I am famously horrible at packing for vacation. Not only do I do that thing where I bring the most random articles of clothing that I haven’t worn in years, I also tend to bring 5-6 pairs of shoes with me no matter where I am going. I’ll be going to Hawaii and I’ll bring cowboy boots. It’s like as soon as the word vacation enters my brain, it acts like it has never heard of getting dressed before. Of course, I hear via lifestyle influencers on TikTok that the goal is to pack light by planning outfits you will actually wear, according to the vacation you are going on. A novel idea! But I have truthfully always struggled with what shoes to bring on vacation so I asked Emily to weigh in on the matter:
“I like to pack light so I’m into versatility rather than bringing 6 different sandals. The Madewell ones that I bought last year are casual, super comfortable, but easy to dress up. My tkees flip flops can go easily beach/pool to dinner (plus they are tiny, so easy to pack), and then one pair of wedges if we get a sitter to go out on a date (but still needs to be comfortable – like my new espadrilles with the white rubber sole). And then I love a pair of more active shoes for walks, hikes, or water play.”
With Emily’s expert advice in mind, we rounded up the shoes we want that fit the bill for a vacation:
1. Fisherman Platform Espadrille Sandal | 2. The Julie Espadrille Sandal | 3. Satara Platform Slide Sandal | 4. Marli Strappy Espadrille Flatform Sandal | 5. ALOHAS Leather Back-Strap Espadrille Sandals | 6. Cameron Flatform Sandal | 7. Espadrille Sandal Wedges | 8. Adea Wedge Heels | 9. KAANAS Medan Buckled Cotton Espadrille Sandal
Espadrilles are a famous vacation shoe. They are great because they are casual but still cute enough to wear to pretty much any outing. They go from day to night easily so if you are spending the day at the beach or by the pool and then you are ready to transition to dinner, there’s no need to swap shoes. I love #9 because any shoe I can slide right into is my ideal form of footwear. Emily just got #6 and says they are extremely comfortable and cute enough to wear to dinner.
1. Baminda Wedge Sandal | 2. Josiey Sandal | 3. Julianna Platform Heels | 4. Kali Wedge | 5. Silent D Katia Wedges | 6. Otis Wedge Sandal
I’ve been waiting for a reason to wear wedges because I do love heels I just have no clue how to walk in them. So I need the extra support that wedges graciously give. If you know you will have a night out on your vacation, Emily suggests a wedge because they are comfortable but are still technically heels so they feel date-night appropriate. I am very interested in #1 for its sole that looks extra comfortable, but #4 is what I want to wear to a romantic ocean view dinner with my fiancé. And how cute is #5??
1. The Maggie Sandal | 2. Go-To Flatform Sandal | 3. Wiwiel Platform Sandal | 4. Santa Monica Sunrise X-Band Leather Platform Sandal | 5. Jonah Slingback Sandals | 6. Monroe Platform Sandals | 7. The Addie Sandal | 8. Dandra Leather Platform Sandal | 9. Pacific Sandals
If wedges are a little much or if you have a good amount of walking to do, flatforms are our favorite alternative. They still give you some height but the straight platform makes them more comfortable to walk in. A flatform sandal is a good option for a day on vacation where you’ll be walking around shopping or sightseeing, but still want to feel cute and pulled together.
1. Fisherman Sandals in Shiny Spazzolato Leather | 2. Marina Leather Fisherman Flat Shoes | 3. Fisherman Sport Sandals | 4. The Fisherman Sandal | 5. Pilcro Casual Gladiator Sandals | 6. Chunky Leather Gladiator Sandals
The fisherman sandals are the casual, edgy cousin of the espadrille. They can just as easily go from day to night, but are more appropriate for like, grabbing a burger after a long day of window shopping on the boardwalk. I like a shoe with some extra sole support so my top picks are #3 and #6, but I really like the simple look of #1.
1. Hurricane Drift Teva | 2. Holden Platform Sport Sandals | 3. Birkenstock® Arizona EVA Sandals | 4. Salt Water Original Sandal | 5. Shibui Cat Sandals | 6. Jadito Universal Sandal | 7. Classic Clog | 8. Hurricane Verge | 9. Neida EVA Two Band Slide Sandals
Utility sandals should be comfortable enough that you can walk, hike, or do water activities in. They are usually waterproof or water-resistant and have a lot of support so you can comfortably be active in them for hours. You won’t want to do rigorous adventure activities like rock climbing in them, but if you are planning on a lot of walking near water, these are great options.
1. Kashiba-Lux Print Slide | 2. Puma Shibui Cat Slide Sandal | 3. Inuikii Braided Leather Slide Sandals | 4. Beach Bum Slide Sandals | 5. APL Big Logo TechLoom Slide Sandals | 6. Alix Kashiba Slide Sandals
This is my favorite category of shoe, vacation or not. I am just so into the ease and comfort of slides. I think they are really cute with shorts or jeans or even dresses, and you really can’t beat the ease of slipping them on and going. I currently have a pair of Adidas slides that I’ve worn to shreds so I am thinking about upgrading to a more fun, colorful version. I do love checkers so you know I am eyeing #3, but #2 look widely comfortable and that’s hard to resist in my eyes.
So those are our current vacation shoe picks, but if you have any that you can recommend please drop them below. And if you have any packing tips for a chronic over-packer, I am all ears! xx
Opener Image Credit: Photo by Veronica Crawford | From: The Fun, Easy To Wear And BOLD Dresses I am Opting For This Summer
THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE.
