I feel a little silly asking this question but you women out there, how many pairs of shoes and nice clothes do you take when traveling with just your backpack? Oviously you have your sneakers, hiking boots, sandals, but do you also take a pair of dress-up shoes? Do you try to bring clothes that double for grunge-wear and then clubbing-wear? I tend to overpack. Okey, thanks!!

Jenna

I have this desperate ongoing fear of being picked out as an "ugly American" when I travel abroad, so it's a constant challenge for me to find that balance between taking too much and grubbing around in khakis and hiking boots.

But I like shoes, too! It's terrible, maybe, but I probably give more room in my bag to shoes than clothes. If you're going city-traveling, or planning on attending a dress-up affair or two, take nice shoes. But break them in first.

A note about buying new shoes in your destination: I personally am an Amazon, and I have yet to be in a place in the world where cute shoes come in my size, except here. So if you have small feet, go ahead and pick up a pair at your destination - they'll probably be cheaper AND cuter. If that's not the case, though, I prefer to err on the side of caution and take a nice pair of shoes with me.

--Mimi

Traveling bookless is like Sartre's hell.

Hooray! I agree, I try and take a pair of nice shoes with me..comfortable as possible. I also think though, the strappier - the less material - the less they weigh

Apart from that, lovely Court made the excellent women's section of this site, which has packing, and show suugestions in it here

I agree...
I is hard to pack for those going out nights and traveling days. I am going to pack one skirt that i can also wear when its warm out, and capris that are a bit dressy to wear and 1-2 tanks/shirts that i can also wear during the day...considering the wrinkle factor. also i am taking strappy dress sandles that i like but am not super fond of so that i can chuck them if i have to. hope that helps...