Comfortable and warm flight outfits and walking shoes

Shoes are a very personal thing. For sure you need something supportive. The shoes should have thick soles for comfort and if you're heading somewhere that might have rain, grippy soles may save your bacon when you're walking on wet cobblestones. What that means in terms of specific shoes depends on your feet. I need arch support, so I use some rather expensive non-custom orthotics inside klutzy-looking lace-up shoes to keep my feet happy. (This means I cannot take dresses or skirts, because they'd look ludicrous with my shoes.) Other folks traveling in the summer have been able to use well-structured sandals.

Whatever you take needs to be well-broken in.

I am studiously avoiding asking about your itinerary, described as 4 countries in 2 weeks. It sounds as if you need roller skates, at the very least.

Edited to add: On the plane I like to wear stretchy slacks, a long-sleeved top and one light layer for warmth, which is needed only some of the time. Because of my shoe choice, I'm always wearing socks. I am cold-natured and haven't been chilly dressed like that, but I sometimes use the airline-supplied blanket over my legs..

When are you traveling?

I generally wear jeans but I'm old so I don't wear tight ones to begin with.

I wear a SS Tee (Land's End shaping tees - cotton/modal - sink wash well and dry overnight) with a long sleeve layer over it. I've worn cardigans in the past but the last couple of flights I wore a 1/4 zip dri-fit from Macy's and that worked well. I also wear a scarf which helps with keeping warm when it gets chilly overnight on the flight.

Whatever shoes you get, spend some time walking 5-7 miles in them months before you travel!

You didn't ask this but Four countries in 2 weeks is pretty aggressive. Depends on the countries, of course, but I'd probably not do more than 3 countries in a 14 day period especially if you are including some of the big cities such as London, Paris and Rome.

editing to add: I was thinking while acraven was posting. I agree with her statement that shoes and shoe fit are very personal. I've learned to wear what is comfortable on my feet so they will hold up over a several week trip. At this time, I'm devoted to Altra brand zero drop shoes. I use the Lone Peak style which are trail shoes so I've got a thick sole and grippy texture which work well on cobblestones, I can go 8-10 miles in them for many days in a row with no problem.

I’m currently packing for my 2 week trip and my pants consist of fleece-lined denim leggings, black moleskin jean leggings, another pair of fleece leggings and still trying to decide on a lighter weight pair of jean leggings. I pair them with Soma tops, tunic sweaters and shirts and different scarves. I make sure I’m not mistaken to be coming from a gym.

I’m just finally feeling some relief from 6 months of plantar fasciitis so good walking shoes were/are important. I’m taking a pair of Romika Cassie 48 waterproof suede boots that come just above the ankle. They are not clunky so look good with dresses too. Also taking a pair of Born Sebra moccasins which are very comfortable. Now that it’s winter I put away my Vionic sandals which were a godsend the last 6 months. Both pairs have decent arch support for me and are broken in.

I am cold natured as well so I will have a short jean jacket and a knee length packable down coat for the plane. Since it is winter where I am going my sweaters have varying degrees of wool/alpaca/cashmere.

I hope this helps.

My favorite shoes were Sketchers Go Step. They have many styles, but the Go Step sole has little “pillows” on the bottom. Most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. I also brought Nike running shoes and sandals (we were there in summer). Whatever you bring, make sure you’ve done LOTS of walking in them before the trip.

On the plane, I wore loose linen pants, t shirt and cardigan. I hate leggings and would never wear jeans on a plane. Nobody cares how you dress on a plane. If you’re flying economy, you’re not going to get upgraded for dressing well, so you might as well be comfy! If you’re flying first class, you’ve paid through the nose because you want to be comfy! You could even bring your pajamas to change into and no one would care.

One additional point about the shoes: A lot may depend on how many miles you will be walking (and how long standing) in Europe. Shoes that are OK for use at home, with an occasional 1-hour trip to mall, may turn out to be inadequate for always-on-your-feet days in Europe. Some people tend not to exceed 3 or 4 miles per day; others hit 10 miles or more. It can make a lot of difference.

I took a good-quality pair of lace-up waterproof shoes on my 2017 trip. I was fine for many weeks. Then I did a 12-mile day that had a good bit of up- and down-hill walking. Hello, plantar fasciitis, which took about 6 months to clear up. What was different about the waterproof shoes was that they had a stiff (though thick) sole, as compared to the cushy/bouncy sole on the shoes I had used on earlier trips with equivalent amounts of walking. Note: I was carrying a rather heavy purse on my right side (as usual), and the plantar fasciitis was only in the right foot, so that may well have been a factor.

If you expect to be pounding the pavement rather than doing a lot of café- and theatre-sitting, I highly recommend that you wear your proposed shoes for some days with really extensive walking and standing (morning in a museum, afternoon in a shopping mall, and throw in some stairs or hills). If there's an issue, it's far better to know about it ahead of time. There are adjustments you can make to avoid extremely high-mileage days if you know they may cause an issue--public transportation and/or taxis.

I agree that we need to know when+where you are traveling, in order to give you the best advice.

Shoes--I second that shoes are very personal. I like my Arcopedico shoes (Mary Janes and booties) because they are lightweight, washable, and cute. However, on days when I do plenty of walking, I wear my favorite Mizuno running shoes with a good insole. For a nice dinner, I usually return to the hotel and change to a dress plus my Arcopedico Mary Janes. For beach/pool sandals, I like my Spenco ones. I don't bring Birkenstocks because they cannot get wet.

Clothing--I don't bring denim (or most cotton clothing in general) because it's heavy and takes a long time to dry. I like Exofficio travel clothing with breathable, quick-drying fabric. Certain REI pants are nice too. For plane rides, I ensure that my soft/loose pants have deep pockets, as well as cargo pockets. Then, you can stick your medications or other important small objects in these pockets. I do see men's travel pants at Costco, too. However, some have shallower pockets--beware.

You might find something useful here: Best Walking Shoes for Travel
Opinions vary, but I wouldn't bring a special outfit just for the plane. Packing Smart and Traveling Light

There are also pants that are stretchy. A compromise of sorts between slacks and leggings. Let's be real, leggings look good on only a few body types. If that is you, congrats! For the rest of us a knit slack with an elastic waistband can help keep the long flight comfortable , but still not have looking like we are wearing pajamas.

I like Lands Ends Starfish Pants collection.

Everyone looks good in leggings provided you're wearing the right kind of top, i.e. a tunic or sweaterdress. Which is exactly what I wear on planes.

My last few flights from the US to Europe have been excessively warm. I had fleece lined leggings on this most recent flight and I wish I'd been wearing normal leggings. It's easier to pile on blankets or more layers if you're cold than to try to get cool when the inside temperature had to be at least 75 degrees. Ugh!

What if I am “shlumpy” by choice?

I think Bruce is ready to get on the leggings bandwagon :)

Haha, Bruce, then live your life. Be shlumpy, I’ll probably be right there with you!

On the plane I wear leggings with a t-shirt and a long open cardigan and sneakers.

For shoes, I bring 2 pairs of sneakers...Adidas Stan Smiths and one other pair of athletic shoes. I've only traveled in warm weather so far so I brought a pair of comfortable wedges (for when I feel like dressing up a bit for dinner). If it was cold weather I'd probably bring ankle boots.

There are also pants that are stretchy. A compromise of sorts between slacks and leggings. Let's be real, leggings look good on only a few body types. If that is you, congrats! For the rest of us a knit slack with an elastic waistband can help keep the long flight comfortable , but still not have looking like we are wearing pajamas.

I agree with Carol, most people aren't balanced well with leggings, to say the least.

I haven't tried LE Starfish pants, but intend to do so. However, I just wear my usual NYDJ black bootcut jeans...as they have stretch in them and look a little dressier than blue jeans. Also, I'd love to be on one of the cold planes as it seems mine always require peeling off layers. My layers are tank top, cotton blouse, vest, coat, pashmina. I wear the shoes that I wear at home: Clarks or Abeos.

No reply from OP regarding when this trip will be -- obviously, the time of year has a big impact on the type of walking shoes. In warm weather I prefer Keen H2O sandals and Fila (from Costco) sneakers; in cold/rainy weather I like waterproof Clark or Ahnu oxfords with good treads for slippery sidewalks. Plus a pair of light Sketcher Go Walks for relaxing in the hotel.
For the plane, cotton knit pull-on pants, tank top, long-sleeve shirt, wool sweater (merino or cashmere for warmth without weight) -- like Wray, I need to be able to strip down if the plane is over-warm.

Added:

The trip will be in February 2019. Spain all the way up to Netherlands, we found a deal and we couldn’t pass it up, though I think the timing will be fine and skates probably won’t be necessary. 🙂

Do you have specific recommendations on brands of shoes? I am curious about Allbirds and Vionics, but will take any recommendation!

I’m not at all opposed to stretchy pants and I’ve always wondered about LE Starfish line, I think I’ll check them out.

Thanks all!

I’d buy your shoes this month so you have a chance to make sure they are comfy and take them on some long walks. You will walk more than do would even think about at home. Recommend two different pairs so when your feet are ready to die, switching to a different pair of shoes can be a blessing.

I wear Keens with store bought orthotics for additional arch support. (Superfeet are available at REI and athletic footwear stores.)

Since we live here without a car, we average 12,000 steps and over 5 miles per day. Back in October when we vacationed in France for two weeks, I walked 100,000 steps and 50 miles per week.

One other piece of advice. Even with comfortable shoes, lots of miles day after day can cause blisters. The MINUTE you start feeling a hot spot, use duct tape in that area. Or if you’ve previously had blisters on your feet (for me it’s my little toes) be proactive and duct tape every morning. You can buy tiny compact rolls of duct tape at REI. I also where “Wright socks” which are double layered, a blister prevention strategy.
REI duct tape

Agree with WrightSocks recommend - get their dual layer anti-blister socks. But skip the duct tape and be proactive from the start and buy some BodyGlide which is what runners use to prevent blisters, hot spots and chafing. Rub it all over your feet (including toes), wear the WrightSocks and a decent pair of shoes. What brand is entirely dependent on your feet so try on a lot of brands to figure out works best for you. My Go To brands for walking that work well on cobblestone, brick or uneven but easy walking trails tend to rotate between Merrell, Keen, Taos, Clarks, Abeo, Doc Martens and a couple pair of suede Dansko I managed to find that weren't ugly like the shoes they manufacture for medical personnel or chefs. All of them are great for being on my feet for extended periods of time.

I have several pairs of Allbirds. While they are super comfortable and keep my feet warm (or cool, depending on the season), they aren't good primary shoes for traveling as they don't have a whole lot of arch support or padding (though you can supplement them with some gel insoles from the drug store). My Allbirds Loungers are made from merino wool, so they will get wet if I get caught in a heavy rainstorm but they hold up fine in light rain. Still, I brought my Allbirds on my last trip to Europe as an additional shoe. I wore them to fly to/from Europe because they are really easy to slip on and off at the airport or on board the plane. They also look a little nicer than a sneaker, so I'll swap out my day shoe with the Allbirds Loungers when it's time to go out for drinks or dinner and I'm not going to be walking more than a mile or two. Because the merino wool stretches, they give my feet a break when they are tired or a little swollen at the end of the day.

To fly, I won't wear jeans for that long in cramped space. I wear a non-shlumpy loose knit pant from Talbots or J. Jill (not leggings) which have a flat comfortable waistband - no zippers or anything jabbing into me. I do pack some leggings in my suitcase, but I just don't like to wear anything super clingy when I'm going to be in a coach class seat for more than a couple hours.

prAna uses what they call their Zion fabric on a number of different pants they make, both standard weight and lined for outdoor winter use. Said fabric is stretchy, very comfortable, does not wrinkle, water-resistant (though not waterproof) and will last long enough that their somewhat steep price ends up seeming to be a good value.

The women's Halle pant- I own multiple pairs of the black ones

https://www.prana.com/halle-pant.html?color=cargogreen

Or if you like a tighter cut-

https://www.prana.com/briann-pant.html?color=moonrock

If you are checking your bags, wear cloths and shoes that you will feel comfortable with when you arrive at your destination. The flight is a hop and a skip...if your bag gets lost in transit, what then? Think beyond the flight when you plan your wardrobe.

I am wearing LE Starfish pants right now - very comfy and look good. This is a good time to buy as they usually have good sales - right now it is 40% off.