Holiday Shoes For Women

A holiday shoe has to cope with a hot day and still face an evening. This collection runs from sandals to a smarter heel, with Gabor, Hispanitas, Panama Jack, Tamaris and Archies among the names, plus walking shoes from Hoka and On Running when the day is long.

Summer holiday shoes for women are worth fitting before you travel, not in a hotel corridor. Holiday shoes for women in the sale are on our sale pages, and they still have to pass the same walk around the shop. The wider edit lives in our holiday shoes for women shop, with espadrilles for the rope-soled option.

Choosing holiday shoes for women

What to pack

  • Lightweight summer shoes you have already walked in, for the days on your feet
  • Ladies’ holiday sandals with a strap that holds when your feet warm up
  • A separate pair if the evening needs a neater shoe
  • Something closed if the trip includes rain, trails or a lot of stone streets

Heels and walking shoes

Heels on cobbles, sand or a harbour front are a different job from a sandal. Take a low heel only if you already wear one happily, and keep it for the evening. For the walking, a sandal or a trainer will do more for you. The best holiday shoes for women are the ones that match the day you will actually have, which is why we often fit two pairs rather than one compromise. Hoka and On Running are there when you want a cushioned walking shoe. Gabor, Hispanitas and Panama Jack cover more of the sandals.

Fitting tips from our fitters

  • Fit later in the day. Heat and walking swell the foot. A morning size can lie.
  • Press the sole. Lightweight is welcome. A paper-thin sole is not a kindness on stone.
  • Two jobs, two pairs. One pair rarely covers a walking day and a dressed evening.
  • Sale stock still gets walked. A bargain that rubs is a long holiday.
  • Break them in here. Do not collect a brand new pair on the way to the airport.

Hispanitas holiday shoes

Hispanitas is a strong summer make in this shortlist. See the Hispanitas size and fit guide, and ask us about Gabor if you want the brand we fit in the greatest number.

Frequently asked questions

What are comfortable holiday shoes for women?

A shoe you can wear for several hours in the heat, already broken in, with a sole that is not thin to the point of uselessness. For many people that is a sandal with a proper strap. For a city break it may be a lighter trainer.

We fit both, and we will ask what the days look like before we suggest a pair. Tell us about hills, beaches and evenings.

Are heels a sensible holiday shoe?

Only for the parts of the day that are short and on a decent floor. A heel for every meal, every flight and every walk is how holidays get spoiled.

If you love a heel for dinner, pack it as the second pair. Let the first pair be the one you can forget about in the afternoon.

What should lightweight summer shoes still do?

They should be light without being flimsy. You want air around the foot, a fastening that survives swollen afternoon feet, and a sole you cannot fold in half like paper.

Canvas espadrilles are one answer for dry weather. A leather sandal is another. We will show you both and let the fit decide.

Do I need sandals as well as shoes?

On a warm trip, usually yes. Sandals for the heat, and a closed pair if evenings, rain or a lot of walking are likely. One new pair asked to do everything is the usual mistake.

Fit them at the shop on Gabriel’s Hill in Maidstone before you travel. The holiday shoes for women shop and our espadrilles are the other places we keep summer shoes.

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