how many pairs of shoes?

Old Jun 4th, 2006, 08:29 PM
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"slither between the sheets like a flattened snake"

Ahh, my dear C_M! LOL!! You always do have a way with words.

Let's see, to answer the question, I think I usually take 3 pairs: Birkenstocks for when my feet get really tired and 2 pair of Born mary janes, one a velvet pair that I wear with skirts & dressier stuff.
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 10:18 AM
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I'm a regular Imelda Marcos, also, at home. However, I don't buy expensive shoes at all, so I don't really have as much invested in them as it sounds. I just have a hard-to-fit foot, so if I find a pair I like, I may buy it in 3 colors or something.

Anyway, I travel with about 5-6 pair, so maybe I get the prize. I do wear most of them, also. I find summer a little difficult if you don't know the weather -- for example, I may have a tie or Oxford-style walking shoe which would be fine in winter, but in summer, I have to take a pair of walking sandals, also, as if it's really hot I really am not going to want to wear socks and Oxford walking shoes. But, I'm not going to just take the sandals, because if it rains or is cooler or I'm really doing long walks, I may want the Oxfords.

Also, I do go out a lot at night and like to dress up a little. Now I don't call this elegant at all, and it isn't super-dressy except in comparison to the many folks who seem to just wear the same thing all day and night when traveling and wear very sporty or casual stuff at night. For example, I would never wear walking shoes at night. I may wear nice slacks or capris, or skirts at night.

Anyway, what do I take? One pair of tie walking shoes, one pair of good walking sandals (Ecco with cork soles), one pair of flipflops/slippers for the hotel room, one pair of black leather slides for night (which go with about anything), one pair of nicer sandals than the daytime ones for night which do have a rubber slight sole (and I might wear if I'm going to have to walk a bit to where I'm going or around the metro system a lot, the slides are a little too flimsy for a lot of walking), and maybe a pair of leather mules which are good for slacks. I wear these on the plane because I really like having shoes that easily slip off on the plane. They are also enough of a walking shoe that I can wear them in the daytime if I'm not doing ten miles or anything, but because they are mules with no back, I wouldn't wear them all day usually. Unless no major walking were going to be involved.

I'll admit I like my tie walking shoes for comfort and they are fairly stylish as much as possible, but they still are not a style I'd ever wear at home or with a skirt or even nice slacks.

So, I guess that's six pair I often take, if you count the slippers/flipflops. It doesn't bother me, though, so take them, so I don't have any regrets. I use a small tote bag (a little smaller than my carryon bag), and just put my shoes in it and check it. They aren't breakfable, so there's no worry about that. I keep probably one pair of the slides or sandals in my main bag just in case that gets lost. I don't even really take heels, as even if I'm going out at night, I'll probably walk more than I do at home, or take public transportation. My slides or nicer sandals have a slight heel, of course.
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 11:10 AM
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I just got back from shoe shopping, having found some exquisite beige, pointy-toed high heels and some bubble gum pink Puma H Streets (exact replicas of the pair I had to throw away last year due to overuse). That brings my count to, well, very high. And now that I am moving I am not thinking so much about travel packing as perma-packing. . . things for all seasons and all occasions. So, I still stand by the 3 pairs when traveling, but if anyone is at the Dallas airport on June 20 and you see a girl wearing an outfit made of shoes strung together, give a wave. I am up to at least 10 "must takes" and that does not count my dance shoes.
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 11:45 AM
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In February for 15 days I wore boots, packed good loaafers and one dressy pair of shoes, the weather was so bad, rainy that I wore the boots most of the time. Those Nylon Longchamp bags are dressy enough to car a pair of shoes to change into when the weather changes.
Laclaire...I can picture you now ala Josephine Baker, instead of bananaS YOUR LITTLE SKIRT OF SHOES
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 11:58 AM
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Cigale- don't lose the vision of hte banana skirt, though, because it is in the pile and going with me. I just hope they don't bust me in customs for foreign fruit!
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 12:36 PM
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We go to more dressy places at night, coat & tie type restaurants. I too used to take 4 or 5 pairs but I had an epiphany of sorts before this last trip. Here's what I usually packed (counting what I wore on the plane):

1 pair of ankle boots with 1 1/2" heels
1 pair black walking shoes
2 pairs of dressy heels.
And sandals if the weather is warm but everybody knows sandals don't count because they don't take up much room ;-)

I realized that the reason I was taking 2 pairs of heels to wear out at night was that one had a chunkier heel (easier to walk in) but didn't look good with skirts. The other pair of heels had skinnier heels (not so great for long walks after dinner) and looked better with skirts.

So, hard as it was to leave out the dresses or skirts for evening, I only took pants this last trip and cut out the skinny heels. Not taking any skirts also freed up my clothing space by making my pants do double-duty and I ended up taking a smaller bag this trip.

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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 12:45 PM
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Crocque Madame,
I've seen you and YES, you look hot in that skirt with the shoes dangling. Too bad you're male though!
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 01:22 PM
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Thanks to all for this interesting and entertaining thread! I am glad I was reminded of the trouble I had slipping my shoes off and on again while buckled and wedged into the airplane seat. I think I can fit an extra pair of flats (sandals/flip flops sort of) into my carry-on to wear on the plane, and put the walking (or running to catch the connecting flight)shoes on as soon as we land. And then maybe three more pairs in the suitcase will do it. Decisions!
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 05:39 PM
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This is a shoe-in
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 05:54 PM
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2Italy, perhaps you would like to read this, obviously, you have not met our dear Croque Madame .

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=34535688
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 06:24 PM
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2Italy: Check it out for yourself. Take a quick peek under my skirt sometime. Just don't let the dangling sandals smack you in the nose.
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 06:43 PM
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Yikes!!! I just backtracked to earlier posts and discovered 2Italy is a man.

Sir, consider my impetuous offer withdrawn. Access denied.
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 06:49 PM
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LOl, I figured that one out!!!The thorn amoung the roses
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 08:42 PM
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Fall/winter/early spring: 2 pr. shoes

Summer: 3 pr. shoes
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Old Jun 5th, 2006, 11:33 PM
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I love this post. I wish my husband would read it! This last trip, I took six pairs of shoes for ten nights (twelve days) and I wore all of them!

1) Black open-toed mules with kitten heels
2) White tennis shoes
3) White flat open-toed sandals
4) Black open-toed medium height wedge 5) Black open-toed high height wedge
6) Black flat open-toed sandals
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Old Jun 6th, 2006, 12:38 AM
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Well, if my husbands complains about the 10 or so pairs that I take I will ask him how he feels about me wearing the same pair or Ecco sandals for 3 weeks, as poster cmenoni does. I am absolutely certain that he prefers the 10 pairs!

Anyway, the number depends on the mode of transport. I only take this many shoes if they fit in the car. Never in a suitcase on a plane. And honestly, how much space do a pair of strappy Jimmy Choos take up in a large car.

Now, how about the handbags?
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Old Jun 6th, 2006, 12:27 PM
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Handbags are not a problem. One medium sized tote that I carry on the plane and use for everyday, and one or 2 flat evening bags. I'm addicted to Jamin Puech bags because they are flat don't take up much space.
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Old Jun 6th, 2006, 12:39 PM
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OOQ Jamin Puech, I stopped by the shop in the Marais but it was closed.
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Old Jun 6th, 2006, 02:08 PM
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Funny, I went to the left bank store and it was closed so the next day I went to the Marais store. It was open, not that great a neighborhood but they had a nice selection.
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Old Jun 6th, 2006, 02:25 PM
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It was late or they were closed that day perhaps but-LOl, I loved the neighborhood. Stayed 15 days. I consoled myself with a Burberry Bayswater but only because I had a very old credit at Barney's that I forgot about. The credit has no expiration.
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