Stylish Comfortable shoes

My first recommendation would be to make sure the shoes are well broken-in to prevent blisters. I'll let the ladies make some specific recommendations.

PS- They'll know she's a tourist anyway no matter what she wears.

I'm seconding Tom's wise words here- only take shoes that are well broken in. I allowed vanity to rule on a trip to Vienna and took new shoes. Oh, the agony. Nearly wrecked the trip for me. Never again.

In my opinion, there are times and places when one should be comfortable and that is when walking miles every day on vacation.

When we are in Europe or in other countries around the globe....we are tourist.

Whatever shoes you purchase, be sure to break them in before you leave on vacation.

I agree with ensuring whatever you wear is well broken in and comfortable before you leave. That said, I just purchased a pair of Clarks Wave walking shoe. They fit amazingly well, and oh so comfortable. I wore them for my 40 minute lunchtime power walk the day after purchase, just to see what would happen. Turned out to be much more comfortable than my New Balance sneakers, or any other shoe I've had in the past (Easy Spirit included, and I'm a huge fan of Easy Spirit)! The only thing though, everyone's taste in "stylish" is different, and in that respect, these may not fit the bill. However, you may want to check out other styles that Clarks offers.

Hello Leticia! I personally love my Dansko sandals. They are cute, but still extremely comfortable! Check out dansko.com. You cant buy shoes there, but there are several online retailers, such as Amazon or Zappos. Good luck and enjoy your trip!

I just bought some sandals from Teva that are very comfortable and look pretty stylish to me for something sturdy enough that I would consider them for my trip summer (I am taking them). The style is called Kayenta. They come with colored nylon straps (about as strappy as you can get with something that still is comfortable to walk in) or in leather.

I just wore them for about 5 days solid and did a lot of walking (shopping in the mall for three hours on hard floors, walking two miles around the neighborhood). They provided good cushioning and support, although I had one little spot that rubbed on my winter-tender feet. This will go away, although I'd use moleskin while traveling.

Dansko was my first thought... They make clogs as well as sandals and they are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.

Teva's and Ecco's are really good, but Chaco's have built in arch support and are amazing.

Birkenstock makes really cute sandals now, and they're very comfortable. They're very popular with Europeans so I'd say they're the least touristy looking.

Hi Leticia, both my teenage girls have gone walking shoe shopping with me (going to Italy in Oct) and you can just imagine the eye rolling and the gasps of horror that I get when I try on walking shoes. I must admit, I'm having a hard time deciding between being stylish or comfy and still hoping I can find both. However, my 17 year old did just fine walking around Paris and Barcelona last year in her Converse and Vans. I guess teenage feet are more resilient than ours. I found a pair of Rykas at Marshall's for $25 that are black with white soles and they're pretty good so far. I'm an RN so I wear them to work to test them. I am still looking though. Good luck with the hunt!

Not to sound rude, but I think the shoes posted here aren't really what most teenagers would consider stylish.

Personally, when I was 17-20, I was just fine with a pair of Converse on walking-heavy trips to Russia, NYC, Chicago, etc. I probably would've worn them over "comfort" shoes even if they weren't adequately comfortable, because that's just what the stubborn teenage mentality can be.

I would look into Dr. Scholl's for a good compromise between "stylish" and "comfortable". A lot of them are actually really cute, and Dr. Scholl knows a thing or two about comfort.

I agree Anna. I'm a teenager and wore Converse all around. We went to Scotland and Emgland walking both cities and small islands. My feet wre fine the whole time. I looked for shoes but I couldn't being myself to wear most of them. I don't really like athletic looking shoes, and I didn't like the look of the Clarks or Ecco walking shows, at least for men. My dad has a pair or Merrells with Vibram soles which are more versatile than most I saw.

I apologize for not being able to help with brands. It's really just a frustrating thing looking for walking shoes, especially for teenagers.

ditto on the converse. depending on the time of year you're going, uggs or emus are THE most comfortable shoes EVER, and could not be more popular with 'kids these days'. i own two pairs, and i'm 30 (and bought them on sale). they are literally more comfortable than my own feet. another option, depending on what kind of teenager she is--dr. marten sandals (or boots--again, depending upon the season) they are tied in comfort with the uggs, and my students (who are teenagers) love mine (two pairs of sandals, one pair of boots), even though they are a bit clunky.

We are going soon with 2 young adult/older teens, so I just consulted with a friend in Italy. She said Converse and Vans are all the rage there for teenage girls now. Those should be fine for young feet. Uggs, not, especially for summer.

Adidas and Pumas are also classic European choices and teen (and college student, judging from the streams of undergrads I see going into those shops) brands.

I finally found a sandal I could walk in without feeling like my feet were more athletic than the rest of me when I ordered Merrell's Savannah sandals in black. They aren't necessarily what most teens would wear (I suppose I could run it past my baby sister), but they are darn comfy for walking a mile or more at a time (the extent that I've walked in mine each day so far) without looking like walking shoes. That said, I'm with everyone who suggests Converse and Vans. My feet seem to have aged faster than the rest of me and can't take the flatness of that type of shoe as well as my younger sisters' feet can, but they aren't exactly uncomfortable, either.

I'm going to reiterate my suggestion for the Teva Kayenta sandal, if the trip will be in the summer. I am a young(ish) woman, and I also don't like wearing big clunky shoes that favor function over style. These are really good-looking sandals with very fine straps. They come in a variety of colors and in multiple colors of leather. They may not be to her taste, but for a comfortable, hard-wearing sandal that is secure enough for the kind of walking one does while traveling (they do have an ankle-strap), I think it would be hard to find one that is more fashionable. I'm not a big fan of most of Teva's sandals for fashion wear, but I really would make an exception for these. Please at least take a look at them online. And mine run true to size for my dress-shoe size.

My other suggestion would be that the teenager take a pair of shoes or sandals she likes already and that are comfortable from home, and when she arrives at her destination, look at what other women are wearing and buy a pair of them. That's the best way to look like a European woman--to buy shoes in Europe. And you know you're going to end up shopping for souvenirs anyway--why not shoe-venirs? :-) And a great scarf--although if you are not born with the gene, you'll never look as good in one as a European woman!

I'm a big fan of Danskos (black sandals not clogs) and J-41's in fact I got a pair of red patent leather peep toes ones yesterday that I am testing out as I write. In travelling with a teenager as I did last summer, they seem to have higher tolerance for pain in the name of fashion. Pack lots of blister block and foot powder- my secret weapon that few people mention. Have a great trip!

I just bought some Ecco sandals that look like Tevas, pretty casual. Not sure if this is what a teen would call stylish tho...

Since it's summer, I suggest Rainbow flipflops for your teenager. Everyone wears them (all ages) and they actually have a built in arch that makes them way more comfortable than flipflops. The Skechers shape up flipflops are also comfy, not sure if a teen will wear them though. I know mine won't but they love their Rainbows. I do too, I have a couple of pairs!

Contrary to what many Americans think, teenagers in Europe dress pretty much like American teenagers. For both of you, I suggest walking or running shoes that you know are dependable and comfortable enough to walk in for hours at a time. I.e, of you wear a favorite pair of shoes every day, all day long, back home, that's the pair to take.

Otherwise, you will both be walking around in "stylish comfortable shoes" wondering why all the locals are wearing shoes like you wear at home.

If you can afford the luggage space, pack a dressier pair for the odd occasion.

Don't even try to disguise the fact that your are a tourist. Everyone knows, and they don't care.

Convince your daughter to be practical. if she isn't, she's likely to develop blisters on her feet on Day One, which will make Day Two and all the rest pretty miserable.

I've got several teen relatives that were born in Europe and have grown up there. Their parents regularly travel to the States on business and when they do, they always want to stop at DSW, Kohl's or Foot Locker and get their teens Chuck Taylor's (Converse), Adidas, Pumas or Nikes at drastically reduced prices - this is what European teens wear. I'm not sure about the Uggs for a 17 year old...when my Irish sister-in-law got a pair of Uggs for herself her teens snickered and said "2006 called and it wants its shoes back!" And I know a few of the other brands mentioned here would elicit similar catty comments and eye rolls from them. Teens are harsh when it comes to their footwear...let her pick what she likes within reason - i.e., just remind her she's going to be on her feet for hours and the Old Navy flip flops she might like to wear at home just won't work that well on cobblestones, so the sneakers are a better option. Let her bring 1 pair of dressy sandals or sparkly flip flops if she wants something cuter to wear out at night to dinner.

Even if you let her take something already broken in from her own closet, pick up a stick of "Body Glide" at your local sporting goods store. Even well-broken in shoes can cause blisters in Europe. At home you simply don't walk as much as you will in Europe. Body Glide used on your feet each morning before you put on your shoes or sandals is excellent at preventing blisters or hot spots from even forming.

EDIT: If you go to the "To the West" board and click on a post called "Paris Flea Market" (by Norma), there is a link with photographs - scroll down through the photos and you'll see some pictures of racks and walls full of Converse, Pumas and other types of footwear & clothing popular in Europe right now.

Generally I wear flats when traveling since I do a lot of walking at home in flats as I don't have a vehicle and have to walk everywhere, so I'm used to it but I did bring one pair of runners, from Stella McCartney's line for Adidas and was often complimented on them by my French classmates (I was on exchange) Not saying her runners have to be Stellas, but find a design style along similar lines, they were a dark navy, narrow runner with double laces, and blended in a lot better than a typical athletic running shoe.

Shoes: You probably don't want to hear this, but buy good, expensive shoes, your feet are important. Expect to pay $300 to $400. You won't regret it; you'll wear your shoes all day, they will look great and your feet will thank you for it. I even noticed well-dressed Italians admiring my shoes! I don't spend much on clothes, but I do on shoes and they are worth every penny.
I like Arche; they look a little clunky online but are very pretty in person. The pair I wore every day, all day in Italy was called: Arche Women's Calame Thong. You can find them at endless.com
I'm sure all the styles are equally comfortable. It's important to dress nicely too; you can wear capri pants and skirts with nice tops. You'll be comfortable, cool and feel better about how you look.

I bought a pair of Natural Sport shoes made by Naturalizer. They are a cross between a sandal and a sneaker. Come in gray/lime green or gray/pink. Very comfortable and trendy looking. They also have a built-in Dr. Scholls gel insert.

I'm sorry I forgot to mention the style name of the Naturalizer shoe. Coolidge. And the colors and gray/lime green and gray/blue. You can check their website.

I agree that Converse is a good looking shoe, but I would not be able to walk for long time in it.
My feet will get tired quickly.
I has a lot success with the brand Diesel (European brand but can be foudn here in the US at hight prices). Good looking shoes a teenager would wear and very soft and comfy. You might find cheaper ones on ebay or discount store like TJ Max.

Is Diesel cheaper in Europe???

Anna, no. In Europe everything is more expensive plus they don't have so many discounts like here.
Try zappos.com or Amazon

I'm 28 years old, so not exactly a teenager, but still young. I've ran into the same issues because I'm super picky about the way my shoes look and I've found it rather difficult to find a pair of "stylish" shoes that I can walk around in for 14+ hours a day and aren't going to be overly casual. I ended up going to an independent shoe store that caried a large variety of shoes and has shoe sales people who actually know about the shoes they are selling. I told them what I was buying them for and a few specifications. I ended up buying a pair of black Mephitos sandals (I'm traveling in July and August) that I could not find on the web link listed earlier.

Otherwise, I agree with the other postings. I was just in England for 2 weeks and casual type athletic shoes like Converse were very popular. I completely understand the need to buy comfortable shoes but I don't see the need to completly throw out style in the process.

This thread piqued my interest because I’m on a quest to find some cute, comfortable shoes for a trip to Europe as well. It would be easier if we were just going to be city-walking, but we’d like to do a bit of hiking too, so I have to bring some sturdier shoes, probably my Vasque low-hikers- not awful looking, but certainly can’t wear them with skirts! Those Teva shoes are cute- I’ll have to check them out. I have a pair of Dansko sandals that are super comfortable, but preferably I’d like to bring something that can get wet should any water activities make their way into our itinerary (but something more versitle than my Keen Newports). I know you’re only supposed to bring two pairs of shoes but it would be so much easier if I could bring 3! LOL.

Gel inserts can't be worn on the plane. TSA will take them away. She can buy inserts in Europe.

Make sure she wears her new shoes plenty before her trip. My daughter complains that converse rub her ankle and won't wear them.

Or is she checks luggage she can pack the gel inserts.