middle aged woman - what to wear?

I'm leaving in just a few days, and suddenly find myself second-guessing what to bring. I like to pack light, so not too much. I feel o.k. about my blouses, but not the bottom and shoe choices. I have some capri pants, one pair black slacks, and one black skirt. For feet, I'll mostly wear a pair of sandals. But then I wonder - socks with sandals (or do people enter shrines barefoot?)? With all the rain, I figure I'll need at least one more choice of footwear. Would that be sneakers? They don't look good with black slacks, so maybe I should bring a pair of jeans instead of slacks? Do women my age (late 40's) wear jeans and sneakers, or just the kids? My feet are pretty sensitive, and we'll be doning a lot of walking, so whatever shoes I bring must be very comfortable. I do have a pair of black clogs that could work for days with less walking, but they aren't as comfy as sneakers. Any advice on both comfortable combinations and age-appropriate outfits would be welcome!

People in Japan do not care what other people wear.I guess, some people care how they look by other people, but even those people do not care how other people dress themselves.
I see a lot of Japanese women in 40s , they wear jeans and sneakers,too. And tourist wear differently sometimes, but nobody cares. You should wear what you think will be the most comfortable and light enough. Going to Shrines and temples with bare foot is fine too! Please do not worry and enjoy your trip!!!

Yes, older women wear jeans and sneakers. Wear what feels comfortable to you. Hiking is popular with liddle-aged people here, so sneakers are de rigueur.

As long as you aren't wearing sequinned hotpants and a midriff top, no-one will pay the slightest attention to what you are wearing- you have to be pretty outrageous to stand out as far as that goes here.

My 50 year old stepmother is here right now, and she is wearing a knee-length denim skirt with a tanktop and a light cardigan today and that seems fine.

Yes, it is fine to have bare feet in shrines/ temples, you are not expected to wear socks for the occasion.

Hi Rootles,

I'm a 46 yr old woman and (of course) I wear jeans and sneakers.

But when I tour abroad in this climate expecting to visit both cities and countrysides, being a light traveler, I wear leather shoes with fairly flat soles but with a handsome cut. About a 2 centimeter (half inch) sole seems just right for a lot of walking. And then I pack a pair of stylish sportswear type beach sandles with straps on the ankles.

The reason I choose leather shoes is because I find myself not as good-looking as I used to be :) and shoes with a handsome cut, yet a comfortable cut, seems to make my whole body look good no matter what I wear. With these shoes I either wear socks and pants or nylon stockings and skirts. And with these shoes I can walk long hours on paved streets yet can go into sofisticated stores and restaurants. Being my age, I want to spend money for something nice too, you know.

But waterproof sandles are essencial, because I might want to stroll along the sea and rivers, or hike on the mud, or walk in hard rain. Straps are a must so I won't have to worry about having them slip off. Of course I wear them on bear feet. These type of sporty slip-ons can be handy when you've just got out of bed and want to go to a vending machine.

Shirts, trousers and skirts, I usually bring something thin and instead of folding I roll them as I pack, so that they won't get lines or wrinkles. I usually tour cities with a handsome jacket on top of a T-shirt. In resorts, I wear a long-sleave knit instead of the jacket.

A big thin piece of pretty cloth (such as a huge scarf) is handy when you feel a bit chilly and want to wrap something around your neck, or upon sudden rain and you need something over your head.

I know I should just wear what's comfortable, but I also don't want to look too "barbarian!" It helps to know that bare feet are fine. I'll probably bring jeans after all instead of the slacks, but since it will probably be hot, I imagine I won't wear them so much. I have heard that shorts are out for women unless you're really just hiking (or are very young).

Sadly, I don't have a COMFORTABLE pair of handsome, flat shoes. The ones I have really aren't comfortable for walking -just a few hours at dinner or a party. I haven't found any with enough support for hours of walking (at least not in my price range!).

Rootles, if you're leaving "in a few days" it won't be too hot for jeans. Btw, I usually wear jeans for the flight, and bring something like loose cotton pants for relaxing. The loose pants can also be worn on hotter days.