Is Having And Wearing The Heels You've Gotten, Enough?

[Histiletto]

For those who enjoy wearing heels, there is a saying that you can never have too many. For me, this idea has been somewhat profiling for I seem to be continually looking for another pair even if I already have that same pair in my wardrobe. I tend to blame the fact that I was prevented from openly wearing heels in my years of growing up for this obsessive behavior, but even those who were raised on heels (pun intended) are prone to manifest the same desires. Another factor for this need is that heels are vulnerable to looking over worn or become damaged easily, which tends to make wearing them more of an eye sore to the primed on-lookers. So having back-ups are kind of necessary for certain outfits, but having several back-ups could be considered - well let just say excessive. Which for a person from my perspective is just fine. However, managing such a colossal collection may become a major effort to find the space and then keeping aware of your selections will definitely necessitate a decent inventory list.

 

An Inventory? Yes! Ideally, you can wear every category or brand of heels with in a short period of time. If this is not possible, you need to be aware of the heels that have been worn and those that have only been left in the box, for in time some materials are known to deteriorate. They can become brittle and/or dis-colored. Possibly, the glues breakdown and no longer hold their fastenings. Even moisture and insect infestation can become factors for deterioration. Finding out that your heels are no longer wearable when you need them the most would be such a waste of your efforts or the lack of.  

 

For going out into public, I choose to wear stiletto or spike heels approximately 4" high, give or take a half inch, like: Nines West Love Fury's, Enzo Angiolini Persist's, Audrey Brooke Bracelet's, Boutique 9 Justine's, or Bordello Tempt-35. I have other heels, some of them are known for their designer labels, that would be just as pleasingly comfortable to wear, but I prefer to keep them as close to their new pristine condition as long as possible only wearing them occasionally. I also have a few pairs of heels that I will never wear again for reasons of fit, comfort, and/or deterioration, some because of previous use.

 

The allure of 6" heels has also been apart of my fancy, even though I have difficulty walking in them. I really miss the custom shoe manufacturers that had to go out of business toward the end of the last century for whatever their reasons. Their quality was top-notch and they had such attractive designs. I was fortunate to get a few of their heels and I treasure them now, even more. There are still a couple of high heel outlets to get good quality, but world economics has made them harder to afford. 

[Shafted]

As a person on a limited budget, I only buy to replace. I do love my high stiletto heels, but that love does not rule me. 

[Heelster]

I seem to have the typical need to buy more. I have plenty, but then I see a pair I'm interested in, and so I buy another pair.

 

At least the wife doesn't say much any more about me wearing heeled boots under jeans. She has realized too that virtually nobody notices, and if they do, they don't say anything.

[Chorlini]

Thing is, you make up a list of what you want to have/get, you intend to stick with it and boom, somewhere you see something new that catches your fancy and you end up desiring that too. We shouldn't feel that bad though, the system is designed to make us feel that way. That's why we have fashion, that's why designers of basically EVERYTHING come up with new features, new variations, new things. It's all designed to make us want more things. 

[freestyle75]

Not sure whether you cannot have "too many". After a reorganization at my company, I accepted a golden (or rather silver) handshake and am now in the process of moving to a different city with a new apartment for a new job. One of my dreams has come true: I do have a walk-in closet, a big one. I thought that now I could put all my shoes on display - that's BEFORE I brought my stuff to the new apartment.
I am now at close to a hundred pairs of shoes, perhaps 10 of them "business" shoes, maybe another 15 or so sneakers and the like, and the rest are either heels or knee-high boots. Too many. Definitely too many.
 
While browsing my shoe collection, I noticed that you could group the heels/boots into the following categories:
 

• [*]

The "almost" type: heels/boots that I bought as they were very close to what I was actually looking for, but which I haven't worn very often, as I may have found a "better" pair afterwards. [*]The "too small" type: One pair of boots by YSL was one that I really, really liked. I had ordered them from the US, hoping that they would fit. Unfortunately, they are too small. I *could* walk in them for a very limited time, but then again, I have more comfortable wedges here - never worn them yet. I would normally sell them, but I paid a fortune. Another pair of a different brand is also too small. [*]The "what-was-I-thinking" type: I saw those pics of ultra-cool rocker/gothic looking guys dressed in Rick Owens outfits. When visiting their boutique in London, I saw a pair of knee-high wedge boots which I thought were pretty cool at that time. And they were on sale. Never worn them - I might even say that they are ugly, as they make your feet look pretty big. Maybe in combination with the right outfit, sometime... naaaa.... Same applies for some sandals - I thought I would wear them during summer, but for some reason, I found them to be too feminine. [*]The "collection" type: Heels that I just needed to have, similar to a collector who wants that one item that is very rare. Like the Anabela platform boots by Alexander Wang, which have been described by many female bloggers as "very hard to walk in". Indeed. But they look great. Maybe as a bookend in my bookshelf, but not for walking any distance. [*]The "not everyday wear" type:  These are mostly boots with a very high heel (some of them stiletto), which I would never consider wearing for running errands or the like. They are more suitable for going out in the evening, which is totally ok. [*]The "favorite" type: These are heels that I like very much and wear often. Some of them might fit tight, but still belong to my favorites.

 

All in all, I don't have regrets for about 75 % of my shoes (type 4 - 6). For the other ones, I may consider selling them off on ebay when I think about it. I do already work with an inventory list, but trust me, you will always go back to those pairs which are in plain sight and easily accessible.

 

I am not sure whether I continue looking for boots if I already do have the "same" pair at home. I normally only buy the "same" pair if the fit is much better. The fact that I continue to buy shoes is more to have something new, although it has gotten more difficult to buy something new that doesn't look similar to what I already have.

 

I don't worry that much about damaging my shoes. With so many pairs "in stock", I seldomly wear a pair too often, so the deterioration-problem is more of an issue for me.

 

One of my resolutions for 2014 is to buy less clothing & shoes and save money to be able to buy my own house. We'll see how well this works out

[mlroseplant]

I'm a little sheepish to admit that I do the same thing--I have an inventory list of my high heeled shoes on my mobile phone.  I have gone a little nuts in the past, but I'm now "down" to 21 pairs of heels--all of which I wear regularly.  I wear them enough to where I need to keep track of which ones need to go to the cobbler to be re-heeled.

 

All in all, I think I'm pretty satisfied with the shoes I have, and yet I am still always looking for that "perfect" pair.  Of course, I will never find it, because even my idea of the "perfect" pair of shoes keeps evolving.  I have told myself that I'm not going to buy any more shoes for a while, but if I find a pair of black oxfords with a fairly tall stiletto heel that catches my eye, I might just have to buy them.  I've been searching for such shoes for months and months now, and they haven't appeared.  Let's hope their appearance is delayed somewhat further.

[SF]

One thing I need to do someday is count how many pairs of heel I have.  I dunno, would guess 20+ pair.  Practically, I really do have more heels than I need, but like the rest of you, still look for the "right" pair.  I hold off on making a purchase unless the sandals really call out to me - ha ha.  This year I was looking - as usual - but nothing looked good, and I had planned on not really buying any heels this year - until I saw a pair of slides that I had to have, and now I have 21+ pairs of heels.  Merry Christmas to all !!!!  sf

[SleekHeels]

As my collection has increased over the years I do feel more content with the heels I have. There are less gaps in my collection now, so a new style has to really stand out to get my attention. That doesn't mean that they have to be an outrageous crazy style; if anything it's subtle classic styling that's more likely to tempt me to buy, though a touch of novelty can be very appealing too. While I feel I have become more discerning, since I started trying on heels in store I've probably bought more simply because I'm willing to try different styles and fnid that I unexpectedly like how they look and feel to wear. For sure a new pair of heels is exciting but so is wearing a favourite pair with memories of previous times I've worn them.

[mtnsofheels]

Good question Histilleto, I like frestyle75's idea of a chart and categories as that is similar to my way of thinking about my collection. Having cleaned up the house, collection and passed on few pairs to the second hand store, I now feel it is getting down to a regular collection of regular worn shoes/boots. But I do find that I have an eye out for some specific styles which will always keep me looking for a purchase. Like looking around in Europe one may find a great chance to get a good pair of boots. But how many is enough and when is the saturation level finally met. Well awhile I saw an interview with Celine Dion and Ellen DeGeneres when she admitted to a collection of 3000 pairs, wow, that is a collection. That would be something and mostly to much...for me.

I am around 20-25 pairs now it feels good, but always room for a special pair more though!

[mlroseplant]

3,000?  I just can't imagine, and I would never want that.  With a personal collection of less than 1 % of that, I still find myself saying, "I should really wear THIS pair of shoes more often."  I feel the same way about vintage cars.  When I used to have such things, I drove them--that's what they are for.  You just can't wear 3,000 pairs of shoes.  Hell, I can barely wear 21 pairs of shoes.  Each pair is needy, and there are only 24 hours in a day!

[saudade]

Ah come on,its only about 8.2 years of shoes (assuming you wear one different pair each day). Thats doable, so basically you'll get what 5ish (depends really, shooting lowball here) wearings in a lifetime assuming perfect upkeep?

 

3,000?  I just can't imagine, and I would never want that.  With a personal collection of less than 1 % of that, I still find myself saying, "I should really wear THIS pair of shoes more often."  I feel the same way about vintage cars.  When I used to have such things, I drove them--that's what they are for.  You just can't wear 3,000 pairs of shoes.  Hell, I can barely wear 21 pairs of shoes.  Each pair is needy, and there are only 24 hours in a day!

[Steve63130]

3,000? I can't imagine it either, but I'd love to try it for a month, just to make sure it's too many.

 

 

Steve

[Heel-Lover]

Hi,

 

My collection just keeps growing.

As my confidence and fashion style grows, which it does over time as I learn about clothing, I am getting a lot of compliments.

That feedback has helped develop my style and fuel my passion for breaking boundaries.

As my style gets bolder I need more shoes & clothes.

 

I don't have an exact count but it will be close to 300 pairs. It was 250+ two years back when I had to move after that Christchurch Earthquake mess.

I also find that I always admire peoples shoes, and shoe displays alike, so I am aware of the styles and new designs that exist, which probably fuels my shopping habit...

All cool shoes are typically womens shoes... so I just have to get some and make them mine.

 

Cheers

Heel-Lover.

[inquisitor]

I do it too. If I see a pair of heels I like, I'll buy a second pair as a back up. Other times, I'll buy that second pair to flip on eBay. I did that with the Christian Sirano LaFemme pumps that were out last year and early this year. When they went deadstock, I bought a bunch of pairs to resale on eBay.

 

Consequently, my personal pairs of shoes has grown. Still less than a hundred (some are earmarked for eBay sales).

[JeffB]

3,000?  I just can't imagine, and I would never want that.  With a personal collection of less than 1 % of that, I still find myself saying, "I should really wear THIS pair of shoes more often."  I feel the same way about vintage cars.  When I used to have such things, I drove them--that's what they are for.  You just can't wear 3,000 pairs of shoes.  Hell, I can barely wear 21 pairs of shoes.  Each pair is needy, and there are only 24 hours in a day!

 

 

3,000? I can't imagine it either, but I'd love to try it for a month, just to make sure it's too many.

 

 

Steve

 

It's not too unimaginable. Don't forget Imelda Marcos who, at the height of her husband's power, was said to have also owned around 3,000 pairs of shoes.

[Guest]

I really only buy what I can wear in public. Even then its because there is not much to choose from so I Need to get them when I can. I also don't buy cheap boots either. Usually $75-150. I do want some heedless heels. I bought some wedge platform pumps a while back but took them back. Not practical

[Guest]

I subscribe to the "too much is never enough" theory, but am trying to quit. I guess the first step is realizing I have a problem (where have we heard that before?) and the second step is doing something about it. I simply refuse to quit cold turkey though. I don't think that is sustainable, and it certainly won't be a happy alternative. So my goal is to purge the ones I bought that are "What was I thinking?!" and "Too Small", and then a bit more, just to make it hurt.

A recent move showed me just how many pairs I have collected, and reminded me how rarely or never that I wear most of them. A lot got donated during the move, and a second sweep after the move got rid of more. I am now at the point where I am trying to get them out of boxes and into a new walk-in closet that I have lined with shoe shelves. I have quite a ways to go and my biggest issue is that I feel that many are worth selling vs donating, so I am slowly putting pairs on Ebay (feel free to look them up! My seller name is Pennharris http://www.ebay.com/sch/pennharris/m.html?item=271355151421&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562). Posting shoes on Ebay isn't difficult but it can be time consuming, so I tend to put a batch up and then wait for results before I put more up. 

I haven't put together an inventory list but when I went through my boot collection, in addition to culling some pairs for sale and donation, I also put them in boxes by type (e.g. flat, mid-heel, high heel). I was proud that I cut the number of boxes down, but won't be happy until I can see all the pairs out of boxes. As someone said, it is easy to forget to wear the ones that are stored!

[saudade]

I subscribe to the "too much is never enough" theory, but am trying to quit. I guess the first step is realizing I have a problem (where have we heard that before?) and the second step is doing something about it. I simply refuse to quit cold turkey though. I don't think that is sustainable, and it certainly won't be a happy alternative. So my goal is to purge the ones I bought that are "What was I thinking?!" and "Too Small", and then a bit more, just to make it hurt.

A recent move showed me just how many pairs I have collected, and reminded me how rarely or never that I wear most of them. A lot got donated during the move, and a second sweep after the move got rid of more. I am now at the point where I am trying to get them out of boxes and into a new walk-in closet that I have lined with shoe shelves. I have quite a ways to go and my biggest issue is that I feel that many are worth selling vs donating, so I am slowly putting pairs on Ebay (feel free to look them up! My seller name is Pennharris http://www.ebay.com/sch/pennharris/m.html?item=271355151421&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562). Posting shoes on Ebay isn't difficult but it can be time consuming, so I tend to put a batch up and then wait for results before I put more up. 

I haven't put together an inventory list but when I went through my boot collection, in addition to culling some pairs for sale and donation, I also put them in boxes by type (e.g. flat, mid-heel, high heel). I was proud that I cut the number of boxes down, but won't be happy until I can see all the pairs out of boxes. As someone said, it is easy to forget to wear the ones that are stored!

I just moved myself this month, and yeah found lots of shoes that got a: why did I keep these?

 

I'm slowly selling them myself, but my solution is this http://sellsimple.com way easier to sell crap than using ebay imo.

 

That said, even though there are pairs I almost never wear, I can't get rid of them, they're just not generally wearable most of the time.

[Mr. X]

I am a self professed shoe addict!  I seem to never have enough!  I think I have shoes in my collection I have not worn other than to try them on for fit.  I dont see myself stopping anytime soon either.