Traveling with a Shoe Fetish...What's a girl to do?

Any women who loves her shoes hates to leave them behind when traveling. What if you need your rain boots? What about those sexy stilettos? Everyone needs those. And you can't be expected to leave behind your lucky green suede shoes. You never know if you're going to need those.

Most suitcases do not have room for your shoe wardrobe so traveling means that you must pack well-planned shoes for those well-planned outfits. Outfits, I can handle. Shoes are a whole different animal.

Most of the suitcases I packed have exactly the number of outfits I need plus a few extra, emergency pieces. However, I always have more shoes than there are days in the trip. A week-long trip to New York City required 11 pairs of shoes. A weekend getaway in Indiana prompted the use of five different pairs. Because of suitcase restraints, a three-week excursion to Italy only allowed for four pairs of shoes. I nearly died.

Two years ago I tackled a weekend in New York City with a small duffle bag full of clothing and a small case full of shoes. The clothing wrinkled, but my shoes looked great.

The next year when NYC weekend came around, I devised a new plan — one that should have seemed obvious before. I packed my shoes in the suitcase first then filled them with anything I could. Toiletries in the boots. Stockings in the pumps. Travel makeup bag in the walking shoes. And the stilettos nestled among the pajamas. I packed my clothing on top, my emergency flats in the front pouch (filled with the first-aid kit and tissues). Not only did almost everything fit (the mary janes, slingbacks and extra boots stayed behind), but it also kept my shoes in shape.

What never seems to fit in your suitcase? What tricks do you use? Is there any way I can bring more shoes with me?