Great prices for shoes in Italy? Give me the names of some stores, please. This has not been my experience, especially in Rome and Florence. If you've got good sources, can you name a few please?

I'm with those who nix sandals in favor of flip flops or slides, and only to wear around the hotel, to the pool, etc. You really do need two pairs of shoes so you can alternate them and air or dry out one pair while you wear the other.<BR><BR>I take very simple well-used black athletic shoes, Reebok, Rockport, etc. which are fine for the gym, biking, etc., but can also go with just about anything else. Just make sure they don't look nerdy with athletic socks or no socks at all. I usually bring my most comfortable and beat up pair, get a really good polishing at the airport, and leave them at my last stop. More storage room going home.<BR><BR>The pair I wear on the plane is usually a little dressier, but also rubber soled, and well broken in. On recent trips I've made sure they're slip ons, so that getting through security is simpler.

Uh oh, we're getting into Rick Steves territory now. Shine up the bad ones, and leave them at the last stop. And make the best pair rubber sole jobs. And no jacket or suit, right?

Italy can definitely be hot in Sept/Oct. We were there last October through the end of the month and it was very hot.

To RnR:<BR><BR>Actually, my husband sees the benefit of packing light as it was HIS big suitcase that was lost for a week when we went to Spain. <BR>So I am not forcing him into anything - as I said, I was just "helping him" pack smarter. And thanks to all of these great responses, he will!

Uh oh, she has spoken! looks like he's down to shower flipflops and shined tennies which he leave behind. I can just picture the customs guy when he looks at hubby's feet. Poor guy!

Don't follow Rick Steves, but if leaving old stuff to make room for new stuff is one of his ideas, it's a good one.

This is the funniest conversation I've ever read! My husband is just like Kristen's. And like one of the posters' mentioned, my husband always puts his shoes in my suitcase since I pack like a man, he packs like a woman. <BR>We've been to Italy. He really enjoyed wearing all those shoes and matching pants for different occasions. But whenever he had to carry the suitcase and his bag between the train station/ferry and the hotel, he nagged that we should get better luggages.

I pack one shoe from each of up to four pairs, so that I can bring twice as many. I find that if I position myself strategically while traveling, I can hide the mismatched shoe under a table, or by sitting on one foot while on the plane, and no one will notice. Everyone marvels at this shrewd space saving technique.

How about Ecco shoes? I have them and Rockports -- Rockports are a bit more comfortable BUT the Ecco shoes breathe much more, so that's a big plus, and their dressier designs are better as walking shoes than Rockport's. But Ecco's cost quite a bit more, sorry.

Oh, yeah -- how does a guy carry it all on if he's bringing a razor? Guess he'll use an electric?

I am heading to China in a few weeks.<BR><BR>Gonna take one great pair of sandals with closed toes that can be worn with or without socks and have great support for walking. <BR><BR>Then gonna take some Mephistos that I have used before. <BR><BR>The sandals help to save on socks as feet are easier to clean than socks. These sandals also look good with slacks because of the closed toes versus the Hawaian kind with velcro all over them and no support that look like they need to be in the water. That is a poor choice for sandals anywhere.<BR><BR>Tennis shoes? Never! They look hokey enough in the US and worse overseas.

I guy in closed toe sandals is telling <BR>OTHER people that they look hokey in sneakers? Please. Better to look hokey than gay as a blade. Good luck fighting off the local queens.

Kristen, My husband takes one pair of walking shoes and one pair of moccasin type slippers with rubber soles. The walking shoes are typically black Reebock, leather, lace-up shoes for walking and for dress (they can be polished). The moccasins he'll used as slippers on the plane and around the hotel room ----- NOT for outside use at all!!! Unless he has business meetings, your hubby might want to consider leather walking shoes (many brands out there). Also, he can stuff socks, undies, etc. into any shoes that he packs to save space. Happy travels.

Kristen, My husband takes two pairs of leather, dark walking shoes; one he wears on the plane; one he packs. He'll use both for walking and dress. He likes trading off shoes. He stuff socks, etc. inside the shoes he packs. Also, he'll take cheap (Wal-Mart) flip-flops for the room or pool; they take little room and are so cheap you could toss them at the end of the trip. Have a great trip.

Hey xxx-<BR>This "local queen" would never go after anything in sandals. I think your premise is way off and Duke will be safe from us homos. My bet is there is no gay man worth his weight in Ferragamos that would ever be caught dead in sandals, eccos, rockports, or black reeboks. Yuck.

Duke - Where have you been!?! You're going to China in a few weeks & you haven't posted AT ALL on the Asia board!? We hardly get any "business" at all over there, and China is my "specialty" since that's where I live. Come on over, ask some questions, put us poor, forgotten Asia Board people to work!

I'd trim it back to three pairs --- wear the tennis shoes or walking shoes on the plane and pack the other pair. And take the sandals. Leave out the dressier shoes. Surely his walking shoes can be nice enough to pass when dining out at good restaurants.<BR><BR>USE the shoes to pack other small items. Maybe he already does this? Tuck a couple pair of socks inside to maximize use of space.\<BR>

utterly shocked nobody suggested the ultimate precaution: no matter the number of prs. you take, lefties go into checked luggage, righties into carryon. But keep bvds out of shoes, just in case there's a topical med. issue afoot. Now, shined reeboks just don't get it in today's world, unless you're into seersucker plaid or see-through netting with ties. And that's a good thing. Save flipflops for doctors appointment - not for pleasure travel. I find those cloth jobbies airlines give you work just as well. And discard them at the final stop!

<BR>kristen's husband may want to wear dressier shoes in nice restaurants. But what if he didn't? What if he wanted to wear casual shoes, or even sneakers? Those of you who dine in nice restaurants, would it offend you to see someone with casual shoes or sneakers in a nice restaurant?