A Bloat of Shoes

One of my blog friends wrote a post about how many shoes she owns and I thought it was a pretty fascinating topic. One article claims that the average woman has 19 pairs of shoes, so I thought I'd see where I fit into that. I took a field trip into my closet and this is what I have.

1) Black Woolrich wingtips with flannel lining - These were a holiday present from my husband years ago and they are the best thing to wear in the winter when I can't wear my winter boots - they're so warm!  They are getting beat up, though, and I'm not sure I'll get another season out of them. I saw this same shoe on ebay for $520 and ha ha ha! I'm not paying that. We'll see.

2) Cross trainers (New Balance) - Current cross trainers. I love these shoes.

3) Silver Vionic flip flops - Best flip flops I've ever owned. If you have bad feet, Vionic is the way to go for your flip flop needs.

4)  Running shoes (Brooks) - I hate these shoes, but here we are. I'll probably get a new pair this summer.

Ignore the flip flops which are a repeat from the previous photo.

5) Black Mephisto sandals - I love the Mephisto footbed with all my heart. If you see me in the summer and it's not raining, I'm wearing Mephisto sandals.

6) Gold Naturalizer heels (from our wedding) - These are the only true pair of heels I own. I have worn them only a few times.

7) Quiero June t-strap sandals - These are well-constructed and relatively comfortable, but I really wanted nude t-straps and this just isn't what I want.  Alas.

Ignore the black Mephistos that are a repeat from the above photo.

8) Red Danskos - These are not clogs. I've owned these for about a million years. There are holes in them, but they are so comfortable and now Dansko has discontinued them and only makes terribly ugly clogs. Sad day. (Okay, Dansko does make a casual shoe, but it's not a canvas shoe.)

9) Blue Keens that look like bowling shoes - These are the cutest shoes, but they aggravate my bad leg, so I almost only wear them when I'm cycling.

10) Brown Mephisto sandals - Yes, this is the exact same sandal as the black one, just in a different color. The brown leather is way softer than the black if you're trying to decide between the two.

11) Dansko purple boots with a buckle - I bought these at DSW at the Mall of America on a whim and wear them way more frequently than I thought I would.

12) Lowa hiking boots

13) Redwing Clara boots in brown - It does not look like these boots are available in this color anymore. It's available in a reddish and a black, though, so there are still options. I love these boots and wear them all the time, particularly in the fall.

14) Black Redwing calf-length boots - They don't make these anymore, but that's okay because they're terrible uncomfortable. Still. I wear them when I have to dress up for office things.

15) Hunter rain boots in purple - These are terrible for my bad feet and leg, so I really only wear them if there's a torrential downpour and I have to walk the dog.

16) Black Columbia winter boots - I LOVE these boots and wear them every day for months in the winter. I'm still wearing them because it's so wet in the spring and they are more comfortable than my rain boots.  These things are warm, cozy, and I could walk for miles and miles in them. Chance are pretty good they won't get put away until the end of April.

17) Red Slogger clogs that my MIL gave me - She told me to use them in the garden. I don't really use them at all, to be honest, but since she gave them to me, I suspect I will own them for the rest of my life.

18) Ryka cross trainers that are old that I use exclusively in the garden or when I'm dogsitting - These stupid shoes have a seam right at the big toe and I hated them when they were my daily exercise shoe and I hate them now. 

19) Water shoes - I have not used these in years, but every time I go to the ocean I buy new ones, so I'm hanging on to these on the off chance I ever leave Wisconsin again.

20) Orange-y red Mephisto Mobils (if we count slippers, and let's go ahead and count them) - These guys are BEAT UP. The soles are in perfect condition, but the wool is not holding up. I suspect I will ask for another pair for Christmas next year. (Although, they ARE on sale right now...)

21) Cydwok Mary Janes - It doesn't look like Cydwok still makes this exact model, but it's similar to this. These are my daily wear shoes for every season except summer. I love these things and I've had them resoled several times. Perfect shoe for me.

I think, all things considered, this isn't too bad. I need to have footwear for all four seasons and I walk the dog in all the weathers.  I suspect I make up for the folks who live in warm weather climates and only need a couple pairs of dress shoes for work, flip flops, and sandals. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Do you have a lead for me on ethically sourced nude shoes with a t-strap and a heel no larger than two inches?