Choosing The Right Shoes for Your Holiday

As soon as you decide where you're going to on your next holiday, you start to get an idea of what clothes to pack. If you're heading to somewhere particularly hot or cold, it makes it packing your suitcase a little easier to plan, but if you're travelling from one place to another or your destination has an unpredictable climate, things become a little trickier. 

Image by Norma Desmond shared under a Creative Commons Licence 

Striking a balance

When you fail to put enough consideration into which footwear to take, it can result in having to go and buy shoes - usually at a premium price - when you find you need something you didn't pack. Some people go in the other direction and bring too many shoes, making their cases more difficult to pack, more difficult to carry and more expensive because of the additional weight. Selecting fewer shoes but making sure they're versatile is the ideal way to avoid these pitfalls.

Think about comfort

As tempting as it can be to prioritize style over comfort when you're shopping for shoes to go with a special outfit, there aren't many things that can be guaranteed to ruin your mood more than sore feet. 

A pair of comfortable, casual shoes, such as trainers or loafers, is a great idea; they're soft, hard wearing and will match a wide variety of casual outfits. 

Another treat is a good pair of hiking boots and socks, which will keep your feet warm, dry and comfortable all day, whether you're exploring nature or just visiting every market you can find. A pair of canvas slip-ons, such as deck shoes, will serve you in and around your accommodation and act as a pair of slippers if you need to get up during the night.

Putting your best foot forward

On most holidays, you'll have the opportunity to go and enjoy some stylish entertainment, a show, some dancing or perhaps a nice dinner and for those occasions, you'll want to feel as though you've dressed the part. While you might be used to colour-matching your shoes to your outfits while you're at home, it's not usually practical to take five or six pairs of shoes in your luggage. For women, one or two dressy pairs of shoes in neutral colours can be worn with a number of different outfits. 

A little trick to glam up some plain shoes or to make them match different colours is to attach decorative hair clips to the uppers, giving you a new look with each pair of clips. For men, a pair of neutral-coloured desert boots are both stylish and extremely versatile. 

If you've booked a beach holiday, some kind of sandal will be necessary and if you're going somewhere snowy, a pair of long, warm and waterproof boots is essential, but otherwise, stick to these basics. Your feet will thank you, and so will your luggage.