A week in Boston in Jan- winter shoes?

[TRD]

So I have a corporate event in Boston this month. I live in Southern CA and wear North Face when it hits 60.

I have a ski jacket and assorted clothes I can layer but I still have this question for the ladies: what do I pack for shoes?

Normally I pack ballet flats and running shoes but I’m going to need something more substantial. Help?

[G42]

So I have a corporate event in Boston this month. I live in Southern CA and wear North Face when it hits 60.

I have a ski jacket and assorted clothes I can layer but I still have this question for the ladies: what do I pack for shoes?

Normally I pack ballet flats and running shoes but I’m going to need something more substantial. Help?

Indoor/event shoes or tromping around the city all day shoes?
You can wear actual winter boots and switch into ballet flats indoors... but then you have to stash or carry the boots.

If you want one pair to sort of go with everything, I'd recommend Merrell Mocs in the Nubuc leather
https://www.merrell.com/US/en/jungle...-shoes&start=1
They're slip on, incredibly comfortable, have great treads, and in black can blend in with a lot of attire (tho prob not traditional suits/skirts/dresses)... pair them with some merino wool socks from Darn Tough or Smartwool and you should be set for normal city activities. I think you can use the spray waterproofing on them, but I never bothered.
With that being said, they're not 'fashionable' if that's of concern to you.

They also have fully waterproof and insulated versions, but unless your feet are very sensitive to cold and you feel like you'll be outside for hours, that seems overkill to me, since they're more expensive, heavier, etc.

Take all this with a grain of salt as I'm from MA originally, not super sensitive to cold, and a female fashion-indifferent engineer, so YMMV.
Hopefully more folks will chime in.

ETA: Make sure that you buy shoes that fit with the socks you'll be wearing... if you normally go without socks in the ballet flats, wear sandals, etc, you may need to size up a bit... wearing too tight shoes is not only uncomfortable but reduces warmth since its partly the air pockets in the socks that act as insulation.

[Cristina]

I wear FitFlop Mukluk shorty boots and they look casual not outdoorsy, but are warm and very comfortable, especially if you get sore feet or have wider feet. Seconding G42 on the wool socks! If you find yourself really cold or if there is a cold snap while you're there, you can buy disposable hand/toe warmer packets and stick them in your shoes.


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[aedifica]

Is there a Walking Company store near you? I live in Boston and I really like the low boots I have from the Walking Company's ABEO brand. They're not intended to be winter boots, but they work fine for city walking in the winter (though if we have snow by then, you may want to apply leather protector first). The style I have isn't on the website anymore, but they should have some similar ones.

The things that make me recommend these boots:

• comes with a pair of insoles in one of three styles: neutral, arch support, or heel post (just having that insole makes these some of the most comfortable shoes I've had!) They scan your feet in the store to see which type of insole they recommend for you--in my experience the scanner is way off regarding my foot size but right on for the insole type. The store personnel are always surprised to be so far off on size, so maybe it measures everyone else's size accurately.
• good for walking or standing
• high enough top to keep snow out of my shoes (the main flaw of ballet flats)
• look very professional
• have a reasonable tread, important if sidewalks are slippery by then. Not a super deep tread, because as I said they aren't intended to be winter boots, but much more tread than some other dressy shoes have.

I was just looking on their website for their terminology. These shoes have ABEO's "P.R.O. System" (that's the interchangeable insoles) and the particular boots I have are from the Cambridge Collection, but any of the P.R.O. System would be worth checking out. It looks like they have a lot of casual shoes in that line too, but there are also dressier ones like what I have. As far as I can tell the B.I.O. System is similar except the insoles are built in.

[moriond]

I agree with all the previous advice. Unless there’s a fashion reason for your shoe selection, any sturdy walking shoe will do, provided it is well-sealed against water seepage (generally, this is more true of walking shoes or cross-trainers in the same product line than running shoes). Most of the area around Boston is landfill. You don’t need boots for snow so much as you need to make sure your footwear doesn’t let in any cold, wet slush or water if/when you walk through puddles.

I also recommend Darn Tough socks (I originally tried both some Smartwool styles and Darn Tough, thinking that thinner weight Smartwool styles might work better since I had to mail order these to Hawaii). I now just use the Darn Tough socks — they not only hold up better, but the weight works fine, and the Merino wool (blend) is both comfortable (wicking) and odor-resistant in all climates.

I would not hesitate to travel to Boston right now with my current footwear, if I had to. For formal occasions I’d bring a second pair of shoes.

HTH

moriond

[nsh]

I live in the Boston metro west area. Many of my friends and I (in our mid 30s) wear booties/wedge booties (specific example: Donald Pliner Luluu Ankle booties are a great option and my personal favorite this winter) with black fleece lined tights or with wool socks. These types of booties look great with skirts/black slim legging pants/jeans/anddresses. If you prefer knee high boots then the Frye Julia boots look great too. These will all work fine in shoveled areas and keep your feet warm but stylish!

[Lia]

Boots! Cute, comfy, waterproof or treated leather.

I have these from Sofft. Professional, comfortable, look great, and WARM.

You may want something shorter that you can actually wear in real life in CA. Odds are even if it snows you won't have to walk in anything deeper than an inch or two. Can't go wrong with lace up ankle boots -- even combat style ones like my faves from Frye if your work isn't too conservative. Goodness knows Frye makes more conservative styles, too.

If money's no object and you enjoy arty looks, Cydwok makes amazing, gorgeous, handmade shoes that taught me how comfortable cool shoes can be.

If you'll be outside for more than thirty seconds, you'll be so glad you made room in your bag for boots, or dealt with them on the plane.

If you go with leather, do treat them with saddle soap or other conditioning treatment. That road salt is no joke and will wreck quality leather.

[Lia]

...Or pack your usual shoes and go shopping when you get here!

[twosandalz]

I only go to Boston on weekends, so I wear my normal winter shoes which are hiking sneakers. I also don't care about fashion in the winter. But whatever you get, make sure it's water-resistant or waterproof. Sidewalk/road slush is soooo cold when it seeps through your shoes. And it's gross.

Also seconding wool socks. I add polypropylene sock liners when it's really cold.

[TRD]

Indoor/event shoes or tromping around the city all day shoes?
If you want one pair to sort of go with everything, I'd recommend Merrell Mocs in the Nubuc leather
https://www.merrell.com/US/en/jungle...-shoes&start=1
They're slip on, incredibly comfortable, have great treads, and in black can blend in with a lot of attire (tho prob not traditional suits/skirts/dresses)... pair them with some merino wool socks from Darn Tough or Smartwool and you should be set for normal city activities.

Yessss! Those mocs were my old snow shoes! I couldn’t remember the brand. Around here for local skiing you drive an hour, walk up to the lockers and put your stuff in so I don’t have a need for big boots. I tried on of loved a pair of Sorrels that look like LLBean duck boots but they ran too small to be comfortable for me. I’m going to stick to the mocs and waterproof them just in case. Even if it does snow I’m okay with that. I won’t be out much.

[moriond]

I thought it might be helpful to see the Darn Tough socks that I've been using. I can't find the exact model number now (and I ordered these plain crew socks in black and white over four years ago), and have been using them since. Here's one white pair that I didn't open:



The closest current model (from SocksAddict.com) is this one . (Just because I would have liked to know something like this before I sent in my first order).

HTH

moriond

[TRD]

Thanks all! trip went well and I was plenty warm. Even in 7 degrees with snow on the ground I was fine in Target socks and the movs mentioned above. Granted I didn’t spend a lot of time outside but it was still perfect.

[Mrs_Wilde]

I seriously did not need to learn that CYDWOQ existed...