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The Business of Traveling Shoes

In case you haven't been following my tweets over the last week, I've been traveling. A lot. As in less than 72 hours at home this weekend before I went back to the office and then to the airport. Now I'm in a hotel in San Francisco and my husband and dog are forgetting who I am.

Just high enough to keep my hem from dragging.
And before you start thinking this is all glamorous, let me tell you, it's not. I do not get to see the city I am in. I don't have time to shop, or visit (assuming I know anyone in the city which is rare). My days start before the sun comes up and end after it goes down. None of which makes any difference because I rarely get to see a window and actually bear witness to the fact that the sun came out.

Hell, it may not have come out at all. Makes little to no difference to me.
All the traveling causes shoe issues. What does one wear when you're going to be tearing around airports and standing for hours at a time? Something professional and comfortable but cute. It also needs to match everything I packed (so we're going all black).

I travel with only one carry-on and a luggage size purse that holds all my stuff, a book, laptop, my pencil case full of lipstick, and chargers for various things (laptop, iPhone, camera).
What my two week travel bonanza has taught me is that apparently Nine West is my go-to travel shoe. Last week it was the two-strap Mary Jane. This week it's the stack heel loafer (far less interesting, but this trip involves more walking).
I originally bought the loafer a few jobs ago when I was in event planning and would spend weeks running around giant hotels, and seven days in stilettos were not something that was an option month after month. The problem I had (and still have) is that I don't love them. They're nice, but they're just too logical and sensible looking with their no platform and chunky, moderate heel.

Does work travel and cute shoes go hand in hand? I'm not the type that wears gym shoes to the airport (though I do travel with them so I can workout) and I'm generally in business clothes, which don't have the most comfortable shoes.

Does such a thing as cute and comfortable, while still being walkable as I traipse through (a limited part of) strange cities even exist? My new mission is to find it, because I'm pretty sure I'm over these loafers.

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