“They don’t wear sneakers except to the gym” my friend said she learned the hard way when traveling in Europe recently.  I had to laugh when she told me this – I really thought everyone knew that you DON’T WEAR SNEAKERS in Europe. Tour operators and writers really should mention this to American travelers – especially the white sneakers – NO, NO, NO!  White sneakers scream “American” and in my opinion you don’t need any added attention toward you as a tourist. Sneakers (or trainers as they are called) are strictly for the gym. Prior to my trip with my Mom to Paris & London, I had to issue the missive that no white sneaker was to be worn or packed (my sister confiscated the fanny pack to save me from that conversation).  So what are the best summer travel shoes for women when traveling to Europe this summer?  I made a trip to Philadelphia to Benjamin Lovell Shoes on Chestnut Street to find out.

For my fall trip out to West in November (Zion National Park, Antelope Canyon and Las Vegas), I found a comfortable pair of Waldlaufers, German shoes, at Benjamin Lovell Shoes, that I’ve wore practically every day since then.  The shoes are so comfy and easy to travel in that they are now my go to travel shoes (easy to remove at security if needed).  So this time for my trip to Rotterdam & London where I would be socializing and walking a lot, it was time to upgrade my footwear to cute, stylish and comfortable (with arch support and padded insoles) in size 11 (Europe 42).

I managed to peruse the store racks to tease myself but figured I’d leave it up to the universe as to what shoes would materialize for me.  As you can see, it is a shoe shopping wonderland of style, color and brands.

 

Shoe Shopping for the Best Summer Travel Shoes for Women

When I met the assistant manager, Chris, I laughed and said “just bring me out all the size 11’s you have and hopefully there’s a few with color”.  See, for my big feet, the majority of shoes are cute but in black. When I see navy shoes I make a beeline to them as they are the unicorn of colors (in size 11) in the shoe world in my experience.

If your feet are normal size (i.e. under size 11) you have a plethora of cute shoes to choose from at Benjamin Lovell from a variety of brands you’ve likely never heard of but need to know about. Vionic are Australian, FlyLondon are UK, Earth Shoes will plant a tree for each pair of shoes sold, Waldlaufer are comfortable German shoes to name just a few brands.

 

Taos and Pikolinos had tables of really cute shoes in a variety of styles – sandals, flats, heels and even an oxford.

In Search of…the Best Summer Travel Shoes for Me

Chris returned with arms loaded and boxes piled above his head for the first round.  I was thrilled that there would be a second round of shoes.  Seriously what girl doesn’t love SHOES, SHOES and more SHOES to pick from?  He opened each box and removed all the packaging to present me a shoe to whet my shoe obsessed appetite. He then helped me into the shoe and let me walk around the store.  The personalized service was observed throughout the store as guests were seated with multiple boxes around them having their own bespoke shoe shopping experience.

With each new pair of shoes I tried on, I had to make the hard decision to cull a few from the “yes” pile.  There were actually a few shoes that were too big!  Yes, too big for my already big feet.  That was a surprise.  Chris was very helpful to confirm that the shoe was already a bit big and would only get bigger as the leather stretched with wearing.  There were also a few pairs that I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED but were just a tiny bit too small for my feet.  Sadly, Chris had to break the news to me that in this case with these shoes, there was no give and my foot didn’t fit properly.  It really is about proper fit and feel.

Benjamin Lovell Shoes – Summer Collection

So here’s a peek at a few more of the fabulous Spring/Summer collection that you need to know about.  These are available in store at Benjamin Lovell’s Philadelphia locations (1728 Chestnut Street in Rittenhouse Square and 60 North 3rd Street in Old City Historic District) and at their online shop which offers free priority 2-3 day shipping.    Most of these lovely shoes will require you keep a standing pedicure appointment to ensure that your toes are ready to show off in these wonderful shoes. For additonal tempation, follow the Benjamin Lovell instagram account.

The Winning Travel Shoes for Me

Of the more than ten pair of shoes that I tried on, I managed to narrow the selection down to three contenders.  I then had to consider my travel needs for walking and with that the winner was Earth Shoes!  The black (of course) sandals had arch support that felt weird at first because my shoes I wore into the store did not have the support.  The shoes could be adjusted with the Velcro closure (always good for when your feet might swell in the heat) and had good traction on the soles plus a bit of sparkle in the top band.  As the company plants a tree which each sale, I could feel good about my shoes.

The Best Summer Travel Shoes for Women Have Been Found!

If you want to upgrade your summer styles, definitely pop into one of the two Benjamin Lovell Shoe Stores in Philadelphia (Rittenhouse Square or Old City) to find the best summer shoes for you and toss those sneakers out of your suitcase (unless you are going to the gym in Europe and let’s be honest, we never make it there – good intentions).

Thank you to the staff at Benjamin Lovell for hosting me on my Best Summer Travel Shoes for Women research trip.  I loved trying on all the shoes and will put my Earth Shoes to the test walking around Rotterdam & London soon.