I'm looking online at a pair of Merrells walking shoes and the reviews from people who've worn them hit both ends of the spectrum. They either really really like them or they just plain hate them. Maybe they didn't get their feet measured correctly.

I want comfortable shoes but something that doesn't really look like a running shoe. (Try wearing some nice slacks and a nice blouse with a pair of gawdy looking walking shoes.) Do you know if shoes like Birkenstocks are comfortable enough for walking around 4 miles a day? Or maybe I should look for the more stylish type of walking shoe. For evening activity I will wear lowflat heels since I'll be close to the nightlife where I'll be staying. But daytime wear I'll need to really look good for a comfortable pair. I want to break them in before I go in June.

Also, are hats in Italy out of fashion? I sometimes wear a plain black beret to keep the hair out of my face. It's too short to clip back yet long enough to get in my face. I wonder if they sell berets in Italy, they're so comfortable.

Any feedback would be nice.

^*^*^*^*^*^*Cynde^*^*^*^*^*^*
Amo Italia

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,

Hi Cynde,
I haven't been to Italy yet(that's coming in April) but I do work on my feet all day and after years of looking for the best footwear I have found that Men's shoes are IT. I admit I have a wide foot which makes almost all womens shoes difficult for me but for comfort, support and fit I have found that a boys size 6 or a mans (small) size 6.5 or 7 fit my wide (womans) size 8 perfectly and they are more attractive than a running shoe, you just have to look for the right style. If you have a narrow foot this probably won't work for you but I think even a average foot would find more comfort in these... after all men's shoes are made first for comfort then "looks" and women's shoes are the other way around - when they even bother about the comfort part. Hope this helps.
(I have tried almost all the specialty shoes for women available in Canada. Ronsons, Birkenstock, Red Wing, etc.)

quote:

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Originally posted by Cynde:
Do you know if shoes like Birkenstocks are comfortable enough for walking around 4 miles a day?

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I have come to restrict the range of shoes I buy to only two brands, so that I spend the whole winter in a pair of Dr. Martens boots and the whole summer with a pair of Birkenstock sandals, and I walk a lot whenever I can. At times, I have been walking for over 10 km per day with my Birkenstock. Also, if you are looking for stylish but comfortable shoes, as you arrive in Italy check out Valleverde or Melluso shoes.

quote:

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Also, are hats in Italy out of fashion?

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They are not, but do not worry about fashion too much. Mani foreigners coming to Italy are somewhat convinced that Italians really care about fashion, but it is NOT TRUE. Most people just wear whatever happens to be available (clean and decent) and just do not give a look to what the others wear.

Alice Twain
--

Sciur capitan, questa che l’è la verità,             |  Mr capitain, this is the truth

adess ghe n’hoo piee i ball, Giovanni el turna a cà. |  Now I am sick of it, Giovanni goes back home

Se te voret scriv te regali la mia pena,             | If you want to write to me, I’ll give you my pencil

se te voret sparam questa l’è la mia schena.         | If you want to shoot me, here’s my back.

          Davide Van De Sfroos, Sciur capitan

[This message was edited by Chris on 12 March 2003 at 07:32 AM.]

Cynde -
there is a good thread on the fodor's board (look under the Other Topics section) about this very subject. I am also interested in a not too clunky looking but good support walking shoe. I went out yesterday afternoon after reading the posts and looked at some of the recommendations. Frankly, some where just too expensive. I don't want to spend $250 on a shoe for travel. I continue my quest but I did check out the Nordstroms selection on line and liked the look of one of the Rockports (had a stabilizing bar which I find to be VERY supportive) and there was a Hush Puppy worth checking out. I notice on the Fodor's thread that a lot of people seem to like clog type shoes for travel and lots of walking. I just can't think you would get enough support for a long day on your feet from a clog. I have always presumed that an oxford was the best support. What do you folks think?
I am so interested in the wide foot post. I have the same problem and have often wondered about trying a men's shoe. Think I'll browse thru today and see how they fit! Great idea.
Cynde, if you find something great, let us all know.

Hi, Cynde, this question is (nearly) at the top of my list, since I'm off today for my Sicily trip. I haven't read the thread because it seems to me there's hardly anything more individual than feet, but I have Ecco (Scandanavian) shoes in many permutations and love them. About $100. Consider some Dr. Scholl's insert cushions as well. Last trip I took some of the Land's End mocs ($29.50, see the website) which were great and so cheap that I left them behind on the trip home. No shoes like mules. Stairs/steps are steep with no railings (often); going up is ok, but only mountain goats and Italian women can make the trip back down. I have narrow feet, men's shoes out of the question; your feet metacarpels will hate you and revenge themselves. Thanks for the hat reminder, I had forgotten to pack one, and there are great crushable styles available. And thanks for not considering athletic shoes. From first cousin, spiritually, of Imelda Marcos, remember that there is no such thing as too many shoes, just too few closets, Carol (My dorky hat is cuter)

The one and only true love shoe these days is Mephisto. They fit my wide feet and are incredibly comfortable and stylish enough that I wore a pair to the opera last night with my tux (I just wish I could get the tag off!!!). The problem with Ms are the price! But you can buy them for half price in Italy. I have bought them and worn them out of the store and walked for hours but you cannot depend on that for a trip. But do think about trying a pair when you're over there.

I am a former Birk and Rockport lover but I actually bought all new shoes and gave away all my old stuff when I discovered Mephisto.

Now that I have revealed my innermost Mephisto fetish, I also wear New Balance at work. They ahve a few city walkers that are actually very attractive shoes.

If life is an opera by Puccini... I want to be Calaf!

I say Mephisto, she says Ecco...

I have Mephisto religion and I buy them whenever I am in Europe. The best selections are to be found in Paris, but I have been found buying them in Granada, Dijon, etc. Just not in Toronto, where they cost twice as much as in Europe, and that before taxes.

On the other hand, my better half -while having Mephisto shoes and sandals- finds her Eccos more comfortable for travelling.

Alice,
Italians are slaves to fashion...so much addicted to it that we don't even realize it and think that we're not.
There are obviously exceptions, especially in the cities but these exceptions are becoming rules of their own.
...but what can we do about it, hate it or love it it's part of our culture as much as many other things

I took two pairs of Mephisto sandals to Italy last June, and lived in them. They were comfortable even after hours of walking. The sandals are in the $125-150 price range. There is a Mephisto store in Como which was closed for afternooon when we were there. The prices were about 1/2 those in Austin. Elizabeth

Good news/Bad news --

The good news -- Am glad to hear the positive review of Mephistos 'cuz after looking at a lot of walking sandals, I just bought a pair of black ones that -- while they aren't going to rival the Manolos on Sex In The City -- are relatively attractive and seem very comfortable.

The bad news -- sounds like I could have bought them for half as much if I waited 'til I got to Italy!

I'm hoping to get by on three pairs of shoes for our month trip -- running shoes (for running, not for general sightseeing); the Mephisto walking sandals; and a comfortable pair of black (low heeled) mules for when I want to look nice but won't be hoofing it for miles. Will this leave me with any major gaps in the footwear dept.? (I'm a bit of an "Imelda" so only taking three pairs of shoes for a month is a stretch for me -- mentally at least!)

Thanks all.

I think I'll go shoe shopping this weekend. I'ver heard alot about those Mephistos so hopefully I'll find a store that carries the brand. I don't want to go over $125 for a pair of anything though. I'm sure they're worth it.

Then when I'm in Italy I'll buy shoes there to bring back since ya'all say it's cheaper. Just a few sandals and a hat maybe.

^*^*^*^*^*^*Cynde^*^*^*^*^*^*
Amo Italia

Imelda piping in again -- I'd take a second pair of casual but better than running shoes, and some very crushable slipper-like thing (I take flat espadrilles) for nocturnal forays in the house and breakfast coffee. Remove some I-might-need-this item to make room. No more than 1 pair of dress shoes. From the peanut gallery of firmly-held opinions.

Cynde,
If you can, take two pair of walking shoes with you on your trip so you can trade off. (They don't have to be expensive!) Different shoes hit different pressure points in your feet, so a break between wearings keeps your feet from getting over-stressed. I think we can all agree, if you can keep your feet comfortable - you'll be much happier!
{Just posted, and I see that Carol M and I share the same firmly held belief! }

Cynde, Nordstrom's here in Hawaii carries Mephistos, and also a small shoe store in Ward Warehouse, downstairs on the makai Diamond Head end. But I think the advice to wait till you get to Italy is great -- you'll find them much cheaper. And for those of us with narrow feet who haven't been able to find Mephistos to fit, I was told last fall in Bordeaux that they're coming out with a narrow width for women in several styles, probably this summer.

Another brand to try - Naot. I love these shoes made in Israel.
I have worn Naot shoes for years and took two new pair to Italy
last fall. It is the only brand I have found that I can wear
immediately without breaking in.

quote:

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Posted by AKO
Alice, Italians are slaves to fashion

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My Italian teacher told me a story that, I think, confirms AKO's post. My teacher (now living in the U.K.) had his cousin come to visit for the weekend. At the end of the weekend, the (male) cousin remarked that these English women didn't look after themselves very well. "What do you mean?" says my teacher. "well" says the cousin, "for instance, their handbags don't match their shoes"

So.... my advice would be to follow Colleen's advice and pack at least 2 pairs of walking shoes, one pair to go with your brown outfit and one to go with the blue outfit (not forgetting the matching handbags, of course).

Beebee

quote:

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Originally posted by beebee:
"What do you mean?" says my teacher. "well" says the cousin, "for instance, their handbags don't match their shoes".

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You think the story confirms the myth because ythe Itlaian cousin of your Italian teacher had notiched this detail, I think it doesn't mean a thing because your (Italian) Italian teacher had not noticed anything. Yes, sure, some people are like that, but most people are not.


Alice Twain
--

Sciur capitan, questa che l’è la verità, adess ghe n’hoo piee i ball, Giovanni el turna a cà. Se te voret scriv te regali la mia pena, se te voret sparam questa l’è la mia schena.

Mr capitain, this is the truth Now I am sick of it, Giovanni goes back home If you want to write to me, I’ll give you my pencil If you want to shoot me, here’s my back.

          Davide Van De Sfroos, Sciur capitan

[This message was edited by Amy on 12 March 2003 at 12:04 PM.]

Great story, Beebee! LOL
Cynde, regarding hats ... When I travel in summertime, I usually carry a straw hat with me. Being outside all day - even with sunglasses - can get overwhelming. Try to find an inexpensive one that you wouldn't mind leaving behind, or buy one there!

Remember Pauline in her hat? Very stylish!

But to both Cynde and Tracy, be sure to have extra room for the return trip to get some Mephistos over there. They are priced similarly to other shoes yet here in the US and in canada it seems, the mark up is extroadinary.

And Tracy, in a month you can break in a whole bunch of Mephisti!

If life is an opera by Puccini... I want to be Calaf!

I have tried several over the years--Mephisto, Clark, Rockport, etc. I finally found the brand that works best with my feet--ECCO. Now I have several styles, including sandals and I never, ever have a tired foot problem. I have worn ECCO's for hours on end, climbing ruins,Tuscany hill towns, etc. and walking in the Serengiti, the Great Wall and more. But---the key is that you need to find what works best for you. It will vary from person to person. I should add that ECCO has a variety of styles so that you can find ones that are good for evening wear.
Jane
http://www.janeandken.com

quote:

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Originally posted by dean:
But to both Cynde and Tracy, be sure to have extra room for the return trip to get some Mephistos over there. They are priced similarly to other shoes yet here in the US and in canada it seems, the mark up is extroadinary.

And Tracy, in a month you can break in a whole bunch of Mephisti!

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I'm saving room in the suitcase for, hopefully, some bargains from the Prada outlet!

I am (briefly) coming out of self-imposed exile (if I don't get caught up on my accounting and baby book this week, I will have to turn my Working Mom license right back in to the authorities) to respond to Alice...I think the vast majority of Italians are extrememly fashion and image conscious, though as Ako pointed out there are certainly exceptions.

My husband, like millions of other Italians, can pin down a person's tax bracket to the last Euro based on a complex equation of (a+x)x(y+j)=bucks where a=shoes (brand, style, and year), x=wristwatch (as above), y=car (value is lowered if owned by salesman, who get a significant tax break on car purchases), and j=either wife's purse or child's stoller (depending upon the situation). He has never fully recovered from seeing a news photos depicting Bill Gates (richest man in the universe) shaking hands with then-president Bill Clinton (man with finger on Red Button), wearing a pair of gym shoes and a black plastic sports watch, respectively.

To say that most Italians simply throw on what they find at hand (and take no notice of how others dress) undermines one of the cornerstones of Italian culture: "la bella figura" which, for better or for worse, is essential in understanding why children are usually spotlessly turned out and housewives wear lipstick and heels to the greengrocer.

Fashion is important not only on a cultural level, but on an economic one as well. Just as those who work in Silicon Valley keep up on the latest gadget that enables them to simultaneously check their email, dry their hair, and communicate with Mars wirelessly, because hey, their livelihood depends on these things getting sold, so do many Italians follow the fashion business and participate actively in it. Even here in backwater Umbria, where an elegant night out is often eating pasta off plastic plates in the middle of a recently cut hayfield on long tables packed with hundreds of others, all to the background strains of "Mario and the Peasants" doing a nice polka on accordian, triangle, and screechy microphone, the seasonal fashion shows are followed closely. Textiles are huge business here, and if Valentino has a good show, things go well. If he doesn't, people lose their jobs, like last year when Hemmond Textiles in Bastia Umbra closed affecting thousands of people in a region of less than a million.

Again, of course there are some exceptional Italians who couldn't care less, but there are also some Italians who don't eat pasta, follow football, or eat at their mother's every Sunday. But they don't define the culture. To tell poor, unsuspecting Tilley hat and Rockport donners that their attire won't stick out like a sore thumb is doing them a disservice. This doesn't mean that travellers should waste too much time trying to fit in at the cost of comfort, but what to pack is a personal decision that must be made based on an accurate view from the ground.

Rebecca

www.brigolante.com

Great post Rebecca -- thank you! Love the observations from "on the ground." As you noted in an earlier post, all of us Americans won't look "Italian" no matter how hard we try. However, in my opinion it's worth making an effort to avoid looking like "American Tourist" (with a capital "A" and a capital "T") if possible! In part, I think this fits in with the "Slow Trav" mentality of "living" in a place you're visiting. Part of that for me at least is making an effort to be cognizant of the standards or practices of the locale you're visiting and to try and conform (to some extent) one's dress, as well as one's dining habits etc., to those standards and practices. When in Rome. . .