Shoes!
 

I'm going to Italy and I'm tired of obsessing about shoes. I want comfortable shoes that I can walk for hours in that still look good with skirts. Any suggestions?

Just got back and shoe choice is very important for comfort. In small villages with less walking I wore either Born or Clarks sandles but for Milan I neaded closed shoes with rubber souls like my black Timberlands. We walked so much I really needed comfort. None of these choices has tremendous style but my feet needed them! No heels for me!

Just back from there and good sandals worked for me. Several companies make styles that can work well for both good walking and decent style. SAS and Mephisto make the ones I like best. Tevos are great for walking but rather less stylish. Consider checking sandals styles at Zappos.com too. IMO you need both good support and air circulation which well constructed sandals could supply. I brought two pair of sandals and a closed pair of walking shoes and I on;y wore the sandals for 10 days in Italy in June.

There are many threads on this forum about shoes.If you use the search feature,you can find them.

The only way to do this is to go shopping at a store that offers a good assortment of comfortable shoes. The piece of advice you will read over and over again on the many threads about shoes is to start breaking them in a few weeks before going. Have a fun shopping day.

Nordstrom’s carries a wide selection of many comfy shoes.
REI- mostly for hiking but some for walking
Takken Shoes- cute shoes based on comfort- many in California.
Macy’s

I love Clark's and Ecco's, although the other day I found a pair of Finn Soft that were cute and I didn't have to be 112 to wear them.

European sidewalks, trails, paths and roads are often very uneven. Personal weight and ankle fitness may suggest a best choice is a high-cut hiking boot or shoe: but, every day I see women in high heels blithely striding about in three and four inch toeless heels! You figure!

Hi S,

>I'm tired of obsessing about shoes. I want comfortable shoes....

Have you looked in your closet?

((I))

Frankly, you're right to obsess about your shoes. I think the most important choice of what to wear or bring is your footwear. When walking around Italy, you'll find yourself on cobblestones, and uneven terrain (trekking thru ruins). And if you're like myself or others who live in a place where people drive or ride more than they walk, your "foot time" will be more than double of what you are normally used to.

As others already said, there are LOTS of threads discussing shoes and footwear, ad nauseum .... hopefully, you've got some lead time to buy & try out shoes before you leave on your trip. I suggest you consider shoe shopping on QVC -- it's both on online website as well as a TV cable shopping network. WHY? They have an excellent customer service & a 30-day no questions asked return policy .... even on shoes!

Of course, what's "comfortable" for some may not work for all. My personal suggestion is for a shoe or sandal with a cork bottom. Birkenstock's do have a breaking in period (depending upon your foot, can be 2-3 weeks); however once you get hooked, then you'll become a "Birki" gal >>> http://www.qvc.com/qsearch/search.aspx

More recently, I walked my way thru a 9-day trip in Peru wearing a pair of "Keen" brand shoes, purchased @ REI. No, they're not anything you'd wear w/ skirts, but they do pass the comfort test.

Like I said, many threads on this issue . . . . . and here's one on same topic.

Women's semi-stylish, comfortable shoes?
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34968223

Naot sandals are my new discovery and fit what you require. Don't you have any comfortable shoes you wear at home? I try not to buy new shoes just for a specific trip. That hasn't worked out for me in the past.

Hi Saloumeh,

On my last Italy trip I took a pair of Tevas "City Sandals" that are slightly more stylish and come in several colors. I also took a pair of Mephistos, also come in several colors - even summery pink, green and orange. At the last minute, I decided to also take a pair of Trotters woven leather loafers - good thing because we did have a couple nights of heavy rain in Rome.

All worked well. I love the Mephistos so much I still wear them every day (2 yrs later) in the summer and don't even like to take them off!

I did start breaking them in 6 months before the trip, wearing them several times a week to work. Still - I got a couple blisters the first week in Italy!

DO take moleskin with you. It will save your feet and whole trip! Add a tiny pair of scissors to cut it with. It is super comfortable over a hot spot or even a blister and will stick like super glue!

Buon viaggio!

I find that deciding on footware is the hardest part of packing for a trip.
Recently on this forum someone recommended Cole Hahn/nike sandals. I saw them at Nieman marcus for $160 (in silver). Very nice, and extremely comfortable....I later found them at my local Marshalls for $60 and bought them. They would work nicely with long, casual skirts.
I'm going to Italy this fall and plan to wear my gucci loafers exclusively during the day. My daytime wardrobe will consist of jeans and casual slacks so they're perfect. They are leather with a rubber (I think?) bottom and heel, and are the most comfortable shoes I have every worn.

Hi Saloumeh,

How I can empathize with you! I just returned from Italy and obsessed for months(actually returned 3 pairs of shoes.) The Naot sandal worked for me. Of course everyone has a different standard for comfort, look and fit. The Kayla comes in different colors and has the cork footbed which is really comfortable. It looks great with pants or skirts, especially the bronze color. I noticed lots of flat sandals, and thong types and also ballerina style. Taking moleskin along was the best thing I did, since I did not have a long break in period before the trip.

Like many others, I also just returned from a trip - 4 wks covering Italy,France and Switzerland. I tried on TOO many shoes , spent TOO many hours and ultimately brought TOO many pairs of shoes! All that being said - My most favorite pair that I wore the most were Naot Gardenia.. I did wear with shorts, pants and casual skirts. I really wanted to wear them every day - unbelievably comfortable - but felt a need to change up every few days! The bad news is they aren't cheap (for my budget anyway) and now I'll probably want to buy Naots for all casual wear! Good Luck!

Now you've all made me curious about the Naot sandals. Who carries them?

Thanks everyone. In preparation for my trip I've been "testing" my shoes. Turns out nearly all the shoes I own aren't very comfortable if I'm walking around for more than a couple of hours. As a result of my experimentation I have feet full of blisters!

I bought mine at a large shoe "superstore" called K&D outside of Atlanta that carries a great selection of European shoes (such as Rieker, Dansko, Pikolinos, etc..) Various on-line stores (Zappos, SierraTradingPost) also carry Naot.. however, I am not a fan of finding the right shoe by buying online! Their website - www.naot.com - says to you must send email or call to find out local stores carrying their shoes.

Depending on your budget, you may consider the Cobbie Cuddler line at Kmart. They have a cute walking sandal in a lace up style that is a bit "prettier" than most. I can walk all day in them with no problem, but they do require a breaking in period first. They are wide width, so if you've got very narrow feet they may not work. They run about $20 (less if you catch them on sale).

Thanks VeeBee, love Zappos! I have wide feet and even Nords doesn't carry wides anymore.....

Keen Amsterdam. They worked with everything, but the KEY is......

BANDAIDS!! Don't wait until you have tender spots! I placed them on the back of my heels every day and never had a problem. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!"