h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"The question is, why don't *you* have a pair?"

Sorry to be blunt, but mainly because I ain't that pretentious.

There is no point in keeping shoes that

a) you never wear
b) are waaaay past their best
c) give you blisters.

Specially when you still have an adequate number remaining.

Exactly. I have smart shoes for work. I have combat boots for everything else.

Oh wait. Have I just admiotted to not getting invied to black tie do's?
Damn!

Yup, that's about the strength of it, Ictoan!

Admittedly, I go to less than one per year, but in the event that I do receive an invitation, I know that I won't be rushing around the shops hunting for the approriate footwear at the last minute! (Getting into my dinner jacket trousers, now that's a different challenge entirely! )

RF

er ...5pairs:

1pr Sperry boat mocs.
1pr yellow moroccan slippers (with car tyre soles).
1pr Doc Martens (bought in 1974 whisky).
1pr cheapo trainers.
1pr sharp black (not patent) funeral shoes.

alec.

I guess I have about 50 pairs of shoes, maybe more. About a dozen of those are various styles of black work shoes and I have a taste for sparkly, exotic sandals and sexy heels that I can only walk from the barstool to the powder room in. And there are a few pairs of utility boots for camping, hiking and motorcycling.

My justification for it all is that I mostly wear simply cut, solid color clothing or jeans and a tank top, and I like to be able to add a bit of whimsy with my accessories. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Let's see.

2 pairs of normal shoes that I wear
1 pair of dress shoes
1 pair of marching band shoes
1 pair of flip-flops that I never wear
1 pair boots that I never wear

I think that's it. So...6. Yep.

5 pairs DM shoes (black - work, brown - work, green - casual, purple - casual, black steel toes)

3 pairs DM boots (black 8 hole, black 10 hole, black steel toes)

1 pair Church's brogues

1 pair trainers

1 pair cycle shoes

4 pairs Merrells

so thats 15 that I wear fairly regularly

Still two pairs - 1 pair of Squash shoes for playing squash (suprisingly ) and 1 pair of Magnum boots for everything else (you are not allowed black soles on the squash courts, otherwise it would be one pair ) Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

50 pairs of shoes? Who the Hell needs 50 pairs of shoes?

I possess:

Black leather steel toe cap shoes, 1 pair
Black leather steel toe cap boots, 1 pair
Walking boots, 2 pair (I think I beat your 1986 Whisky, as one pair was inherited from my grandmother)
walking sandals 1 pair
climbing boots 1 pair

So 6 pairs in toto.

I think everyone's shoe-wear needs are different! Depends on what you do for a living, what you do in your spare time, whether your disposable income can justify the addition of another pair...

..and sometimes it's not "need" it's "want". Different things.

I live with Imelda.

Myself I have

One pair of black leather office shoes.
One pair of brown leather imminent wedding shoes.
One pair brown leather socialising Timberlands.
One pair sandals.
Two pairs trainers.
Two pairs climbing shoes. (one for mountain routes, one for wall and cliff)
One pair lightweight walking boots.
One pair heavy weight crampon friendly mountaineering boots.
Two pairs football boots (grass/astroturf)
One pair trainers for sports halls.
One pair shoes for listening to opera and drinking cold beer in the bath. (See last weeks post)

14 pairs - more than I thought, but I use nearly all of them.

sprout

I'm reminded of that wise old native American saying:

"Never criticise a man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins.

That way when you do criticse him, you're a mile away, and you've got his shoes"

black office shoes x 1 pair
brown office shoes x 1 pair
black dress shoes x 1 pair
dark trainers x 1 pair
light trainers x 1 pair
gym trainers x 1 pair
converse trainers x 1 pair
brown casual shoes x 2 pairs
black casual shoes x 2 pair
light walking boots x 1 pair (that I never wear)
dark walking boots x 1 pair
city boots x 1 pair
black sandals x 1 pair
brown sandals x 1 pair
pool shoes x 1 pair
beach flip flops x 1 pair
city flip flops x 1 pair
bathroom slippers x 1 pair

That's 20 pairs altogether which is probably quite a lot for a bloke. And that's following a recent, very ruthless, shoe culling in my apartment.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one.
In my defense, I'm a freelance makeup artist and have to present the appropriate image, depending on what cosmetic line I'm working, and where I am. I bring a second pair with me so I can switch out before my feet start screaming. When I work in stores and see absolutely gorgeous shoes that I'd never buy at full price marked down 50% or 75% I snap them up.

It's definitely not about need, but it's a harmless indulgence.

I have size 8 feet, so when I find a pair of shoes that fit and I like I tend to buy them, as this only happens about once every two years. I then wear my shoes until they fall apart. Currently own:

1 pr wellies
1 pr trainers
1 pr walking boots
1 pr smart black pumps
1 pr low heeled black courts
1 pr low heeled pink courts
1 pr excruciatingly high heeled diamante sandals
1 pr suede cowboy boots
1 pr flip flops
1 pr shocking pink, completely flat sandals with gorgeous sequinned flowers, make even my huge feet look gorgeous plus I don't feel taller than everybody else ... but they have reached the falling apart stage

Somewhere I still have my over the knee, lace-up, leather boots ... mmm... but I haven't found a cobbler who'll mend them yet.

So that's 11 pairs, soon to be 10, one of which I can't wear anyway.

Mol

1 pair nice trainers
1 pair Keds tennis shoes (wearing every day with my cropped 'funny pants')
1 pair Doc Marten Mary Janes
2 pair black canvas Mary Janes
1 pair burgundy leather Mary Janes with heart shaped cut outs
1 pair high heeled black half-boots
1 pair brown leather deck shoes
1 pair black satin pumps (Mary Jane style *sigh*)
1 pair smart black leather pumps for interviews
1 pair black Merrels
1 pair cruddy brown leather sandals (need to toss)
1 pair black velvet pumps for evenings out
1 pair polka-dotted canvas shoes w/ ankle ties

That's 14 but I know there are more that I don't wear as frequently.

4 pairs black shoes
1 pair black Chelsea boots
2 pairs trainers
1 pair slippers

like almost everyone except RF I shall be in trouble in the unlikely event of my being invited and wanting to go to a black tie event

I need to buy a new pair of shoes. The sole has litterally dropped out them.

I'm down to just my boots or some mocasins I had from Clarks ages ago.

I forgot my pair of wellies. If I'm invited to a black tie event, that's what I'll wear...

sprout