Orthotic Shoes and Non-wrinkle formal wear

We will be crossing the pond on QM2 and returning on HAL next summer... 37 days cruising and 4 days on land (during which we will need to handle all our luggage ourselves). We are taking the northern europe tour back to NYC so temps will be in the mid 60's. I would like to pack as light as possible yet still meet the dress codes to participate in all shipboard events.

After foot surgery 9 years ago I only own/wear athletic or orthotic shoes and therefore haven't worn & no longer own a single dress... We generally wear comfortable clothes from REI, Columbia, North Face, Bass Pro Shops, etc.

Looking for any/all suggestions for what to buy/how to pack are greatly appreciated...obviously interchangable parts but how about packable formal wear??

how about packable formal wear??

Look for synthetic jersey knits. You can often find long skirts and dresses, or cocktail pants, in such fabrics that can literally be rolled up into a ball and don't wrinkle. Look for black or other neutrals that can be dressed up. I've often seen them with metallic threads in them as well.

You don't need "ballgowns" or such...just something that looks like you wouldn't wear it to the grocery store or church!! As far as the shoes, there are lower heeled pumps (1 inch or less), that, with your orthotics inside them, might work!

Don't pack clothes for 41 days! Pack for a 5-7 days and repeat. Wash clothes. Mix and match colors. Tops go with most bottoms.

Figure out how much other stuff you need.

Ask on the Cunard board if black pants and a blingy top is fine for the dressier nights. There was a thread where gals showed their black bottoms/black tops with various jackets/sweaters/thin overlays.

What orthotic brands do you wear? Seen anything online? Anything that can be blinged up?

theviviennefiles.com has good mix and match color suggestions.

ladylighttravel.com has good ideas how to condense all the other stuff one brings.

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Cunard is one of the dressiest lines. If you want to participate in their formal evening, I believe you'll have to do more than just wear some black pants and a shirt with some 'bling'....

I suggest looking for a long (floor length) black skirt in a good knit material that doesn't look too shiny. I have one in silk knit that packs down into nothing and sheds wrinkles.

Then look for tops that can pass muster as formal but are still packable. Alex Evenings is one brand. Or alternatively, find a nice simple, unstructured black jacket (silk or another knit) and a couple of dressy shells to wear underneath.

Several thoughts:

- I wear custom orthotic inserts made by a podiatrist. Not special shoes, just the inserts. They don't work in every pair of shoes, but they work in quite a few.

- Depending upon your foot problems, try Vionics sandals. They're wonderful for my problems and 95% as good as my custom inserts. Best of all, they look great with dressy items and don't look like orthotic shoes. Chacos are also great, but they aren't dressy.

- Maxi dresses. They're trendy and inexpensive, they tend to be no-wrinkle knits, and -- most pertinent to this discussion -- they'll cover your shoes. This means that no one will really see your footwear, even if you happen to be wearing horrible-looking orthotic shoes to dinner.

Get a long skirt or evening pants and a dressy looking jacket or top. Add a scarf or jewelry on different nights and you have formal wear for your entire crossing. Same outfits can be worn for your gala nights on HAL. I have worn this kind of an outfit on both of these lines and never felt "underdressed".

With a long skirt or pants your shoes will be pretty much hidden. You will not be the only one on board wearing orthotic shoes!

Something like this would work. This was from travelsmith.com

I have a pair of pants in black that are full and look like a skirt. They have a chiffon overlay. I am bringing them on my cruise.

Some will suggest you forgo your orthotic shoes because you can find a little heel or find a shoe you can bling up... Ignore them - they probably have never had a serious foot problem. I'm in that same situation you are and I just wear what footwear I can and give "the finger" to those who turn up their noses because I'm not wearing heels. What difference does it make that I don't wear blinded up footwear - I've see plenty of ugly shoes/sandals on women on formal night - some women with fat ankles and calves should NOT wear strappy sandals :eek:

I will wear my shoes with orthotics during the day. In the evening I am bringing a comfortable pair of nice looking mostly flat sandal type shoes in black. I will wear these with dress pants or evening pants. They won't have the orthotics in them but that is okay because I'll mostly be sitting.

Vionic makes all their shoes with really great orthotics and they have many with enough bling for any occasion.

They also do sandles which I would not normally wear.

QVC has a very good selection but many times Amazon is cheaper.

I agree with the Vionic suggestion.......if you prefer a closed toe shoe, they make ballet flats in black and you could wear

them in the evenings........they are VERY supporitive.

I agree with the Vionic suggestion.......if you prefer a closed toe shoe, they make ballet flats in black and you could wear

them in the evenings........they are VERY supporitive.

Another vote for Vionics... I got 2 pair of sandals recently and love them!

Another vote for Vionics... I got 2 pair of sandals recently and love them!

I own about 18 pairs of Vionics now........most are sandals but I do have a few clogs/mules and a really nice pair of

ballet flats. :)

With Vionics (and Hammacher Schlemmer's version thereof) I can almost forget I've had plantar fasciitis for years ... until I put on a non-Vionics shoe and the pain comes roaring back. They've gotten much more stylish in recent yrs. My daughter has been shopping for them recently without complaint about style.

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Thanks so much for all the positive suggestions and comments. I feel confident now and will look into the options suggested here!

Thanks so much for all the positive suggestions and comments. I feel confident now and will look into the options suggested here!

One thing, you might find the avionics take a little getting used to. Maybe not if you are used to orthotics, but they will feel different and take a little getting used to. The insert that comes with the shies says go wear them for a sort period of time and then increase time until you are used to them.

https://www.amazon.com/ECCO-Womens-Yucatan-Mineral-11-11-5/dp/B007VUWS9I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1495239351&sr=8-2&keywords=Echo%2Bsports%2Bsandals&th=1

I have wore vionic for years I just tried the echo sandals this year and they are really comforable too I have plantar fasciitis so I need a good arch . These I will be wearing on my cruise

I have a couple pairs Vionics and a few pairs of Eccos. As well as Birkenstocks and Taos and other comfort brands. Not all varieties from the same brand fit me, so I shop around. I don't do heels any more. (I might wear a slight wedge and I have a pair of Softwalk sandals with a low heel that are comfy for a day of work but not a full day of walking, so "comfort" varies by context ;-) I'm sure with some experimentation you'll find something that works for you!!