It’s inevitable.
As soon as I mention that I only bring a carry-on suitcase when I travel somewhere, no matter the length of the trip, I hear it from almost everyone.
“How can you do that? I mean, the shoes alone would take up all the space in my carry-on bag.”
I get it – I totally do. I’ve succumbed to the promise of excess and all the “must-haves,” and what if I have nothing to wear? I’ve been there – it’s stressful – and after only one overpacked trip, I decided it’s no longer worth it to carry around my life in my suitcase while traveling.
In my senior year of college, I took my very first trip to Europe with my grandmother. Having zero previous experience with packing for two weeks in a foreign country, we each checked two large suitcases, brought a duffle bag as a carry-on, and tucked a purse under the seat as a personal item. Less than halfway through the trip, we found ourselves overwhelmed with unnecessary items and sick of dragging oversized bags down cobblestone streets, we ended up packing our largest bags with all our excess belongings and shipping them back to the USA.
This experience highlighted the value of traveling light (not to mention the financial value – checking a bag now often costs more than the ticket price alone on budget carriers). It’s never been clearer to me how much more enjoyable and cost-effective it is to be a minimalist when packing for a trip.
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So how do I do it? How do I keep my carry-on bag from being filled with shoes? By carefully choosing the ones I want to bring.
For most trips, I limit myself to just two pairs of shoes, with an occasional third pair sneaking in if absolutely necessary. To narrow down my choices, I check the weather forecast, peruse street-style photos, and consider the color palette of the clothes I’m packing (usually a mix of gray, white, and black).
Comfort is paramount; if a pair causes blisters after a few hours at home, they’re certainly not coming with me to walk miles on cobblestone streets. As much as I love heels, they are relegated to road trips with ample car space. Below, I share my five most trusted travel shoes, selected for their exceptional comfort and versatility in a variety of situations.
Shop the post:
–Manhattan Waterproof Ballet Flat, Cole Haan (no longer available; similar style)
–Modern Loafer, Everlane (linked to current version; similar style + save 20% with code WAYWARD20)
–Chuck Taylor All Star Leather, Converse
–Evan Waterproof Short Boot, Cole Haan (no longer available, linked to current version)
–Avalanche Snow Boots, Lands’ End (no longer available, linked to current version)
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What are your go-to travel shoes?
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