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Shoes and Skirts

I have a good sturdy pair of walking shoes for wear with pants, but they are not of an appearance that I like with skirts. They are more like athletic shoes. I have a skirt that I like to wear when the walking is going to be city terrain. I have shoes that I have worn in the past with the skirt, but I have developed arthritis in one of my toes, and those shoes are no longer comfortable. The toes are just a little too compressed. Does anyone have any suggestions about a pair of shoes that would be appropriate with a skirt but also are good for walking?

Posted by
1336 posts

Check out AEBO or Taos sneakers. I see a lot of young and old wear them with skirts for travel. I personally find my Taos leather sneakers more comfy than the AEBO, but depends on your feet!

Also look at the Walking Co website for other kinds of shoe options; like a walking Mary Jane, etc.

Posted by
11991 posts

Do you have a SAS shoe store near you? They are also online. Their shoes are the most comfortable I have worn in years and my feet are difficult to fit. Highly recommend SAS shoes!

Posted by
1531 posts

You need a shoe with a wider toe box, so try on a variety to get the right fit. If Dr. Martens are still fashionable with young women, they should be OK for you - just an example. Flaunt the clunkiness if it's more comfortable.

Posted by
380 posts

Consider walking sandals from Aetrex or similar. My copper colored ones have great footbeds for extended walking, adjustable velcro straps, and they dress up or down. I also love white leather tennis shoes with dresses on vacation. My go-to brand is Puma, and I just got a pair of white Puma Carina leather lace-ups for about $35. My bunionettes are happy and I like the look.

Posted by
3305 posts

I always take a pair of sandals; old discontinued silver FitFlop. I can easily walk 5 miles in them. If I wore dresses, they would look fine. I have problem feet, so rotating my shoes and freeing my toes helps a lot. I also take a pair of walking athletic shoes. This year I will add a third pair, waterproof Keens, for England and Ireland. One extra pair than I want to pack but my feet win the argument.
Let your feet decide what’s comfortable. Sometimes it’s just a matter of buying a half size larger.

Posted by
1320 posts

If you are travelling in warmer weather, meaning not winter, early spring, late fall, take a look at Bernie Mev. I wear the Comfi style - that is the correct spelling. They look great with a skirt or pants. They are made of fabric with elastic and are machine washable. The sole is very cushy and stands up to lots of walking, at least for me. This particular style has an open toe, but I believe there is a similar style with closed toe. You can purchase on Amazon. While they come in various colors, generally, I purchase a black pair every two years, and they become my summer shoe. I have worn these on trips to London and the EU as my alternative to more robust Keens.

Posted by
2681 posts

I got my first pair of Sketchers last year and am very happy with Sketchers.

Previously I wore Chacos and still would. Very happy with them also.

Posted by
7079 posts

I've been very happy with Jambu shoes. I have wide feat and often have foot problems (Capsulitis ). I've been very happy with Jambu.

https://jambu.com/

Posted by
6401 posts

I like Sorel sandals. They keep the athletic shoe base and just add straps (my interpretation. )
But honestly, I see dozens of the young girls in Europe with athletic shoes paired with skirts/dresses.
Just be comfortable and have a great trip!

Posted by
6753 posts

I second the SAS recommendation. I’ve worn them for many years. People are always surprised at the range of styles available.

Posted by
119 posts

I second Skechers Mary Jane’s. My go to second “dressy” pair (mostly wear trail runners for walking/hiking) when packing light! Can also dress down as casual pair to give your feet a rest after all day in athletic shoes!

Posted by
631 posts

In warmer weather, I live in my Keen Rose sandals. I own three different colors! They work fine with pants and skirts.

Posted by
6 posts

Check out the Frankie 4 Dimity range (check online) I wear my white ones with skirts as they do not look too heavy. They are perfect for my arthritic toes and the shoes come with removable orthotics. They are lightweight and not leather. I wore my Dimitys every day on my last trip throughout the Middle East and Europe and am able to easily walk 10kms or more in them.

Posted by
1073 posts

I have worn Bernie Mevs for years and swear by them. I also like Merrill sneakers and have two very comfortable ones that are brightly multi-coloured purple, green and blue, and go with just about everything I wear. And yes I wear them with skirts! If you have happy feet and are smiling no one will be looking at your shoes!

Posted by
6 posts

Also meant to add, Vivaia. They have a great range of shoes and you can fit your own orthotics, I bought the Mary Jane version specifically for when I wear skirts.

Posted by
8454 posts

I agree with Renee’s comment. I live in my Keen Rose sandals during the summer at home, and I have taken a pair of Keen’s to Europe as my main shoe since 2006. I think I switched to their Rose style around 2010.

I recently wore them in Italy last month, and one feature I love is the protective toe cover. It saved me once again from breaking a toe on an uneven stone walkway.

Posted by
459 posts

I love my Ecco Soft 7. The look good with both pants and casual skirts and dresses. They were comfortable right out of the box. So far I have worn them on 5 trips and find them so comfortable. Right now they are on sale at Zappos $60 off! I think I might get myself another pair. enter link description here

Posted by
9 posts

I second JoAnn. I have many pairs of Ecco's. I also recommend the Propet brand, especially if you need a little more room in the toe box.

Posted by
7079 posts

I got a pair of Keen sandals quite a few years ago. Don't love the clunky style and didn't find them comfortable for extended wear, and I have used them mostly as a water shoe. So every time I have read about Keen on the forum I just ignored it since they weren't my fave. Well, this morning, I google Keen Rose. Low and behold, they are totally different AND cute! I will say they are a lot like the Jambu shoes I have been favoring. Kind of wished I didn't look the Keen Rose up, I may need to get some. It does look like the Keen insole/footbed is plastic or some synthetic material, which sometimes causes blisters on the bottom of my feet. Jambu has leather insoles.

I also looked up the Ecco on Zappo. They only come in medium width and most sizes seem to be sold out. They are a nice looking shoe, however.

I just received my first pair of Vessi. I bought them for our fall trip to England because they are waterproof yet still look like a cute sneaker (like Keds, Ecco, etc.) I have wide feet and they only come in medium, but the style I choose run wide and slightly big. I really do like them and I'm going to start wearing them out and about to determine how comfortable they will be for an entire day of walking. They are a Canadian company, and I was impressed with their customer service. When I received them, I didn't like the color choice, I picked. They allowed me to exchange and paid shipping both directions.

Posted by
8454 posts

”Kind of wished I didn't look the Keen Rose up, I may need to get some.”

@Jules M, oh, you’re getting the hook on the line - LOL! They’re the one thing that’s a no-brainer when I’m getting ready for my next trips. ; )

Posted by
3078 posts

I also have arthritis in my foot. I need a wide toe box but have a narrow heel. I wear both Taos leather sneakers and Aetrex Jillian sandals with dresses/skirts. Both have great support. The sandals have Velcro (but don’t look like it) which means they adjust and I have the Taos in wide.

I always bring three pairs of shoes to Europe. It is important to switch shoes around. The sandals take up little room and I take them even in cool weather to wear in evenings in hotel as I can’t go barefoot.

Posted by
10988 posts

I love my several pairs Ecco Soft 7’s, but at some point after I purchased them they changed them a bit. I bought a new pair of white to replace my 2 year old pair and they killed my feet. I’ve been searching mostly unsuccessfully to find another brand and have bought and returned many shoes. I think I have succeeded with a pair of Abeo. I’ve worn them around the house and now I’m wearing them while out and about. I’m on a trip now and will see how I like them after some serious walking. I get shoes from Nordstrom for their generous return policy.