There is nothing worse than walking around all day long in an uncomfortable pair of shoes. Having the wrong pair of shoes on vacation can absolutely make or break your trip, especially if you’re going to Coachella Music Festival, which is outdoors in the middle of a desert and entails hours of walking around. Luckily, your weekend music festival getaway doesn’t have to be dreadful, because HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY spoke to Regina Popp, Senior Director of Fashion & Trend at DSW, about what shoes you should wear to Coachella without sacrificing style.
Regina shared her expert tips, stating, “There’s no reason to sacrifice comfort for style this spring. Especially when there are a myriad of Coachella-worthy options at DSW that are both practical and fashionable (i.e. will look great on your IG Stories…). Iconic bootie styles like the Doc Martens 1460 combat boot in either black or white make for a perfect festival look, or casual booties with a Southwest flavor — preferably in snake print — pair well with jean shorts or prairie dresses to channel your inner Boho wanderlust vibe. I also love a great sandal for Coachella, whether it’s a classic Birkenstock, espadrille, or even a flashy sport sandal like the Fila Disruptor. If you’re feeling sporty, go for Vans checkerboard sneaks in yellow or the new Fila logo sneakers.”
While you might have a ton of adorable shoes at home that you’ve been dying to wear, Regina explains it’s important to pack smart. “The best way to edit your pack job based off what you want to bring and what you should leave at home, is to only pack shoes that you can wear more than once! If one style can’t be worn for both day and night depending on your outfit, it probably shouldn’t make the cut! When flying, try to style your plane outfit around a pair of shoes that you can use for another look later so you don’t overdo it on your shoe assortment.”
If the thought of picking and choosing different pairs of shoes to pack is stressing you out, Regina made sure to share some helpful shoe packing tips. “I am a big believer in shoe bags to keep your clothes clean and your suitcase in check. If you don’t have shoe bags handy, you can always use a canvas tote, which can then double as a carry-on later. Plus, it works out if you end up shopping and coming home with more stuff than you started with (I’m usually guilty here!). Packing shoes is like a game of Tetris, you want to place them strategically around the border of your suitcase (mostly towards the bottom if you have a roller bag so the weight will be at the bottom of the suitcase). Don’t forget to maximize space by packing jewelry, toiletries, underwear, or other small items inside of your shoes to conserve space (and protect anything breakable).”