Packing for vacation should never start with shoes. If that’s the first thing we pack, then there won’t be room for anything else. Faced with the dilemma of choosing which shoes to take on vacation, it’s essential to take into account where you’re going. Planning to go to the theater or a nice restaurant? You’ll need something a little more elegant, so put your favorite heels in that suitcase before it gets filled up. Planning to walk around town all afternoon? Comfort is paramount, so bring your most comfortable walking shoes. Beach? Sandals, of course.
Rachel, resident fashionista at The Scarpetta, an online retailer for women’s designer shoes, says “When packing for a vacation, packing shoes is almost always the most challenging part because they tend to be bulkier than most clothing and take up a lot of space in your suitcase.” Recognizing that “most women will bring multiple pairs to match multiple outfits,” she recommends condensing as much as possible to try to match multiple outfits with one pair of shoes, to relieve some of that much-needed suitcase space.
Amanda Hudes, founder of Smiling Through Chaos event planning, recommends traveling light, with one practical pair of shoes for walking, a pair of heels, and some sandals for walking around in the hotel (or outside, if the weather’s nice).
Comfort and style too?
What happens when you put a podiatrist and a fashion stylist in the same room, and tell them to come up with a design for a pair of women’s shoes? After the shouting, screaming, throwing of chairs, and maybe a little crying, they may just come up with something usable. That was the case with WORLDboots, a Los Angeles-based fashion brand that launched late last year with a star-studded Hollywood launch party.
The gold standard of any woman’s vacation shoe collection is a pair that is comfortable, and looks good enough to wear to the theater. “No pedorthist is going to recommend stilettoes if you’re planning on spending the afternoon walking around sight-seeing,” said Ben Zerbe, COO and chief designer at WORLDboots. “What we’ve accomplished here is creating an attractive product which men and women alike will be proud to wear – while putting comfort and foot health as our highest priorities.”
What you need most in your suitcase
Fashionable heels may look great, but most women will tell you, they are anxious to take them off as soon as possible – and perhaps one of the biggest needs in the women’s footwear industry is to create shoes that are stylish, and comfortable too, and with good support. There’s nothing quite like slipping into a pair of comfortable shoes that feel great when you’re walking, but at the same time, nobody really wants to wear shoes that remind them of their grandmothers.
Nearly 50 percent of all people will experience some type of foot issues at some point.
This is especially relevant for vacation packing, when you’re on a trip and likely to be doing a lot more walking than normal, and one of the most underrated but most important factors when packing for vacation is to select the right pair of shoes.
When you’re packing for that trip, keep in mind these expert tips that will keep your feet looking good, without having to soak them in hot water at the end of the day.
1. Bring a pair of heels for special occasions, the theater, or a nice restaurant, but don’t feel the need to wear them all day. Keep your heels to 2-1/2 inches or less to avoid foot pain later on.
2. Bring along a pair of all-occasion, stylish, low-heel or flat-heel shoes that you can wear with any outfit.
3. Style is about balance, especially when you’re on vacation. Find shoes that sit somewhere between runway model and frumpy grandma.
4. Casual runners are great to add to the suitcase for day-to-day support and comfort
5. Athleisure is a growing category that is well-suited to traveling, offering shoes that can be sporty and attractive for all occasions.
