Tread lightly on those precious paws — South by Southwest is going to be rough. The long days at the Austin's Convention Center and longer nights at parties around the capital are going to have your toes throbbing and back aching in no time.
But with our help, if you start planning (and placing your orders) now, there are plenty of ways to protect your feet without mucking up your fashion statement.
Before we jump into the stylishly comfortable looks chosen specifically for SXSW, here are a few extra tricks that have served us well in years past.
- Carry a bag large enough to slip in an extra pair of go-to, comfortable shoes. You may think the pair you have on is comfortable enough, but you've probably never spent 12 hours walking in around downtown in them.
- Pick up a travel size of baby powder. That unforgiving material may cause those feet to react sweatily in a hurry.
- Band-Aids, Band-Aids and more Band-Aids. And then another box of Band-Aids. There is nothing worse than a raw, bloody blister and eight blocks standing between you, free booze and your favorite band.
- Buy insoles at the drugstore and adhere them to any über-flat pair of shoes you have for extra relief.
Sandals
(1) Aldo (2) KORS Michael Kors (3) Pour La Victoire
Designers are currently churning out leather-worked, buckle-adorned works of art that outshine their predecessor — the gladiator lace-up sandal — on the sophistication scale. Best of all, in these sandals, you wont have to stop and re-tie your straps every five minutes.
Ankle boots
(1) 8FIFTEENAM (2) Rag & Bone (3) ASOS
Our favorite shoe statement of 2010/2011: the bold bootie. Not only do boots hug your foot comfortably, having a bit of a heel (we're just talking two inches) can help relieve the lower back pain that's often a result of standing at a show for hours at a time. They're also the perfect way to add a tinge of toughness to an otherwise sweet outfit.
Flatforms
(1) ASOS (2) Deena & Ozzy (3) Jeffrey Campbell
Oh, yes. This trend is real, and for the sake of your soles, you should really consider partaking. Flatforms are the newest way to add a few inches to your stature without sacrificing the balls of your feet. Just be sure to rinse off your dirt- and beer-soaked skin before crawling into bed.
Casual flats
(1) Ecote (2) Urban Outfitters (3) Melissa
No heels, no problem. A great pair of casual flats is the best type of shoe to slip into your bag in the form of SXSW backup. Or wear them all the live long day — whatever suits your mood. Note: Here's where we find it best to add a pair of drugstore insoles for extra support.
Now that we've solved your footwear woes, on to figuring out how to get that wristband...
