Saturday, May 12, 2007

It's about the shoes ...

Tomorrow is Mothers Day, so I'd like to wish all the Mums out there a wonderful day, I hope you're able to spend time with those you love. I spent this evening with my Mum, as she's going to be out all day tomorrow. I love and appreciate her so much. I'm lucky to have her.

My Mum is always shopping for me and the kids, and she bought me some gifts for Mothers Day too. A lovely dressing gown and a cute pair of shoes which I've pictured.

Now, I wanted to check something with you all (this is completely non-quilt related, so here's your chance to look away!) ... I have a friend Jane, and we often lunch and shop together. This one particular day I wanted to find a pair of shoes, and Jane wanted to know how many pairs I have. I thought about it and told her, "I don't know, how many do you have?". She answered that she has four pairs of shoes. This surprised me a little, as I hadn't really paid attention to her footwear. I asked her if she was sure, because I felt reasonably confident I'd have more like forty four. I was pretty close - I checked at that time, and I had forty five. I was thinking it wasn't too extravagant, because I've probably taken almost a decade to collect them.

She and her hubby must have discussed this at length, because the next time we saw them at a party, he asked me about it, he couldn't believe it, and ever since it has been a source of fun and jokes for us all. But what I'd like to know is this: Which one of us is more like the norm? How many pairs do you have? I'm curious to know, just for interest, and I'm not encouraging excess.

I think tomorrow I'll have a Flylady session in my closet. It feels like the right thing to do :-)

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just counted: 3 pairs of boots, 3 pairs of sandals, 2 pairs of sneakers, 7 other pairs of shoes = 15 pairs. (There are probably another couple pairs at my mom's in Maine that I haven't worn for a while, but haven't thrown out, either.) I think you're more normal than her - but I want to know her secret. I dream of the perfect pair of shoes so when I travel I could really just bring the pair on my feet!

Bonnie said...

23 is my count - and some of those could definitely be eliminated. Interesting note - 5 pairs of white tennis/walking shoes. I think you are quite normal these days.

Jeanne said...

Good question!
I have 14 pairs here, and two up at the cabin.
Jeanne :)

Dianne said...

Hmmm...three pairs here at the apartment in California. Can't count the ones in Australia for another week, but I'm betting there are at least 25 pairs there. And I was just thinking, I need some new shoes!

I'm with Hedgehog, though. I keep wishing I could find JUST the perfect shoe so I could get rid of all the imperfect ones.

Keep in mind that with the big move to Oz last year, I had a real clean-out before the container left, so I would obviously be not far behind you!

tami said...

I have 12 pair that I wear all the time and about 4 more that I wear rarely.

Unknown said...

Tazzie--you're a girl after my own heart. Including sneakers--three pairs in various stages of wear--I have 40 pairs here. That includes a couple pairs of heavy weather snow boots.

Quilts And Pieces said...

You probably have less than my sister-in-law and I am not much over than your friend Jane! I think it falls at one end or the other! Holly is like you and Emily is like Jane!

Fiona said...

I reckon I have about 20-23 pairs (haven't counted properly). I know I haven't got 40. My feet are so wide they go off the scale so if I find a pair and they fit, I buy them. Having said that, of all the pairs I have, I probably only wear 10 of them on a regular basis, 3 pairs rotated for work, sandals in the summer and my all time favourite comfy boots in the winter.

Melzie said...

I probably have about 20 counting $1 flip flops and all. my MIL has probably 200+ xoxo melzie

Kim West said...

I have three pairs of shoes. I have my imitation crocs that I wear all the time, a pair of dress shoes black flats)that I wear if we go somewhere nice and I actually dress up, and my gym shoes that only get worn at the gym.

I used to have tons of shoes, but I have fallen arches and I can only wear certain shoes. When we move to Hawaii, I might invest in a few extra pair of croc-like shoes.

Anonymous said...

Aaaah, shoes ! I'm mad about shoes... but rarely find a pair that really fits me. I think the problem is that I'm not realistic (or I'm the wrong person in my skin ! LOL) : I LOVE high heels, Italian shoes - black or red - (The "La Scarpa " are to die for!)... but I'm tall and wearing them makes me feel like walking on eggs ! I've got three beautiful pairs, quietly sleeping in their boxes, because I can't wear them (but I like the idea that someone, some day, will say : "OMG, she had such a good taste !" LOL)
So I definitely have to stay on my light leather "ballerina's" (3 pairs : black, red, and beige), "anti-slip" and heavier ones in the winter (2 pairs : black, brown), + flat sandals (2 pairs : black, red)...
BUT : I'm mad about bags, too ! (See what I mean ?)

Big hugs & smiles !
NADINE

Elaine Adair said...

When I was working full time, in a job where suits were the norm, I had over 5 pairs, including nice boots, etc.

Ho hum, now I'm older, plumper, have orthotics in my shoes, that number about 10 pairs. No heels, no stylish boots, just sensible shoes these days. It happens to all of us, one day. 8-(

(Did wearing all those stylish shoes and boots, result in the orthotics in my sensible shoes?)

sewprimitive karen said...

38 pairs of summer shoes, work boots and hiking boots, and the winter shoes are packed away :-)

Tanya said...

Wow! What a response to your question! I dislike shoes and think of them as utilitarian. My husband bought be two pairs of sneakers last week and I could only think "what am I going to do with two pair?" Besides those I have flip flops, high heel sandals, good black pumps, and low black everyday shoes. How boring!

Little Penpen said...

You can never have too many shoes! I have about 25 pairs and probably wear about four pairs of them. My favorite pair are my $2 flip flops from Wal Mart!

atet said...

Hmmmn...great question. I think I have somewhere around 15-20 pairs. Although, really, I probably only wear 4-5 pairs on a regular basis. I should go through and get rid of some of them that I don't wear as well. Thanks for the post!

Anonymous said...

Currently I have 5 pairs of shoes and a couple of pairs of rubber thongs. And for me, that is a LOT. All through my life I've only had at one time a pair of thongs, a pair of sneakers and a pair of Sunday shoes. I have been extravagent lately and bought 4 pairs of Sunday shoes LOL. I have large feet and never find nice shoes that fit. I would love to have selection from which to choose, but perhaps in another lifetime :)

My DH LOVES the fact that I bought shoes for myself and am wearing something feminine and different. And they were only from Big W so I definitely didn't break the budget LOL. After reading your post and all the comments, clearly I'm not normal LOL so I think I might get some more when I find some that fit hee hee.

CONNIE W said...

I am ashamed to admit that I have probably 30 pairs give or take a few. But recently I bought THE perfect shoes for me...Josef Seibel brand which I think are made in Hungary. I bought the same shoe in brown and black. Then I also bought a new Free Spirit funny-looking little shoe with a mesh type fabric for part of it, and a velcro strap across the foot and one in back for adjustments. They are lightweight and give good support. I had to start wearing something indoors because I was having lots of heel pain from not wearing them. Anyway, the bottom line here is these three new pairs meet 90% of my shoe needs, all I need is 1 or 2 dressy shoes and I'm all set...so I have at least 25 pair too many, I don't wear them and I feel I have wasted beaucoup $$$ and it also makes me feel shallow for having bought them in the first place.

Carol E. said...

I'm with Tanya. Shoes bore me. I hate spending money on them. So I have 3 pairs that I kind of alternate, and now that it is getting warm I have 4 pairs of sandals/flip flops that I alternate. I'm surprised that I have that many! That's a total of 8 which surprises me.

Patti said...

My daughter-in-law is the shoe horse in our family. She brought about 45 pair to their marriage LOL! I didn't have all that many until a 2-3 years ago when I started finding dressy shoes in lots of neat colors like lime green and red. At this time I pretty much redid my entire wardrobe - giving away work clothes that were years and years old. It was so much fun buying all these new shoes to go with the new clothes. Now I probably have at least 30 pair - if only the clothers still fit! I must get back on that diet!

Rose Johnston said...

Happy Mothers Day Tazzie!!!.....shoes (im not a shoe person)3 pairs of boots, 1 pair of sandshoes and 2 pairs of sandals lol......ask me how many belts i have and id really really have to count!!!!

Vicky said...

Two years ago I could have answered by 50-60 pairs of shoes. When I moved, I donated most of them to a charitable thrift shop because I don't wear dress shoes much any more. Even though most of them were in brand-new or nearly brand-new condition, they hesitated about taking them - the reason, they were 7.5 AAA with a AAAA heel. I wonder if they were able to sell them? LOL

I find that the Munro brand of shoes fit me really well. I dropped a can of peaches out of the pantry onto the top of my right foot a few years ago and broke all the bones in it. Now I can't wear a really narrow shoe on that foot, although my heel is still very small. So I wear trouser socks now in the Monros and it works well. Of course, we mostly wear trousers at work.

I have maybe four or five pairs of shoes that I wear on a regular basis, and two pairs when I have to wear a dress, which isn't often. A serious shoes-busting! LOL

Interesting question, and interesting replies!! :)

Shelina said...

I hate shoe shopping, because I can never find what I want. My shoe needs range from very grungy - lawnmowing, to business wear to business casual, to dressy, so I have 20 pairs, just because they have those buy one get one free sales for the pumps, and I figured I might as well buy them while I had the chance. I am still looking for the business casual shoes that I like.

Tracey in CT said...

I don't have all that many, maybe about 12 total. Lets see: 2 pairs of boots for the winter (definitely NOT stylish, they came from the boys department). 3 pairs of crocs, 4 pairs of sneakers, black flats, brown flats and black (not very high) heels. But honestly, except in winter, I wear the crocs about 90% of the time.

Lucy said...

wow shoes... I don't like shopping and I count 6 pairs ( inculding flip flops ;-)

Love your post !!

Nettie said...

due to various injuries, my shoe-wearing history is a sad and boring one, i'm afraid.

These days, i have to really force myself to wear anything but sneakers, but for summer dresses, i do have very comfy sandals and some flats which i wear with Superfeet, these super-supportive running shoe insoles. (i highly recommend them!)

Total, i probably have close to 20 pairs, but only wear 3 regularly in any given season, since most aren't comfy enough.

Susan said...

I'm crazy about that pair of shoes! They are just the kind of little flats I like. When we lived in a house, I counted them and had 26 pairs. Now that we live in a 5th wheel, I have about 6 or 7 pairs with me. More than I need, no doubt. =)

Kate North said...

OK, not sure how many without going up to count but a rough guess - I'd say about 25 or 30? In the winter I only wear about 3 pairs (black, boots, a pair of trainers for bike riding, etc) but in the rest of the year, a lot depends on the weather, whether I wear skirt/short trousers/long trousers and so on. I do have a few pairs I almost never wear (higher heels for going to weddings etc) but it's silly to get rid of them, as then I'd just have to buy a new pair if I had to go to a wedding... Now I'm curious and will probably end up going to count!

Sølvis blog said...

If i should count it all - from winter boots, rubber-boots, shoes for national costume, shoes fro dresses and sandals and shoes for indoor-use and shoes for work, for hiking, for walking, for skiing for jogging.... it just have to be many pairs. I was our looking for a ned pair yesterday, to go with my turquoise pirate jeans - but didn't find any. I have red shoes, blue, black, white, turquoise,two pairs of apple-green, 1 pair brown.. so i really have no idea how many. and like many of you - i still am looking for the ultimate pair - my feets are sometimes killing me - shopping makes my feets hurt a lot.

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