Last night I woke up from a loud crash. Convinced it’s one of my kitties making mischief, I ran upstairs to investigate. That’s right. My shoe shelf had finally given in and collapsed under the weight of my own shoes. As I wearily drifted back to sleep, my mind kept wandering: How many pairs of shoes does one really need?
My shoe collection is actually pretty modest for a fashionista. I have a little over 30 pairs of shoes (counting the boots, which I keep separately). My mother owns upwards of 60, for comparison. Needless to say, most of this beauty sits in boxes year-round, exciting no one. Moment of truth: most of my ‘pretty’ shoes were worn once or twice. Take these futuristic silver flats for instance: worn one time, to IKEA. Yellow canvas booties? Twice, to Coney Island (got nearly ruined by tar from the bumper car ride) and then once more to Japan C Exhibition. Lavender kitten heels should be awarded the title of Veterans of Footwear – 5 uses last summer!
This was never my plan. With every purchase, I convinced myself I’d be wearing my new babies all the time – how can you not with a shoe so pretty!? It’s not my fault that the heel on the Charles David boots turned out to be too tall, Irregular Choice were only available in size 6.5 to my 7.5 foot, and that I got tired of stuffing cotton balls down the silver flats to keep them from pinching my toes. I could never get rid of them! Shoes are like jewelry for your feet – and sometimes cost as much. Most women experience major collector’s pride when showing off their impressive collections.
If it weren’t for places like Buffalo Exchange – or its NYC equivalent Beacon’s Closet – I’d be living in a shoe-hoarding hell. These consignment stores will buy fashionable footwear & clothing off your hands with the purpose of reselling it right in the store. You get instant cash (30% of retail value) or store credit (55%). All my once-treasured-but-not-so-much-any-more stuff goes there – and plenty new stuff comes back home. Buffalo Exchange currently has 30+ locations throughout the US – see if there’s one near you!
I did end up fixing my shoe shelf. To avoid overwhelming it, I decided to sell off & donate some pairs that I definitely wasn’t going to wear, and distribute the weight wisely of what’s left. You know, heavy stuff on the bottom, light on the top.
Loading ...Curiouser & curiouser:
- Nicole of Making It Lovely organizes her closet
- Nubby explains the art of closet organization
It’s very ironic that you posted this today, NOW, because on the radio just about a half hour ago, the DJ was going on about her big shoe collection and dared listeners to send her pictures of their potentially BIGGER shoe collection.
That is crazy about a week ago I was awakened (along with the Mr. and the tot) when my 50 pair shoe rack crashed and burned at 3am. Prompted a groggy and somewhat pleading request from the Mr. on the necessity of owning so many shoes. I promptly gave a few pairs away to charity and now house my 63 pair collection on Ikea Billy Bookcase! I love my shoes and I will never apologize for having them… I do have to admit, after reading this post I think I shall do another inventory and weed out a few more pairs and pay a visit to Beacon’s. Thanks Doe!
I think I’m somewhere in the 200 range now…but don’t think I’m crying help. I love them too too much!
hahahahaha OMGGGG, that is the cutest cat, lolol and oh my ur shoes fell, lolol well i have like around 8 pairs…i am a shoe whore and handbag whore, but i would be buying shoes all the time if i could. Good that u are donating some, thats nice!
I have just a bit over 50 pairs of shoes, might be about sixty by now actually. And well I have shoes that I’ve never had on ;] I have a storage room and they are stored there, I usually have +/- 15 pairs in my room tho just to get buy them quickly in the morning ;]
xxx
My shoe collection is verging on the outrageous, but I have SUCH a hard time parting with any of my pairs! Maybe I’ll take a cue from you and sell or consign a handful …
I had to guesstimate how many I’m currently hoarding… I did just get rid of about 8 pairs though.
I wish our Plato’s closet had as good of rates as Buffalo Exchange & Beacon’s Closet– it gave me $27 for 8-10 pairs of new, worn once shoes, each with a $60-100 retail value. That’s like $3 a pair!
Nicole’s closet must be the most amazing thing ever. I consider myself a pretty organized person but my closet looks nothing like Nicole’s!! ;)
It wasn’t until I started counting in my head, that I realized I had so many! Or how many I’d actually purchased since I know my feet stopped growing (around age 13-14). I’ve an incredible number of black boots (platform heels, chunky heels, knee high, mid calf, stiletto heel, flat, doc martens). I think I have a black boot obsession. And then last year, when I decided I needed to expand my color options (red, brown, pink). Oh. I should update my answer now… Now that I remembered more…can I change my answer to 45? EEP. I had no clue what kind of shoe hoarder I was. i think it’s because I associate each with so many good memories. Or I take really good care of my footwear. Maybe I need an intervention… (I swear, even though I’m Filipina — I am NOT the 2nd coming of Imelda Marcos)
By the way, I adore the boots on the right — where did you get them?
Yesss, one of my favorite posts ever, I think! I love Buffalo Exchange – I recently discovered it only two weeks ago – and I think I’m addicted now! What a fabulous and eco-friendly idea it is.
I’m proud you cleared your shoes up a bit – it’s a big feat for someone like me who likes to hoard and save their little fashion treasures. As for me personally, I’m not so much into shoes as I am into jewelry. I have hundreds upon hundreds of pieces of jewelry, mostly costume or sterling silver pieces. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and pins all explode in my room from their boxes and drawers. Even my headband count is in the double digits!
Maybe I should take a cue and also do some spring cleaning?
♣ Corinne
The boots are from Nine West. :)
I wish I had that problem! I own 8 pairs of shoes – although that’s counting a pair of shower flip-flops and running sneakers.
I have wide feet which makes buying shoes a pain, so when I do find a cute, everyday-wear shoe, I run them through in weeks. I need to go shoe shopping soon!
The only such places in the biggest small town, Green Bay, Wisconsin, require you to be 18 before you can exchange. Dragging my mom down to the store to have someone pick through my clothes/shoes for an hour did not sound too appealing.
By the way, I found the poll results crazy! 1-10 pairs of shoes?!?!
I couldn’t do it. Even if they were 10 that were practical, beautiful, comfortable, fashionable, etc. I’d still need more than ten.
hahaha! just about 2 hours ago i become the mommy of a new pair of black velvet Vivienne Westwood flats…and i seriously dont want to take them off even if its time for bed… :P
we dont have places like that here in Greece but we do have such great sales from time to time and then i cant stop myself from buying anew pair…i wear all my flats and trainers a lot, though!!! I only have a few pairs of high heels and i rarely wear them…i dont find them comfortable enough to wear all day long so i only put them on on special occcasions etc…
i love shoes! i love all my shoes and i have to fall in love with a pair befora i buy them. Shoes have personality…you can wear just them and your pyjamas and you will still look grea…im so in love!!! thank god i dont yet have the budget to overdo it!!!
i love buffalo exchange :) i have no idea how many shoes i have.. but i do know when my boyfriend and i started dating, he had more shoes than i did!! hahahaa. of course i had to go and fix that :)
i LOVE shoes.. but it’s so hard to wear them all.. that’s why i don’t end up going shoe shopping much because i end up finding some gem that i don’t want to live without. ah, shoes..
Well I don’t think I’d be owning the amount I do if stylish shoes were actually comfortable. Is this a new idea? I buy shoes that look comfy, find out it’s not… and then try another with the same story (I swear they were comfy when I walked around in them for 30 seconds in the store!) Doe, you need to do a post on where to find some gorgeous shoes that are actually comfortable. You have really cute shoes… >_< I think I have around 20-30… I wore most of them like twice. The shoes that are comfy.. they get worn to death…
So obviously I have to go count my shoes after reading this(and to do the poll, of course), and I actually shocked myself that I had approximately 30 pairs. :S Of course I don’t wear most of them. And of course I want more(which is hard, considering I am currently unemployed and therefore have no income atm). I’m sure some I could get rid of, but I don’t want to. Shoes are too awesome, and if I had the money, I’d definitely have a lot more! ^_^ But none of mine look half as awesome as yours! <3
Yay, I love closet organisation!
You have some seriously pretty shoes. I have around 30, though they’re mostly flat as I’m already tall & so don’t need heels! I keep shoes that are too small for me, hoping I’ll find an occasion for them.
I’m not seeing those beautiful pale pink, round toe shoes with little ribbons that you used to wear often. Surely you didn’t get rid of those?
BTW loving the red shoes with the tartan band.
This post made me giggle, I wish I had more shoes. All the ones I want are too expensive for me to buy and then the money comes along and they’re discontinued. *Sniffle* Though please say other people save photos of shoes they love but can’t own? That folder on my laptop is overflowing.
I always figure even if you just wear them pottering about the house they’re still being worn right? Then they won’t feel unloved even if you feel they’re unwearable outside the house for longer than an hour or two?
I only have 7 pairs of shoes (well, 8 – I just bought a new pair over the weekend and I’ve been checking the tracking page every three seconds ahahah) I tend to wear shoes until they fall apart when I like them, so the ones that stick around are the ones that are pretty but impractical because I’m the clumsiest person in existence.
I’m so glad my spring break is starting – my closet needs to be emptied and fixed up. Thanks for the links!
I never buy anything I’m not absolutely sure I’m gonna wear a lot, so I have 6 pairs of shoes, 2 boots and 1 sneaker.
I find many shoes beautiful, but I’m only a student. I could never make my parents spend more on me than what they already do with my education and I know I’m going for a profession that doesn’t own much… So, I’ll probably keep going this way…
I’m pretty happy with my shoes! I like them very much!
I used one of them so much that the sole came off… so, it’s being fixed and I miss it x.x’
I *gasp* own over 100 pairs of shoes! The problem I have, like Doe is that I either have worn them once or even not at all. I certainly plan on doing a spring cleansing of my closet!! (aka. 2nd bedroom!!!)
I have a little under 60 shoes including boots and I know I will never sell or donate them. I love them all to much. And I love the Yellow canvas booties I would so buy them off of you if you decide to sell or donate them.
So funny you wrote about this today. I literally spent all evening clearing out my closet and getting rid of old sweaters so I could make room for more shoes!
I’d own more shoes if it weren’t for the fact that finding shoes in my size here in Asialand is hard – I wear around a US Women’s 10, and I can barely squeeze into the largest sizes here. The places that do sell my size tend to be a little on the pricey side too.
That said, I’m moving to MA soon to go to college; I’m not sure if I’ll have a larger shoe collection since I do find it easier to find shoes in America, but I’m more partial to flats and low, stable heels. I have weak ankles from hyperflexibility and I found heels over 2 inches make for harder falls.
I have four pairs (sneakers, slippers, thongs and gothy chunkies), but pretty much live in my black runners. It’s one of the reasons I’ll stay low femme!
oh boy! I hate when my clothes, accessories, SHOES break things because of their heaviness (it’s happened to me before also!) but I must say, I am very jealous of your shoe shelf! I love it- I must get one for myself :) aaaaand, I am very jealous of your collection of shoes too!! hehe.
love, dayna
Wow, I think I need to buy some more shoes! I’m only in the 1-10 category (admittedly it’s nearer the 10 mark, but still!).
I think my main problem is I’m not very good at taking care of my shoes so I often have to consign them to the rubbish bin becasue they’re completely knackered. Any shoecare tips for making them last longer?
This is such a funny post…I’m sure we can all relate! I agree that your collection is modest. I’m not sure how many pairs I own, but it may be less. It’s about buying what you absolutely have to have and passing on the rest. You did a great job reorganizing!
I unfortunately own less than 10 pairs of shoes. 4 of those are my ‘pretty’ shoes, huge platforms that are entirely impractical and have been worn just once or twice each, the others are worn out from excessive wearing. I have a UKsize 10 foot, or US12 and it makes finding shoes that fit incredibly hard. Most of my shoes are bought from specialist transvestite stores because I insist on wearing shoes I like, rather than just shoes that fit, and thankfully, transvestite goth shoes tend to be just my style!
Great post!
I actually own very few pairs of shoes. Maybe 10 at the most. I love shoes but since I don’t wear animal made things I have a hard time finding non leather shoes I like. And if I do, they usually only last a year or two so they get replaced with a new pair. I wish I could afford Stella McCarthy shoes since all her shoes are animal friendly but I can’t. Sucks since her shoes are beautiful.
I think this is why my shoes just line on the floor, although I will probably have to get a shelf as my puppy is teething and has taken out a pair of tennis shoes already!
I have 4 pairs of shoes that I wear the most, and maybe 4 or 6 more. That’s including boots.
It’s very difficult for me to find shoes at Buffalo Exchange because of my large feet. :( :( :(
I only have 2 pair that I really wear, and one pair ballerina’s and 2 boots. I’m 5’11 tall and my feet are big so finding cute shoes that have no (high) heel is hard. Yay for everyone else who can buy pretty shoes though :)
Good for you! It is so hard to get rid ofthem, especially when they are so pretty or were expensive. I also bring them to Clohing Swaps or straight away donate (no Buffalo Exchange in Canada).
Hey, I don’t own that many pairs of shoes!! Only 3 pairs of heels, 3 flats and 2 boots, besides the sneakers!
I wish I could get more heels, though… But my feet are too small (5.5) and I have little high heel tolerance :(
I think I have around 20 pairs of shoes with me at college, and I know I’ve left some at home. If I were to count my dance shoes (at least, the ones that are still functional) as well, I’m sure I’d have at least 30. My favorite items to horde are lingerie though. I’m pretty sure I have enough bras to go 3-4 weeks without repeating. Of course, I have my favorites so I do repeat. I’m really terrible at getting rid of anything I can wear.
I’ve already commented, but the more I look at this post, the more awesome I think it is. The first picture with your kitty is great- she looks really suspicious! haha.
There’s something about womens’ clothes being scattered everywhere that’s so beautiful. It’s almost artistic, seeing all those beautiful shoes arranged in a random pattern.
I’ve had a glass of wine. Sorry.
Psh, I ma not have a redonkulous collection of shoes- but I have a tiny closet! Even so, I’m getting new shoes all the time. I go through flats like tissues, living in the city. Thank god for Buffalo Exchange for taking my fat pants and turning them into new shoes <3
Those yellow shoes are awesome! Do you never where flatter shoes? I only see heals! :)
I’ve between 21 and 30 pair of shoes. If I count the ones I actually use :P
No update yesterday? I always look forward to your posts Doe!
I lust after shoes whenever I’m out window-shopping, but I can never justify spending the money on them – it’s far cheaper to splash out on a new eyeshadow or some costume jewellery.
I LOVE those yellow booties! And I’m completely addicted to Irregular Choice. I almost exclusively buy shoes online these days, which is both exhilarating and exasperating. I have upwards of 40 pair; I’ve gotten rid of a bunch (20+) over the past year.
I’m having trouble getting the shoe poll to work. Maybe needs fixin?
Okay! I don’t know what the poll problem was a second ago.
I have too many shoes!
I have about 30 pairs of shoes. I tend to just buy the basics (black, brown, grey) of every type of shoe. I would have more, but there’s the whole issue of being really petite with big feet. I’m a size 9, but most 9s are too wide to fit my feet! :(
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