#BizTravelGals It’s All About Shoes!
In this episode of #BizTravelGals, it’s all about Shoes! How many do you travel with, how do you pack them and much more. Road Warriorette and I have teamed up to chat about the important, the mundane, and the fun parts of life on the road — and this episode is all about shoes!
What type of shoes do you wear to the airport?
Road Warriorette (RW): I always wear slip-on flats to the airport–that way they come off easily for security and are comfortable for frantically running to my connection. My favorites right now are the Steve Madden Heaven flats–they are nude (for me) and go with basically everything.
Carol Margolis (CM): I also wear slip-on flats or low heels. Even with TSA Pre-check in U.S. airports, there are times when I still need to remove my shoes, so it’s all about speed. I sometimes wear slip-ons that have a metal buckle, so I need to take these off even with TSA Pre-Check. People behind me will say “you don’t need to take off your shoes” and I want to say “Duh, I know that!” Instead, I just smile and tell them that I have beeping buckles (say that three times fast!).
Do you change up your shoes once you get to a client or your business?
RW: Not if I wear nice enough shoes; sometimes only sandals will do for the flight, so I keep a nicer pair stashed in my purse.
CM: I may put on heels, though more often than not I’m happiest in my flats. My days of running through downtown Chicago streets in high heels that would get stuck in sidewalk grates are never to be repeated!
How many pair of shoes are in your bag?
RW: I always try to travel with no more than three pairs: two nice pairs and one casual pair. This includes the ones on my feet. For longer trips this can get a little tricky but generally I make it work.
CM: I have three pair as well. One on my feet; another pair of dress shoes and then my workout shoes. Ha! My workout shoes have millions of air miles on them as they travel everywhere with me — except to the hotel gym on way too many occasions.
How do you pack them? Shoe bag, garbage bag, shower cap? what?
RW: I don’t pack them in special bags, which I have gotten flack for on occasion. I am very particular about the way I place them though; the soles are always away from my clothes.
CM: I have a shoe bag that holds two pair; but I always keep shower caps with me as these are perfect for wrapping around a pair of shoes. In fact, here are the many ways I use hotel shower caps.
Do you pack socks and small items in your shoes like so many travel tips say to do?
RW: Not unless I’m bringing workout shoes. Otherwise they just don’t hold enough to make it worth the time.
CM: Me, neither. Even my workout shoes wouldn’t hold too much as I squish them so tightly together.
Do you bring slippers in your bag?
RW: Only for international flights. Otherwise I don’t need them. In the winter I will just wear my socks around the room, and in summer I will wear my flip-flops.
CM: I do like to wear slippers in a hotel. Right now I’m traveling with a pair of hotel slippers from a Renaissance hotel. I use the hotels slippers for a few months’ worth of trips, then they get raggy so they get tossed and replaced with a pair from another hotel.
Favorite shoes for walking through airports?
RW: My most comfortable shoes are these amazing Reef flip-flops that I got like five years ago before my trip to Puerto Rico. Alas, they are not the most professional shoes I own so I still wear my nude flats even for casual travel.
CM: I was just at DSW Shoes this week (it’s impossible to drive by and not stop in) and a new pair of black flats fell into my bag. So I’ll be trying out my new Aerosoles next week.
And look at these beauties (not!) —
My luggage was delayed on a multi-week international trip so I had to quickly buy a pair of shoes before heading to my client’s office. Only one local department store was nearby and their selection was slim. So I hopped around in these shoes until my own shoes arrived the next day.
Wait, did you just say I was supposed to cut off the string?
