Experts' Expert: Teri Agins on her favorite walking shoe

Pictured above, it's Ferragamo's "Vara," introduced in 1978 and still among the company's best-selling shoes.

There must be a reason why that's so, don't you think?

Ms. Agins was a longtime fashion reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

Walkable Footwear

Q. "When traveling I love to walk for a long time, but I hate to wear tennis shoes because they instantly identify me as a tourist. I dress in longer skirts instead of pants, and I prefer to wear black. What do you recommend?"

A. More footwear makers have added an array of flats in recent years, so there's no reason you can't look reasonably chic while touring the streets of Rome or London. For serious walking, forget ballerina flats, which are too flimsy to support your feet. The same goes for flip-flops and most sandals, which expose your feet to too much urban grime.

For many years, my own favorite footwear for tooling around Manhattan has been Vara, a round-toed, low-heeled bow pump, in black patent leather. Introduced in 1978, the sturdy and super-comfortable Vara continues to be among Ferragamo's best-selling shoes. I take mine to the shoe repairman, who adds a thin layer of rubber to the sole, which helps make my stride more sure-footed. The advantage of patent leather — and not its cheaper cousin in stiff vinyl — is that shoes always look shiny and they repel rai

The properties that the best walking shoes have in common are: arch supports or orthotics to help absorb shock, flexible rubber soles, round or broad toes, and heels or wedges that are an inch or less high.

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$995.