OO, they do carry them in the store! I looked at them last week.
ICONS, I am moving to warm weather where I can wear them every day (happy dance)
I want the red ones with shoes on them:)
Saks for the pants.

Yes OliveOyl look in the "Real Clothes" dept at Saks for basic slacks.

I was telling my daughter about this discussion and she showed me the shoes she got online from Land's End. They're called all-weather mocs and they're really cheap - about $30 - she says they're great for walking around the City - they're waterproof and warm. Hey, I might even get some myself. And I live in Canada where we can get Santana boots cheap. She says the sizes tend to run a bit big; she orders them a half size smaller than her usual size.
Not only that, but she just came back from my new grandson's first visit to the pediatrician, where the baby was pronounced "perfect." Well, I could have told them THAT. :)

I'm back, no shoes, but slacks in hand, so things are looking up a bit. Asked everywhere specifically for Santana's and no go. Nordstrom says "only in their larger stores: Dallas, SF, etc". Of course!

Weitzman, interesting--I'd tried on a waterproof pair yesterday not realizing they were GoreTex (sp?), until I specified that today and he came back with the same boot. Good looking, but they hit 3-4 inches above my ankle and rubbed my shins with every step. That won't work.

What if...I've got a pair of Donald Pliners, about 8 years old so they've given me my money's worth. They've got a thick rubber sole, but the top is almost like gros-grain (for lack of a better way to describe it). They are soft, cushy, walkable, casual but not too--what if I scotch guarded the uppers. Do you think you could make them water resistant that way? Has anyone ever tried anything similar with any success?

Hmmm...rebroc, I see you were only looking for comfortable and warm, which means I've hijacked this tread in a way. I apologize and hope you can use all the waterproof info too.

OO, I have a pair of 4 year old pseudo pointed toe Stuart Weiztman boots with about a 3 inch heel on them. By accident two Januarys ago they were the one and only pair of shoes that went with me to NYC.

I can honestly say that my feet did not hurt me and we walked quite a bit. The slush did not hurt my boots either.

On the contrary OliveOyl, every bit of info is useful in some way or another. Hijack away! Everyone, keep it coming! And by the way, JackOneill, perhaps you have some suggestions for my boyfriend on comfortable walking shoes?

I'm glad rebroc...I didn't mean to go off on another tangent for you.

GoTravel, those sound like the boots I tried on...toe is very pointy but squares off at the last moment. They really hurt me in the store in a casual walk-around-the-shoe-department pace, so I know I'd be down to bare bone in Paris. They might be worth your looking at rebroc--they may not hit you the same way they did me. They will not self destruct if you run into slush on your visit. The ones I saw would have only accommodated hose on your feet, so I'm not sure how much warmth they would provide. I don't recall warmth being a problem in NYC last time we were there (also January), but it did rain the last day and I could have used something waterproof there as well, or at least not leather soles, which is what I had.

For the boyfriend: Go to Bob's and look for Deer Stags. You can find them online as well. My husband LOVES these. I do as well, but the styles for ladies are quite limited.

rebroc, Cole Haan makes some decent looking men's walking shoes. My husband also loves his Merrells (sp?) but they're not very dressy.

Deer Stags offers dress styles for men, even Wing Tips, with incredible cushioning in the sole. And, they're inexpensive. If you live near a Bob's store, they often have buy one-get the second half off, 30% off, etc. specials. And, with a Bob's card, there are further discounts.

It's important to find the shoes most comfortable for you. (I, personally, do not find Mephistos comfortable for more than an hour, tops.) AND, shoes that seem comfortable, if you don't do a lot of walking, may fail you miserably after several hours of pavement pounding. I always head for a mall and do lots of walking (at least the length of the mall several times - the floors are hard, similar to pavements and museum floors) before packing a pair of shoes for a trip to a destination with lots of walking.

NOw you guys have me wodering what to buy/wear for a possible trip this winter! Meesthare, I ,too, have heard that the mocs from Lands End are good. I may have to order some, and hope that I'm not zinged too much for duty etc. Glad to hear the baby is perfect!! I bet he is real cute....and grandma is thrilled to bits!

The Stuart Weitzman store in New York is on Madison; they carry larger widths on some of their shoes .

rebroc-
I'll try to help here. I was in Reno in business recently and discovered that I'd forgotten decent walking shoes at home. I needed to walk some pretty long stretches of property and couldn't do it in dress shoes. I went to a local mall and bought a pair mad by a company that is pronounced something like Bjorn (not exactly sure on the spelling--pronounced just like the tennis player Borg) because the salesman said these were the best shoes he'd ever owned. I've never had a more comfortable pair in my life. This company also makes a full line of men's and women's boots, which you might need in NYC at this time. I didn't price all of their products but the shoes/hiking boots that I bought were only $100.

I'd also agree on the all-weather mocs comments above from Land's End. A great shoe and a steal at about $40.

The concrete and asphalt in NYC is totally different than in any other city. The temperature is also different than in any other northern city. On NYC bound flights they check your baggage to make sure you have special NYC certified shoes. If not, they don't let you on the flight. Be sure to check the manufactures' label. The fines in NYC for non NYC certified shoes have risen in the past few years. Good luck and stay safe.

Aha, jor--so this explains the real reason why you have to take your shoes off for inspection at the airports. And here I thought they were just looking for explosives! (But why do they also check when I'm leaving NYC? hmmmmm. Maybe NYC certified shoes aren't allowed out of the city?)

Nice job, Judy24!

Jor, you sumed it all up! thanks.

This is for OO: for Paris, you definitely want something with a rubber sole if possible, if you'll be walking about all day, and a minimal heel, because the cobblestones on many side streets in the older, smaller historic districts will kill your feel without good cushioning when you've done miles of walking during your stay.

i have also used Zappos several times. Look for free shipping and sales and they arrive quick. i have never been disappointed.

You will definitely want those comfy shoes!!! You can get to just about anywhere in NYC by walking, subway or bus. Do not rent a car -- especially during NYE festivities, when NOPD shuts down many streets in the Times Square area for security and crowd control. Another suggestion: look into thermal socks, rather than bulky "warm shoes" for your trip. You should be able to find these at any sports store that carries hunting equipment.