<p>As EK mentioned, we are trying to find solutions for 2 different people:</p>
<p>1) OP, who will be traveling to Italy needs stylish shoes for walking on cobblestones;
2) Thumper, who will be traveling to Africa, needs inexpensive, mud-proof shoes that she can leave behind.</p>
<p>For 1). Sometimes it pays off to think outside the comfort shoe deapartment. This shoe was recommended to me by Goumetmom (thank you!) as an option to be worn with pantsuits, and I ended up wearing my Varas all summer long. With the addition of 3/4 length Superfeet inserts, the shoes became as comfortable as sneakers for walking:
[Salvatore</a> Ferragamo Vara (Beige/Stone Grey/Red) - Salvatore Ferragamo Shoes](<a href=“The Style Room - Women | Zappos.com”>The Style Room - Women | Zappos.com)</p>
<p>The Queen wears these for a good reason. Bluefly carries Ferragamos.</p>
<p>Bunsen Burner is correct on the Vara’s by Ferragamo-Hads 3 pairs of these for 8 years and they are wonderful for people who want better comfort and still look stylish. </p>
<p>Oh for the days when my ferragamos did the trick. I now have lupus and the joint problem in my feet is destroying bone tissue. for shoes for the pathetically miserable feet with this type of problem i recommend Danskio’s or MBT’s.</p>
<p>I’m smitten by those Paul Green Dex recommended by Gourmetmom. </p>
<p>Bunsen, those Ferragamos are just so lovely. I have a pair from the late 80s in black patent leather. Still in great shape and wear occasionally. I love that beige color. So tempting. Great shoes because they are great any age.</p>
<p>I can’t leave ALL of my shoes in Africa…we do have to travel home…and it’s by way of Brussels…(where it will be winter). I think I’ll make a trip to the mall (yuck) and see what they have. Wonder if the Lands End shoes can be found at a Sears store?</p>
<p>I do not want boots of any kind!! In addition to it being rainy, it will also be hot.</p>
<p>I agree with blankmind. A shoe that is sturdy enough to be walked in for hours on end isn’t likely to be the most stylish. There is absolutely nothing more miserable than ending up with blisters after 8 hours of touring and then having to put back on shoes and do it all over again the next day with blistered feet (I always carry blister patches for this reason).</p>
<p>And honestly, when you’re in a foreign country, everyone knows you’re a tourist and it’s not like you’re ever going to see those people again. I look for shoes that are first and foremost comfortable plus they need to be relatively versatile, so that if the weather turns one way or the other, I can change to a warmer or cooler outfit and still wear them. I vary my traveling shoes depending upon the season. In England and Italy - both at beginning of March, it’s still chilly so I chose a very sturdy, leather walking shoe knowing I would wear mostly jeans or black pants.</p>
<p>In Japan, in the summer, I chose a comfy mary-jane type shoe knowing I could wear it with pants, capris or a casual skirt.</p>
<p>Sometimes I bring both sturdy slip-on walking shoes and mary jane sneaker types. We did a cruise to Northern Europe a few summers ago and darn if it didn’t start snowing in St. Petersburg in June (it was totally out of season for them) and then it was hot in Stockholm two days later.</p>
<p>We’ve been looking at doing Africa next summer (still up in the air on that one) but I suspect I would go for a low cut hiking boot for safari and probably a mary-jane type for in the city.</p>
<p>My goal is to stick to 3 pairs of shoes per trip (including the ones I wear to get there) though I admit I don’t always achieve it. #1 thing to do is to buy the shoes weeks ahead of time and wear them over and over again. They may feel great and comfortable in the store but most shoes require a decent amount of break-in time to prevent problems.</p>
<p>Working in midtown in NYC, I trip over tourists whenever I leave my building (sometimes even in the lobby, as I work in the Chrysler Building!). Since this thread started, I have looking at tourists’ footwear. I have seen even middle aged women wearing low-cut Converse sneakers - the black ones are quite stylish with jeans. Just another casual option.</p>
<p>I have these by Merrill, which are very lightweight and comfortable - actually not too bad looking, either. They make my size 9 feet look small. They are made of some sort of breathable mesh material, yet rugged enough for walking on uneven terrain. I always throw them in my bag when I travel. </p>
<p>Those Vara’s are the best - such a great shoe with pants or a skirt. I love that it’s available in so many colors and textures. I want a pair in every color.</p>
<p>Thumper, our Sears usually doesn’t have those shoes, but you can occasionally find a pair. You can order them at Sears (they’ll do it for you) and there’s no shipping charge. Mine always fit, but you can order in 2 sizes if you’re not sure, and return one or both pairs to the Sears store. They’re very nice about letting you return Lands’ End stuff, and sometimes give you a 10% off anything at Sears coupon when you return.</p>
<p>Thumper - what about some nice hiking sandals? My son recently bought some Chacos. They are suppose to be fabulous for hiking. Might work for your trip since they would be easy to rinse off, look better with a skirt than walking shoes and since people use them for hiking, I suspect they are pretty stable. There are other brands out there but these come to mind. Very popular with the college crowd these days.</p>
<p>Well, I’m not the OP but am reading this thread with interest as I will be traveling to Italy in December. I have particularly bad feet (not sure what’s wrong with them…but they hurt all the time.) I typically wear Teva, Keen and Birkenstock. They can get me through an average day, but even in these great shoes, I have sore feet by the end of a long day.</p>
<p>I will be checking out the Merrell’s posted above and appreciate any other suggestions you have for those of us with problem feet.</p>
<p>Thumper, I think lace up hiking boots look really cute with skirts. Like Quinn on Glee. My DD wears this combo a lot. Maybe just a light hiker with cute patterned socks that wick. I’m big on supporting my ankles when I walk long distances over bumpy terrain.</p>
<p>I’m taking a pair of sandals to wear for going out in the evenings. My daughter says closed toed shoes will be essential for walking around as she has already had chiggers and doesn’t think I would like that experience very much! So no Chocos or Tevas.</p>
<p>And certainly NOT Feragamo shoes for treking on unpaved roads.</p>
<p>I’m off to look today…I bet I’ll find something. I’d like a brown sneaker…something very lightweight like my New Balance low cuts…</p>
<p>Gourmetmom - Those Merrell’s are interesting. I am looking for a comfortable shoe for my mom to wear with slacks and jeans. She is still really cute at 82, but her feet are just horrible. Arthritis, bunions, toes going every which way…</p>
<p>When she buys shoes, she ends up purchasing shoes that are way too long just to accommodate her toes. She doesn’t like wearing sneakers with her slacks, but they are the most comfortable for her. These shoes might be a possibility. They don’t tie, but they look like they would stay on her feet. I guess I know what I will be doing this week :)</p>
<p>Another brand that is comfortable to walk in is Cole Haan, as they are owned by Nike and most of their flats have Nike Air technology hidden in the soles. Again, they are pricey, but typically good shoes are. You can often find them on sale at Cole Haan outlets or Saks Off Fifth. </p>
<p>I found this pair that would fit in well in Europe and work with pants:</p>
<p>Well…I just got back from my “shoe outing”…tried on dozens of shoes. I was looking for comfort, light weight, and something that wouldn’t look awful covered in dust and maybe even mud. I tried on lots of options…many were suede and I didn’t want that. I decided that slip ons were not comfortable for me…and that something with laces would be better. Believe it or not…I ended up getting a nice pair of cocoa brown Sketcher Compulsions Organic (that’s what the box says) sneakers that were far and away the most comfortable shoes I tried on…and walked in. The color is perfect too as most of the clothes I’m taking with me are tans, browns and the like. $40…on sale at Famous Footwear of all places.</p>
<p>Thumper, I’m so jealous for your upcoming trip! We’ve spent some extended time in SA and enjoyed every minute. If your schedule allows, don’t miss the wine country—just north of Cape Town–simply gorgeous …Enjoy and DO report on your trek when you return!</p>
Bluefly carries Ferragamos.</p>