Comfy Women's Travel Shoes - 9 of the Best

If it looks like there are a lot of Mary Janes on my list this season, that's because they make such great travel shoes. They have just the right profile for hiding loads of cushioning, inside and out. They're casual enough for jeans and trousers but they're also smart enough to team with a skirt.

When it comes to being on your feet for long periods of time, I've always been a fan of English shoemaker Clarks. These are soft and bendy - constructed to bend the way you do and give you a bounce in your step. They have a lambskin lining, foam insoles and an air cooled system that's very technical but feels good anyway.

Arcopedico makes totally comfortable travel shoes in Portugal. These are one of their classics. They have soft, glove leather uppers and a shock absorbing, anatomically designed "foot mattress". They're simple enough to wear with most daytime outfits and come in red, black, mocha and a dark tan they call "supra". Slip into them to give your feet a break on planes, trains and automobiles. A good basic, comfortable travel shoe.

Well I did say I liked Mary Janes. Every year they make a come back and they also seem to be sneaking back in style so it was only a matter of time before someone decided to make them ultra-comfy for walking. These are anatomically designed and feature Arcopedico's patented "Foot Mattress" for all day support. Dreamy for your feet. They're smart enough to wear with skirts and all but the glitziest outfits and they come in lots of sophisticated colors. I want a few pairs!

These look just like ballet pumps. But if you've ever pounded the pavements in those, you know they can be murder on your feet. The designers have actually managed to sneak a bit of a wedge onto these so they're not real flatties at all but sit on a 1 1/2 inch lift. And that makes all the difference in the world. They have a removable, contoured foot bed with an arch support and heel cup as well as gel pads in all the right places. All together it's meant to ease shock and disperse foot pressure. The anti-skid outsole is also designed for maximum shock absorption and the shoes bend naturally with your feet.

A higher heel can, surprisingly, make shoes easier to walk in for many women. We aren't talking stilettos here - but a modest (and sturdy) 1 1/2 to 2 inch heel. They also make them more versatile for urban travel - stylish enough to go from day to night. This shoe has a shock absorbing outer sole and the cushioning of a foam insole and a contoured footbed. The cross-over straps are comfortably stretchy. And the whole package is pretty enough to wear out to drinks and dinner yet relaxed enough to team with trousers.

In the UK we call this kind of styling "smart casual", which sort of says it all. The stitching details and combination of nubuck and leather give this a tailored look that will work with almost anything in a traveler's wardrobe. The stacked heel is just a smidge over an inch - a very comfortable height for city or town walking. And this shoe has a nice extra comfort secret. The "egg-crate" cushioned footbed - with extra arch support - slips out so that you can put in your own comfort insoles - maybe some of those cooling gel inserts that you can buy at a pharmacy, for example.

With Clarks, the comfortably bouncy sole, the foamy cushioning and the airy construction are kind a given. The rest is in the details and this, pretty Brazilian-made shoe has several nice touches. The feminine cutouts and stitching details make them easy to wear with skirts or smart trousers and the flash of stretch fabric on the vamp means they don't bind and they're easy to slip on and off - a plus for airport travel these days. The shoe comes in four different widths so if your size is very narrow or very wide you should be able to find a comfortable fit. The wedge heel is 1 3/4 inches - a good compromise for dressing up or down. There's black, brown and navy - I just wish they came in a few more colors.

Looks just like a basic pumps on a medium heel - always useful but not very exciting. But listen carefully - here comes the science part. These have an insole designed by a podiatrist that apparently shifts your weight from the front of your foot to the heel so you can stand in high(ish) heels all day without even noticing. The stacked-look heel is a shock absorbing material and there are various hidden elastic bits to make the shoe fit better. They also have a padded Achilles notch so they don't rub and are easy to break in. I like the idea that you can spend all day in these and still have enough energy to go out dancing - in the same shoes.

Okay, so these look a bit like a man's bedroom slippers - but wouldn't you like to slip into a pair of slippers on a plane or a train. More to the point, wouldn't you like to slip in and out of them at airport security? These are slipper-like slip-ons, sturdy enough to take to the streets with just enough fashion detailing to let the world know that you didn't forget to put on your shoes. I rest my case. Meanwhile, you can rest your feet on the patented "egg-crate" insole that gives them a mini-massage as you walk.