Shoes make the outfit and accessories make the woman. Or something like that. But being a minimalist traveler really cuts into becoming a hoarder of shoes & jewelry. So for this Southeast Asia trip, I kept it simple. I’m bringing just 3 pairs of shoes. For 5 months. The woman in me wants variety, while the traveler screams for practicality. Thankfully, I have a husband who packs light as well, and together, we decided that logic prevailed. My shoe choices include a pair of simple Target [or Old Navy] flip flops for the beach or shower situation, Merrell hiking waterproof sneakers, and Keen weather resistant slip-on ballet flats.
All 3 can be worn with all my outfits, and all 3 are weather appropriate. Traveling through Asia during the hottest months and monsoon season definitely require waterproof options, so I chose to invest in some quality and durable shoes. I wore the Merrell sneakers quite often through China, and found them extremely comfortable and am very happy with them. The Keen ballet flats were a new investment, as I was looking for something more practical than TOMS. I love my TOMS shoes, but if you’ve ever gotten yours wet…you realize why I needed another option. So far so good!
As for accessories, I love flashy jewelry, and am bringing several pieces. It can really help to dress up a plain shirt or bring variety to well-worn outfit. They pack small, and are easy to bring in excess. And I always hope to acquire more local jewelry along the way! I’ve attempted to travel with various jewelry bags, but this time I’m trying out each necklace in it’s own Ziploc bag, with hopes to avoid tangling.
I even brought some hair accessories, including 2 headband wraps and a wild trucker hat! Gotta be prepared for those bad hair days, sweaty moments, and lazy days.
Hope you have fun choosing shoes and accessories for your next travel days! Tomorrow’s traveling light post will cover all the toiletry products I’m bringing, and all the liquids I’m not!
Find out how my packing system held up after 6 months on the road!
An American Mom in Asia 
Great choices and recommendations! I am in search for some hiking shoes and have been eyeing the merrells, and those keen flats look great too.
I made a similar post a while back and we have a very similar idea of the best shoes for traveling as my first three recommendations were merrell slip-ons, waterproof “ballerina” crocs, and rainbow flip flops. http://anewlifewandering.com/2013/08/14/the-best-shoes-for-india-and-travelling-in-general/
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Yeah I love my Merrell’s and the Keen’s are great so far. Thanks for including your blog post too. I love other traveler’s recommendations for gear!
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