It is Summer 2018 and you are about to board a plane to spend the next two months studying abroad in Europe ANDDDD you packed the WRONG shoes. Yep, that was ME for TWO WHOLE MONTHS in Europe. I had the WRONG shoes with me for walking 10,000+ steps a day across Europe. I remember during those long walking days feeling a lot of pain and annoyance and discomfort within my feet. At that time, I wasn’t aware of any stylish and comfortable flats for travel. However, flash forward to 2025, and I am in a VERY different place when it comes to traveling and the shoes that I wear! These days, I feel LOTS of comfort and a LOT less complaining when it comes to my feet. I am *very much* grateful to have found the right stylish and comfortable flats for travel for ME!
From Ireland to Manhattan to Hawaii to Toronto to make own backyard in the Washington, DC area and everywhere in between, I ALWAYS want to dress stylishly when I travel! I have found myself opting for stylish flats on my travel days, but also wanting the comfort that I find and value in my Sherpa-lined slippers that I wear around the house. Over the years, I have found myself very fortunate to both collaborate with and discover some incredible footwear brands that focus on stylish and comfortable flats for travel – many of which also focus on ethical and sustainability within their craftsmanship. Here, I will be sharing my *very* favorite stylish and comfortable flats for travel (and also long work days, nights on the town, concerts, walks, and more!).
*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*
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5 Stylish + Comfortable Flats For Travel
1 – All Birds
Out of ALL of the places that I found a pair of All Birds ballet flats, it was at the thrift store!!! And, to my surprise, the pair of All Birds ballet flats that I thrifted felt brand-new and immediately as if I was wearing slippers out in public when in reality they’re a pair of stylish flats. All Birds prides itself on making beautifully comfortable, stylish, and sustainable ballet flats aka a win in ALL avenues!
Shop All Birds flats here!
2 – Sketchers
As a kid, I remember wearing the Velcro strap-on sneakers from Sketchers in a rainbow of colors – LOLLL! These days, Sketchers truly has it all. From ballet flats to slip on’s to sneakers and everything else in between, Sketchers is truly a brand that sells a stylish and comfortable flat shoe for everybody. On my recent trip to Spain and Portugal, I regularly styled my hot pink slip on’s and am grateful that I did! I got SEVERAL compliments on my Sketchers shoes and felt oh so great (and comfortable!) wearing them, too.
Shop Sketchers flats here!
3 – VIVAIA
From long work days on your feet to dancing at the club and in the streets, VIVAIA flats are truly the shoe to do it ALL in! In 2022, I had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with VIVAIA (here) and to this very day still LOVE and regularly wear my ballet flats from that collaboration! VIVAIA takes a sustainable and ethical approach to the craftsmanship for all of their gorgeous and comfortable shoes. Truly, these ballet flats will be a staple in your closet for years to come!
Shop VIVAIA flats here!
4 – New Bella
An emerging footwear brand, New Bella is a stylish and comfortable premium shoe brand. Like with VIVAIA, I had the amazing opportunity to collaborate with New Bella over on Instagram (see my first blog post styling them here!) and still regularly style and wear my New Bella ballet flats to this *very* day! From the cobblestone streets of Dublin to the several blocks’ walks on the streets of Manhattan to the uphill trails in Portugal, my New Bella flats have truly seen it all in comfort and style!
Shop New Bella flats here!
5 – Puma
Before a trip to Winners (aka TJ Maxx/Marshalls in Canada!) while in Toronto last November for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, I learned that Puma *yes, the sportswear brand* sells ballet flats! I ended up picking up a pair of Puma ballet flats while out and shopping in Toronto and did not regret doing so! My precious pair of Puma ballet flats allowed my comfort to persist throughout the entire concert!! These flats are also super stylish and comfortable and lightweight, too – perfect for work, happy hours, concerts, and more!
Shop Puma flats here!
Wrap-Up
Wherever you may be on your stylish and comfortable flats for travel journey, just know that you WILL get to a point where you will feel less pain and more comfort. It takes time to find the right shoes for YOU. Even if that means enduring and surviving an entire Summer of painful feet in the wrong shoes in Europe, you WILL get there. I encourage you to check out the 5 stylish and comfortable flats for travel mentioned in this blog post. And, always, please feel free to reach out to me Katefrancesthompson@gmail.com with any questions or concerns you may have!
XOXO – Katie <3
[…] machine washable. I have to say, I wear my VIVAIA flats practically everywhere now including when I travel, so they get a bit dirty from time to time. Given that they’re made out of cloth-like knitted […]