Vacation & My Shoe Dilemma

Packing for a trip always creates a terrible shoe dilemma for me.

I am not a clotheshorse by any means. My wardrobe consists of mostly jeans, casual shirts and tennis outfits. But every season I do like to buy a few key pieces that update my wardrobe. “Snappy casual” pieces as a friend of mine used to call them. Any woman will tell you that shoes can make or break an outfit. Therefore, several pairs of new shoes are a fashion necessity as well. On a recent road trip we drove through half a dozen states and made several stops visiting family and friends along the way. Now, I need to say that I do not consider myself to be a vain person. But when I visit people I haven’t seen for many years, it is only natural to want to look good. I figure if I look stylish they won’t notice the few stray gray hairs and extra pounds the years have put on. Okay so maybe I am a little vain, but tell me you understand this.

The dilemma becomes that no one pair of shoes will work with every outfit I pack. A cute summer skirt requires a pair of strappy sandals; the capris a pair of fun flats; and the casual dress for the occasional dinner out a pair of wedge sandals. Trying to minimize the number of shoes I have to pack for a trip is only half of my shoe dilemma.

My husband, an otherwise very patient man, tends to grumble about my shoes when we go on vacation. There is inevitably a lot of walking involved on our trips and my shoes never seem to be comfortable. He always begs me to wear my sneakers. But try as I may, I still haven’t figured out how to make my comfortable, worn out tennis sneakers and sport socks look stylish with my latest summer ensembles.  This year I bought a pair of cute flat Skechers that I thought would work for sure. Sadly, they quickly produced a painful blister on my heel.

Why is it that someone can’t figure out how to make shoes that are both stylish and comfortable!