The dreary weather has me longing for sunshine, spring, and bright colors. I feel like I’ve got a case of the blahs, and my accessories aren’t exactly doing it for me lately. One thing that I bet would help (because let’s be honest, it always helps) is new shoes. Not to mention that my feet have grown a bit from pregnancy (thanks a lot Mini Warrior!) and only a few pairs of shoes fit comfortably. Sooooo I have to suck it up and go shoe shopping! No fun at all, right?

For any shoes I buy (and really most clothing too) I look for options that will work for travel, work, and play. Here are my main considerations when looking for shoes:

Comfort comes first! If a shoe is too small, comes up too high on your heel, rubs the wrong way, or feels wrong in any form or fashion I won’t get it, and please, please don’t buy it for travel. If you have to have them, buy them for a time when you’ll be sitting. Even if you don’t think you’ll be wearing them on a travel day, I just don’t recommend it. (True story—I had a pair of adorable shoes that I took on a trip to wear at the office. My meetings ran so late on my departure day that I didn’t have time to change, and in order to make my flight had to run/hobble through the airport—alongside my vice-president—in painful shoes. Not my finest moment!)

Not a paper thin sole. I’ll admit—I don’t always buy shoes with the best support. But one thing I always look out for is the sole. If it is super thin, or if I even think I will be able to feel tiny pebbles on a sidewalk through it I won’t get the shoes. Of course, you can always add a gel sole insert to increase your comfort level. Just don’t try it out for the first time on a trip!

Durability. Take a pass on anything that looks or feels like it won’t last. The cutest shoe in the world can turn ugly if it starts falling apart on a long trip!

Grip. Slippery shoes are not your friend in an airport (or anywhere, really). If a pair of shoes is perfect otherwise, you can have a cobbler add grippy soles to the bottom. Another true story—I have the cutest pair of black quilted ballet flats. They are super comfy and I love them. Their soles are very slippery though, and once while leaving a hotel I slipped and fell. In front of a whole bunch of people. Again, not my finest moment. However, now that my cobbler has added rubber soles they are perfect!!

Heels or flats? You guys know I will always choose flats, but if you can comfortably wear heels I say go for it. Again, just don’t wear a pair of shoes for the first time on a trip.

I typically go for colorful flats, either pointy toe or ballet flats. There are several brands of shoe designed to be comfortable and durable. Dansko, Born, and Clarks are often worn by flight attendants and frequent travelers. Many pairs are very cute, like these blue Marnee ballet flats from Born.

I also love these less expensive options: Mix No. 6 Emely cutout flats and French Follies Addy Flat  (pictured above) in a cheerful yellow and white stripe, both from DSW.

Readers, what is most important to you in travel shoes? Any crazy or embarrassing  shoe-related travel moments?

A reader wrote:

Where can I get those Steve Madden knitted boots featured in your article about not getting your best shoes ruined?  Love them!

I love them too! I got those Steve Madden knitted boots three years ago from DSW. Obviously they don’t have those exact ones anymore, but I found their latest version, as well as a few others.

This seems to be the latest version of the Steve Madden boots I have, at DSW in black for $44.95 in limited sizes.

Here is a cute, similar pair from Target, also in black, for $34.95.

This pair from Amazon is available in black, gray, and brown, for $21.99.

I would definitely weather proof these boots before wearing them out in the elements—I just used Scotchgard. Oh, and these are NOT rain boots, even if they are weather proofed. I wore them all over Chicago and other wintery places in the snow. They scrunch down when you’re wearing them, and are super warm and cozy. Hope you enjoy them!

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It’s happened to so many of us. You’ve landed a job right out of school, and realized you can’t wear yoga pants and tee-shirts to work. Or you just had a baby and need a transitional wardrobe until your old clothes fit you again. Or (as happened to one unfortunate person on a message board I frequent) your husband accidentally dropped off your dry cleaning bag at Goodwill. You need a work wardrobe, and you need it on a budget. The variables increase when your job includes travel. I’m going through this right now, and while it’s fun (hooray shopping!) it’s also stressful having to start from scratch. Here are some tips for getting a business travel wardrobe on a budget, as well as a sample capsule wardrobe to start with. (For more in depth advice, check out my Building a Business Travel Wardrobe series.)

Prepare to spend a little time. Any time you have a budget, you have to spend a little more time planning and searching. That’s okay! It means you will get the absolute most for your money.

Professional, comfortable, and wrinkle-free. These are the most important features of any business travel wardrobe.  Obviously you want to look professional, but comfort is just as important. Any time you spend hours traveling to your destination comfort is key! And once you arrive, you certainly don’t want to waste your precious time ironing.

Shop the sales and outlet malls. Nordstrom has fantastic sales on really nice merchandise.  I also love the sales at Talbots and Ann Taylor. Likewise, outlet malls can have amazing deals. The catch: it takes a lot of time to comb through the rough to find the diamonds.

Sign up for email lists. The best way to find out if your favorite store is having a sale is by email. Before I signed up for Banana Republic’s email list, I never knew they regularly had 40% off the entire store. Talk about a great deal!

Spend the bulk on basics. Definitely spend more on slacks and skirts that you’ll wear over and over again, and less on tops and accessories. Also make sure those items are a neutral color that will go with everything you buy.

Discount stores are great for trends. Target and Old Navy always have fun tops and belts for low prices, plus amazing sales on a regular basis.

For a basic business travel wardrobe, I would start with the following: Read more of this article »

I’ve been feeling in a very “shoe” mood this week, enough so that I think I’m going to go shoe shopping here in a bit. Hooray holiday sales! I’m torn, honestly. In a couple of weeks I’m going up to Chicago for my sister’s baby shower, so I think possibly I should look for snow boots. But I’ll use those twice, maybe three times a year. Perhaps I should look for flats instead? I’ll use those a lot! Decisions, decisions.

DSW has a lot of stuff on sale, both online and in the stores. Looove these Bare Trap Emilise boots. They are brown suede, with faux fur trim to keep you nice and warm. It’s all water resistant, of course, so you stay dry.

Or maybe these Caroline boots from Totes? A quilted waterproof upper keeps you toasty even when it’s frigid and snowy outside.

But on the other hand, what about these fabulous flats from Yellow Box? The Sabrina Flat has a pink and brown animal print (although I’m not sure what animal) topped with a large jewel.

These Mojo Moxie Jackie flats feature an oversize houndstooth print, lending a sophisticated air to any outfit. Available in black houndstooth and grey houndstooth. Fun!

So Readers, what kind of shoes are you looking for these days? Any sales I should be checking out?

All of the catalogs and store emails I’ve received in the last week or so have been focused on Fall. Apparently, according to clothing stores, it is no longer 105 degrees. It’s time to bundle up! Wear sweaters and boots! Layer! Honestly, it makes me feel hot and irritable just looking at the pictures of the perky models in their hooded coats. Well, in case you haven’t noticed, it’s still summer, in a lot of places. Since I haven’t done a shoe post in a while, I’m going to find peep toe flats to wear for travel. Because the weather will be warm for at least two more months in Texas, and I need to take the ventilation where I can get it.

These adorable Poetic Licence Danty Doll Flat will add a fun pop of color to an otherwise conservative outfit. I would wear them with a navy pencil skirt and blouse, or gray slacks with a pale pink top. Although it does kind of irritate me that they deliberately misspell “license”. Oh well.)

The Bandolino Warrick Flat comes in Navy, Black, and Gold. The neutral colors are a nice backdrop for the monochromatic floral adornment, which adds interest to an otherwise simple shoe.

Love this fun floral espadrille from Blowfish. Great for a more casual office, I would pair this with taupe slacks or skirt and just about any top. Very summery!

After a fun-filled three day weekend, it’s a little sad to be back in the work week. I decided I needed something to cheer me up, and nothing makes me happier than……shoe shopping!! If you have been reading this blog for any period of time you know that I have a deep, abiding love for peep-toe flats, especially for travel. They are comfortable enough to walk around an airport in, but cute and summery enough to enjoy. I mean, if every time you look down at your feet you smile, your day will be better! So here are a few great pairs I found at DSW. Cute? Check. Comfy for travel? Check. Perfect!

I love these bright yellow shoes from Steve Madden. They will go with pants of any color, dresses, and skirts, and they add a bright pop that’s perfect to keep an outfit from feeling too serious.

This Blowfish shoe is just serious enough, with its double knot, but has just a hint of sparkle to keep it from edging into boring. It also comes in red patent leather, which I am very. excited. about.

I know these shoes aren’t peep-toe, but I had to list them anyway. Again, you can wear them with anything. Black patent, white flower….Great for summer but will also take you into fall. They are adorable, and I love them, but they may not work for all workplaces.