paulina7887

Hi, I have read that sneakers and running shoes are not really acceptable but are black suede mephisto's also not really considered alright? thanks

janisj

Well - you probably should post this over on the Europe forum (unless you mean Paris, Texas ).

But basically wear what you want that is comfortable enough to walk all day.

I personally find sneakers are not nearly as comfortable for all day city walking as "real" shoes. Your mephisto's would be fine.

Gretchen

Wear ANYthing that lets you walk on uneven pavement/sidewalks, up and down stairs for hours and hours--and don't look back.
And yes Mephistos will be fine. Eccos,New Balance, etc.

suze

Any shoes are fine. Dark colored even better. I usually take my white running/gym sneakers because they are even more comfortable then my next best choice. Fashion horror, I know -lol!

nytraveler

The MOST important thing is that the shoes be broken in and comfortable - and that you have 2 pairs - since it's likely one pair will get quite wet at least once during the trip.

Wearing regular sneakers - esp large white ones - will mark you out very obviously as a tourist - since in europe adults don;t wear them except for actual athletic activities. You will be less obvious in any of the "fashion" athletic shoes - which can be just as comfy and come in all sorts of styles and colors - and can look good with capris and skirts as well as pants.

I have several pair from skechers (some Mary Janes - which get a lot of compliments) and one from Puma. You don;t have to stick to black but can use any colors that go with your clothes (in the spring I use navy, sometimes red etc).

Also - suggest cotton or linen blend pants versus jeans - they fold up smaller, weigh less, are easier to have washed - and look a whole ton more "finished" if you're beyond student age.

starrsville

Wear sneaker, running shoe, any color mephistos - whatever is comfortable FOR YOU!

It is a ridiculous statement that no one wears - or should wear - white tennies in Paris.

a) You ARE a tourist. They (locals) are HAPPY you are there as a tourist. They don't give a flying flip what you are wearing on your feet.

b) Locals do wear white tennies in Paris. I did not pay a bit of attention when I was there (far more interesting sights to pay attention to) but upon my return, after reading these footwear posts on this forum, I pulled out my pictures. LOTS of white tennis, including old men playing bocce and kids skateboarding.

Take a look at any Fodorite's pics on this forum and you are going to see white tennies in Paris, Rome, all over Europe.

Wear comfortable shoes that are not brand new but have been broken in - and have a great time!

NewbE

I have thought about this, and while it's certainly true that locals in Paris, NYC, London, etc. wear white tennies, flip flops, etc., it seems likely to me that they would change their shoes before going to, say, a nice restaurant, or the theater. A tourist does not have his whole shoe collection with him, and furthermore, a tourist usually has to spend the whole day running around, from museums to shops to dinner to the theater, and has to pick one pair to do duty on that day. That's why white tennies are kind of dumb for a tourist to wear--they limit the places you can go to, and as a tourist, one never knows what lies around the corner.

So although this question has been asked a million times, I would also go with good-looking black shoes or boots when touring any major city.

starrsville

Good point, NewbE, but we did go back to the room to rest and change before a nice dinner or the theatre. Most of the time we ate when we were hungry, wearing what we were wearing at the time. We each took 2 pair of comfortable walking shoes for the day (which included a pair of white tennies) and a pair of nicer, lighter weight shoes for the evening (to give our feet a rest). We tried to alternate the day shoes.

wzella

When I was in Italy last Fall, I was surprised that everyone was dressed just like us. Maybe they're runners were Gucci or Prada, but lots of folks were in jeans and runners.

If you feel uncomfortable with runners, Areosole and Hush Puppies have some stylish, comfortable shoes that actually look nice.

My fav shoe of all time (I can wear them for 10 hours walking over Roman cobblestone) is Thierry Rabotin. But very expensive.

elnap29

I wore my black suede Mephistos last summer to Rome, Paris, other European cities and my feet were very happy. For what it's worth, in Paris we were told we "didn't look like Americans." I had a dressier pair of sandals for evening dinners. I will say that I wished my Mephistos were a cooler version - it was very hot in the summer. If I go again I think I would take Mephisto All-Rounders for daily walking in hot weather.

sandypaws3

I wear black SAS walking shoes for almost everything, though I carry a pair of flats for dressier occasions. I like the look of ECCO better, but my feet like SAS better They carry me for hours of walking!

Sandy