Question for the Ladies - Gents Welcome too....
 

I am off to England next wk for a month. Staying in the Hampshire area by the sea. I'm packing light only taking 2 pair of shoes - comfy walking shoes/sneakers & here's where I need advice - a pair of close toe espadrilles w/angle strap and open back. Also comfy but I was wondering if it is still too cold for me to wear them. Any thoughts? Thanks : ^ )

I'm not in England but Spain and here no one wears that kind of summer shoes yet. So I doubt weather will be good enough in England...

By the sea?

How do espadrilles look with socks?

If it helps, Britain is totally loose about fashion. If it were me, I'd be more concerned about comfort, so if the espadrilles are comfy, I'd feel free to pair them with warm and colorful socks -- and start a new fashion trend!

(As my husband says: These people will never see you again.)

I hope your other shoes are waterproof, however. You need that protection in Britain, any time of year.

If you have room, bring them. Bit nippy for them at the moment but in a month's time it might be fine. Or, grab a cheap pair when you are here if the weather warms up.

Sorry, but I'm not a fan of the 'no one here knows you philosphy'. Comfort is important, but it's nice to be able to blend in a bit and not immediately be spotted as a tourist.

Unfortunately, we're having a COLD spring in London, I'm still in my winter coat. This is my 3rd spring in London and I find that though it gets quite mild, it really doesn't get WARM until almost July. Have a look at www.weather.com for weather updates.

have a great trip!

There's frost on the roof outside. The ice on the birdbath is about a quarter of an inch thick.

I'm watching them both thaw. In fact, out of the wind it's occasionally been quite uncomfortably hot the past couple of days. Well, I was uncomfortable for about 2 minutes. But the ground will stay muddy for weeks - even if there's an abrupt change in the weather.

Outdoors, you're unlikely to get much wear out of those espadrilles.

inessa - yeees, but then Britain is full of eccentric weirdos wearing all sorts of peculiar things. One of my friends is a man in his 70s who spends most of his life in a bright orange boiler suit and blue beret. Anyone spotted wearing espadrilles plus mad coloured socks would probably be considered very British until you open your mouth!

VERY cold in Ireland thsi morning. Espadrilles wouldn't be practical.

I think you'll only be wearing the espadrilles indoors anyway.

Well, I have just thawed the water in my bird-bath.
I'd leave the espadrilles at home and take a nice warm jacket.
In the unlikely event of a heat-wave in May, you can always buy some sandals.

we're just at the point when the weather might turn - this time last year it was lovely and mild, right now not so. However by May you'd expect to be able to wear espadrilles...and they're fashionable this year, so get in early with them!

.......if you've ever had the misfortune
to smell espadrilles after the rope soles have been saturated you'd leave
them for warmer and certainly drier
climes! Something about the kind of
dye used.

I would never take such a pair of shoes as one of only two pair on a trip. Besides the cold/damp factor, they are not very practical for walking around, even a short distance. I've never found a pair of espadrilles that was actually comfortable, myself, as cloth is not that comfortable for feet. An ankle strap and open back sounds like they are pretty unstable for walking more than a block or so. They would be okay as an elective pair in the summer or at a beach resort, I think. Even if you really know these are comfortable for a long period and walking, I still wouldn't take them to England at that time of year. Even if someone doesn't plan a pair of shoes to be daytime touring walking shoes, I think one always ends up walking a lot more when on vacation than at home, as you may be depending on public transportation.

I would be much more woried about rain than cold. Soggy espadrilles are absolutely useless. You need TWO pairs of good walking shoes that will keep your feet dry. If you want open esparilles too fine - but to me they're more summery, beachy things.

If you really want to take sandals, I'd pick something more practical like an Ecco walking sandal, for example. But I think it's too early in the season really. Like other, I think of espadrilles for a resort beach vacation in hot weather. If you do bring them, I'd take them as your 3rd pair and have 2 other sensible shoes.

Nona -

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude. It was early and I'd not had my cup of tea yet. No offence intended

i always take espadrilles for beautiful days but you need other shoes, once you get caught in a downpour, the soles get ruined and you will toss them and they also absorb water and get heavy.