Shoes Made for Walking . . . in Europe
Planning a Europe trip and tempted to buy brand-new “walking shoes”? Pause.
Straight off a trip to Europe with her niece, Natalie shares how to stay comfortable and avoid the stereotypical tourist look. From why those bulky new sneakers aren’t the move to what actually works on the ground, this episode helps you travel with intention—and still feel like yourself.
Episode Notes & Resources:
See the BU Style Shoe Guide to help give you inspiration
Submit style questions you’d like answered in a future Wear Who You Are episode
Join BU Style Circle online membership for more of Natalie’s style resources, live Q&As, and more. Use code BUCIRCLE for one month off your subscription
Read the full & Raw Episode transcript:
[00:00]
Hello everyone, and thanks for tuning in to another Wear Who You Are Wednesday. We’re coming at you with another Nat Chat. I’m recently off some very fun travels that I did with my niece Ashley. We went to Barcelona, Menorca, Berlin, Lisbon, and then I peeled off to a wedding in a small village in Spain. We had such a great time, and this brings me directly to today’s question from Ashley while we were preparing for the trip.
[00:30]
This was her first time in Europe, and she asked, “What shoes should I pack for walking? Should I buy new shoes?” She had seen somewhere on TikTok or online that she should buy a certain pair of walking shoes. My response when she texted me was, “Well, I’m just going to wear whatever shoes I normally wear around New York.” She laughed and said, “Haha, fair.”
[00:52]
So let’s talk about that. When you’re traveling, and we’re not talking about hiking trips or specialty travel where you truly need performance gear, I mean regular travel, whether that’s Chicago, New York, Barcelona, London, wherever, there are really two considerations for footwear: style and comfort.
[01:14]
First, style. Most of you listening are Americans, and if you do not want to stand out as an American tourist while traveling, I would highly recommend not buying and wearing brand-new, giant clunky walking shoes. I always picture that stereotypical tourist Halloween costume, the shorts, the loud shirt, the hat, and the big walking sneakers.
[01:37]
If your goal is not to stand out as a tourist, which is personally my goal, even though people probably still know I’m American, I don’t want to make myself more obvious than necessary. So I would skip the giant brand-new walking shoes.
[01:52]
Now let’s talk comfort. Comfort also means not buying new shoes right before a trip. You don’t know if they’re going to blister, how they’ll feel on your arch, your toe box, or after ten thousand steps. So I always recommend wearing shoes that are tried and tested, shoes you already know work for you.
[02:14]
And honestly, think about your itinerary the same way you would think about your regular life. What are you actually doing each day? Maybe you’re walking constantly, maybe you’re taking cabs, maybe you’re indoors most of the time. Think through the activities and ask yourself what footwear will actually support that day.
[02:34]
For the trip I just took, I brought a daytime walking shoe that was fashionable enough to work with dresses, pants, and everything else I packed, but comfortable enough for long walking days. The key is that I had already worn and styled those shoes in my real life before the trip.
[02:55]
Then my second pair was a block heel for dinners, evenings, or nicer outings. I chose a block heel because I already knew it was comfortable, it had a cushioned footbed, and it worked with multiple outfits. Plus, in older European cities there’s a lot of cobblestone, so you do not want a delicate stiletto heel getting destroyed on uneven streets.
[03:20]
So really, when you’re packing for travel, think about footwear the same way you think about getting dressed at home. What supports your day? What works with your actual itinerary? And what shoes do you already know you can rely on?
[03:37]
If you’d like more guidance, we do have a BU Style shoe guide that I’ll link in the show notes. It includes different shoe options that can support both your everyday wardrobe and your travel wardrobe without making you feel like you bought a whole separate identity for vacation.
[03:58]
I hope you’re going somewhere super fun this summer, and that your travels take you to lots of beautiful places and adventures. Thanks so much for tuning in to another Wear Who You Are Wednesday, and we’ll see you next time.