slangevar

I'm with you, cherrybomb... my husband swears by Converse, but they hurt my feet. I feel much more comfortable in my 2" platform Born shoes or Clarks heels.

And I agree on the expense to a point. In my 20s, I never spent more than $20 on any pair of shoes (except for running shoes). After making a bad choice on a trip in my early 30s, I bought my first over $100 pair of Clarks heels and immediately understood why the expense is important.

The tricky thing is, I can wear a pair of Clarks heels over and over again in LA. Will I be able to wear the La Canadienne boots again? Maybe, maybe not.

cherrybomb

If you won't wear again and are unsure then skip it, they are just shoes for a trip. Can you bring your Born shoes rather than buy a new pair?

spaarne

slangevar,

One more thing. The rubber soles are good for the pavement but you need to protect the uppers also. To do that buy a small tub of mink oil. Slosh it liberally around the tops and buff it down. Your shoes will resist water like wax paper. Regular shoe polish doesn't cut it like mink oil.

Last thought, but very controversial here at Fodor's. I suggest nixing the jeans and going with black slacks. Black everything with a splashy scarf will do you well in Amsterdam, especially in winter. You NEED a scarf, and so does the lucky gent. A black leather jacket will localize both of you in Spain. Give that the mink oil also. Henry Ford is reported to have said about the color of his Model T "You can have any color you like as long as it is black." That works.

slangevar

cherrybomb - you read my mind! I think I'll definitely bring the Borns (which pre-date my husband, yet still look and feel new, and only cost about $30)... that covers the regular shoes. But I'd still like to get a pair of low to medium boots.

Spaarne - the mink oil sounds amazing! I was worried about buying Clarks boots because I don't think they're waterproof, but it sounds like you solved my dilemma!

Apres_Londee

Just to point out- the Charlize have microfiber lining, not wool or shearling like the more hard core La Canadienne boots, so that might make them a bit more versatile.

Maybe they wouldn't work in California, but if you ever visit places with four seasons in spring or autumn you could probably wear them. I have a pair of Felicias and they have microfibre lining- they don't feel hot indoors and I can wear them comfortably in moderate temperatures.

I wore my Felicias in Rome last winter and they were fantastic on the wet cobblestones.

ltr

Have you checked out DSW for Clarks?

I normally wear heels every day, but I was working at a trade show and wanted something comfortable since I was on my feet for three days. I bought a pair of their Blackberrys for $30 on the sale rack. I know they aren't the style you are looking for, but they have other Clark shoes at great prices.

slangevar

Hmm... didn't know DSW had Clarks - thanks, ltr - I'll check it out!

Apres-Londee - good to know. I can definitely wear a microfiber boot in LA. If I can't find something cheaper, at least I know I have a solid (if a wee bit expensive) backup.

slangevar

Update on the Great Boot Search: I actually ordered the La Canadienne Charlizes via Zappos and am returning them today. They're absolutely gorgeous boots, but I found them really hard to get on, rigid and not very well padded. I'm sure it's just the style I chose, but my search goes on! I think I'm headed to a store next to do some field research.

DeborahAnn

slangevar, I just got back from Amsterdam and brought along my Clarks ankle boot, Madison Jack. They have a wedge heel with rubber sole. I was able to wear socks with them and also tights when it was needed. I could wear them comfortably all day and they certainly passed the cobblestone test they were given.

Wait until you see the boots worn and available in Amsterdam---it certainly was my idea of boot heaven !!! Deborah

slangevar

DeborahAnn - I LOVE Clarks... I'll have to try those on during my "field research" this weekend...

slangevar

POST TRIP FOLLOW-UP:

I finally opted for these boots - http://www.zappos.com/born-miriam-black-nubuck and my older pair of Keens.

The boots were AMAZING - I barely took them off, they were so comfortable and warm. They're surprisingly light for boots and I walked up to 10 miles a day in them without feeling a thing. They also looked really stylish (great with a skirt or pants) and they were perfect on slippery sidewalks. I did waterproof them before I left, which wasn't 100% effective, but even when they did get soaked, they dried off surprisingly fast and wicked all the water away from my feet.

So in case anyone else is looking for a great winter boot that's good for walking and has some style, I give these two thumbs up.

hetismij

Glad you found some boots. I like the "biker" look

Did you enjoy Amsterdam? The weather was more challenging than we had thought it would be.

slangevar

Oops - was getting back up to speed at home and forgot to check. Hi Hetismij! Since we live in California, we kind of loved the weather in Amsterdam. Light snow and chilly temps were easy compared to some of the cold rain we hit in Barcelona and Madrid. We're both ready to move to Amsterdam.

hetismij

You were lucky with the weather, normally we're the ones with the cold rain. It is miserable here just now but another cold spell is predicted

slangevar

We felt lucky! The snow flurries were really sweet. It was freezing, but we'd bundled up and felt fine. I'd take snow over rain any day (we have the latter in CA right now, so I feel your pain).

TommieG

And winter is still going strong here in the Netherlands...
Freezing temperatures the last few days, today the temperature goes up and will probably bring snow and new traffic jams.... Snow- and moonboots have been completely sold out over the last few weeks.

And yet again they are predicting a new cold spell for next week.

So for all you going to the Netherlands in the coming weeks; warm and comfortable shoes!

hetismij

It is snowing here right now! We had a lot of snow in the weekend, then freezing weather and a horrible wind chill, and now snow again. Is it nearly spring? Please?

Still an elfstedentocht would be good too