Hi there, lovelies!
One of my most frequently asked questions regarding travel is what shoes I recommend you pack for your trip! Truth is, the answer really has a lot to do with where you’re going and what the season is. With that said, I thought I’d answer this question in multiple posts this year to be sure, no matter when you’re traveling, you have a post that you can refer to for assistance. So, since I covered winter shoes in this post, I thought we’d look ahead to the next season for those of you who have Spring travels on the horizon!
Let’s get started!
WHEN SHOULD I START THINKING ABOUT WHAT SHOES TO PACK FOR MY SPRING TRIP?
Simply put … NOW!
Now is the best time to start looking at adding new things to your Spring wardrobe, as there are new Spring items out yet no one is thinking about buying them because it’s still pretty cold in most places. If you’re needing to purchase new shoes for your trip, a good rule of thumb is to think about shoes two months ahead of the season your trip falls into. So, for Spring, start thinking about shoes early February as new Spring items are coming out. Purchasing your Spring shoes now will not only ensure you get the size you need, but it’ll also allows time for exchanges without any frustration and trying them out before you leave, which brings me to ….
FIRST RULE OF DECIDING ON SHOES TO TRAVEL IN: Do NOT pack a pair of shoes that you haven’t walked around in for multiple hours at a time at least three times prior to your trip. If they didn’t give you blisters, they can be considered for packing!
HOW MANY SHOES SHOULD YOU BRING?
It’s truly hard to say when I don’t know where you’re going and what you’re doing so I’d advise you to do the following. Sit down with your tentative itinerary and what you’ll likely do or what you’d really like to do and determine ahead of time what types of shoes you might need to comfortably do those things. While my packing is a little different than most people, I’d say that if you’re trip is a week long or more, I’d typically say you’d need to bring three pairs of different types of shoes.
SO, WHAT TYPES OF SHOES WOULD I RECOMMEND FOR SPRING TRAVEL?
So, the types of shoes you bring have a lot to do with the types of activities you’re planning for your getaway.
• If you’re walking around a city quite a bit, I’d suggest tennis shoes or a comfortable pair of ballet flats.
These are my favorite travel flats because you can fold them up for easy storage and / or packing.
• If you’ll be at the beach, I’d recommend a cute pair of flat sandals or flip flops.
Heads up! Jack Rogers sandals take about a week or so to break in. The leather just needs to be stretched to the width of your foot so be sure to do that before your trip if you plan on bringing a pair from that brand with you!
• If you’ll be doing a lot of sightseeing on a bus or bike, I’d say slides or espadrille flats could work well.
• If you’ll be out in nature, hiking trails and potentially camping, I’d say bring hiking boots.
If you’re worried about how you’re going to look in these, get over it, girlfriend! Part of travel is throwing away the cares you have about what you look like. The point is what you’re looking AT and getting there is the biggest challenge so worry more about being adequately prepared with proper footwear! 🙂
• If you’re heading to a big city or anywhere super touristy, I’d highly recommend closed toe shoes as walking through crowds and cities will most certainly equal extra dirty feet at the end of the day if they’re not covered.
• If you’re heading to the beach, you may want to bring a pair that can get wet and sit in the sun for a long period of time without getting grimy, like these or these.
If you’re heading to a theme park, tennis shoes might be your best bet. No one likes crushed toes!
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 5 SPRING TRAVEL SHOE RECOMMENDATIONS?
[1] TORY BURCH ‘POPPY’ LOGO ESPADRILLES: These are a new purchase after I fell in love with Tory Burch espadrille flats last year when I purchased THIS pair [seen here, here, here]. I will say … you’ll need to get used to the way the espadrille material feels against your feet. It was a little difficult and uncomfortable first because your constant wear is going to soften it and make it more comfortable. So, just a heads up there! But, once they’re soft and they don’t feel hard anymore, they are extremely comfortable! I love the new pink pair and can’t wait to wear them more! They run true to size!
[2] NIKE ‘DUALTONE’ RUNNING SHOE: I just got these sneakers a few weeks ago and I’m obsessed with them. Over the past couple of years, when I was traveling, I swore by the Nike Juvenate sneaker. They were so lightweight, comfortable and so easy to walk in! I also wore these Nike Lunarglides when I went to Rome a couple of years ago, as well. I’d say these, in terms of thickness, are a bit in the middle of those two. They look really good on your foot without hugging it super tight like the Juvenate. They’re still really lightweight and I love the color combination I’m wearing but they also come in gray! They run true to size!
[3] TORY BURCH ‘MINNIE’ TRAVEL BALLET FLATS: These are – hands down – the most comfortable pair of flats I have ever, ever, ever owned!! I cannot rave about them enough. I have them in four colors and I bring at least two with me on my European adventures.
[4] VANS CLASSIC SLIP-ON SNEAKERS: So, Vans are a brand that is known for making one of the most classic slip-on sneakers. Although they are quite popular in my little beach town, I’ve actually never owned a pair. However, recently this pair in the ‘Silver Lining’ color caught my eye. I felt like I’d get a lot of use out of them because they’d go with a lot. I live in a really laid back environment and these shoes are an easy throw on and go, no fuss kind of shoe. I’ve worn them quite a bit on walks with the pups and I definitely think they’d be a comfortable shoe to walk in for a quite a few hours. They don’t, however, offer a lot of support so keep that in mind if you happen to need support based on your arch. This shoe might not be a good fit for everyone. They run true to size.
[5] TORY BURCH ‘MILLER’ FLIP-FLOP: These shoes have been one of my ride-or-die pairs of shoes for a few years now. They are so easy to just throw on and they also look a little more polished than a normal pair of flip flops. They’re comfortable and run true to size!
So, I think that about does it! If you haven’t already, be sure to fill out this reader survey to help me gauge what are liking and wanting more of! Filling it out enters you for a chance to win a Sony a5100, seen here:
Thanks for stopping by today, friends! Hope this post was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions or just want to say hi in the comments section below! 🙂 xo.