Too many Pairs...

[bambam]

Couldn't find another topic page with this topic, although I was sure there was one, so I started another. 

I have too many pairs of high heeled shoes/boots/sandals/whatever. That means I can only wear them when I am not working, working out, sailing/flying, or hiking/hunting. I have a dedicated pair of boots or shoes for all of those activities, then at least fifty pairs of heels that are just for fun. Need to downsize, my LA apartment is too small for such indulgences, but I can't get rid of most of them. They were either a conquest in finding what I had been looking for, or lucky breaks. Pretty sure the right thing to do is to actually look at which ones I really wear, which isn't many, and get rid of the rest. Anyway, you have the floor. any advice, stories, or even commiseration is welcome here. 

 

Some of the shoes I have could be sold for a few bucks, but most can't. Just a loss...

[CAT]

I can even count all of mine.  I know it’s hard to part with.  I also have some that are ,to me, to nice wear and scuff up.  Some of those have designs on the soles.  Bought them to wear but just can’t.   I also have so many that are the same just in different colors or materials.   For now I’m not parting with any but I know I should 

[mlroseplant]

I just did a complete rearrange/reassessment of my collection less than a week ago. But not a complete inventory where I commit several hours to using pen and paper. I haven't done that in over two years. I kind of wish I were smart enough to get all of this stuff on the computer, but I'm not. I have several hand written lists that I've made over the years, and it's interesting to compare the lists to see how my tastes have changed somewhat in that time, starting somewhere around 2015.

Anyway, I have 105 pairs of heels. It seems to me that it's too many, because there's no way I can really wear them all. Back when I had 50 pairs, I could sort of claim that I really wore them all and not be lying much. When I do get around to doing a current inventory, I think I should include a spot in each shoe's statistics that estimates how many times I've worn a particular pair in the last year, in the last two years. I think that would help me reduce my collection down to something more reasonable.

Sometimes, that decision gets made for me. I got rid of about 10 pair recently because of damage, either catastrophic or incremental. I documented elsewhere that the heel snapped clean in half on my most worn, and on of my favorite pairs of shoes. And at the other end of the spectrum, I knocked the cobwebs off my Nine West Dance Card mules, which I really like, but have rarely worn. The colored portion was peeling off the leather everywhere. No fixing that!

Anyway, hopefully I can report on my shoe situation soon in a little bit more detail.

[pebblesf]

21 hours ago, bambam said:

Couldn't find another topic page with this topic, although I was sure there was one, so I started another. 

I have too many pairs of high heeled shoes/boots/sandals/whatever. That means I can only wear them when I am not working, working out, sailing/flying, or hiking/hunting. I have a dedicated pair of boots or shoes for all of those activities, then at least fifty pairs of heels that are just for fun. Need to downsize, my LA apartment is too small for such indulgences, but I can't get rid of most of them. They were either a conquest in finding what I had been looking for, or lucky breaks. Pretty sure the right thing to do is to actually look at which ones I really wear, which isn't many, and get rid of the rest. Anyway, you have the floor. any advice, stories, or even commiseration is welcome here. 

 

Some of the shoes I have could be sold for a few bucks, but most can't. Just a loss...

I am women's size 10-11, let me know if you want to get rid of any of your boots.  Don

[Jkrenzer]

3 hours ago, pebblesf said:

I am women's size 10-11, let me know if you want to get rid of any of your boots.  Don

And I'd like to see any pumps you may want to part with. 

[Gige]

I know it is hard to part with a single pair of heels but I have learned how to do it. I don't know if it will be helpful, but I try to have at least one outfit for every pair of heels/boots I own. If I can not match the footwear to an outfit, then it gets donated. Likewise, if the shoe does not fit, so to speak, I can easily part with it without feeling "bad" about doing so. I do not want to get into the habit of impulse buying and before I purchase and pair of footwear, I think about where I could realistically wear them. I also think of if I have an existing outfit to match or could easily put one together so that buying that "must have" pair of heels is meaningful. I was recently in a store and noticed a pair of black kitten heeled pumps that would be highly suitable for the office. As I was seriously thinking of buying them, I thought, "Wait a minute, I have at least two pairs of office appropriate black pumps." I asked myself if I really needed them and determined that I did not, so I bought the blue ones instead.   

I, like most of us, have heels that are probably most appropriate for attendance at a drag show (not that I am complaining...if you want to see mine, check out the last page or so of the freestyle pictures!) and would never wear to the office. I have heels for three different occasions: for running out to do errands; going to work; and working from home. My running out to do errand heels are kind of a "throw on and go," where my office heels are very conservative (low heel pumps and ankle boots) while my work at home heels are the tallest of the tall.   I also try to have heels for each season - winter, spring/autumn, and summer. This way I can have a variety of heels so that each has a chance to be worn with some degree of frequency.  I'm not necessarily the one for flash or over the top embellishment, so a pair of comfortable simple black pumps will always work for me.  I get it though, as I am always looking to find that "perfect" pair of whatever but given so many factors, most of the time I am just web browsing. I would rather invest money in quality than for fashionable and cheap.

Well, that seemed to be a whole lot of nothing on my part....

[mlroseplant]

I have just finished a complete shoe inventory. It's been well over a year since the last one. The reason I haven't released it yet is because I haven't yet had time to compile statistics. The raw data is all there, but it doesn't really tell you much about the collection, other than that there are 106 pairs of heels in it, plus 2 duplicates of my favorite sandals that I keep buying.

The total number has remained fairly stable for several years. I was glancing at some lists from years past (I didn't always record in the same detail that I do now), and I can tell you that sometime between 2018 and 2021, my collection grew from 56 pairs to low 100s, and has stayed in the low 100s since 2021. I would be able to get it down under 100 pretty easily if I could just be a little more ruthless, but for now, everything once again has its place, and I've even got a couple of empty spaces available.

[Jkrenzer]

Fill those empty spaces. I vote thin heel pumps. You seem to be gravitating towards them and always wear them well.

[bambam]

Most of the ones I'll be getting rid of have either aged out, or aren't really worth it. That being said, Don, if and when you and I finally meet here in LA, I'll happily have SOMETHING for you, as I always buy boots I won't wear.  

[pebblesf]

1 hour ago, bambam said:

Most of the ones I'll be getting rid of have either aged out, or aren't really worth it. That being said, Don, if and when you and I finally meet here in LA, I'll happily have SOMETHING for you, as I always buy boots I won't wear.  

Sounds great, thanks!  Was supposed to be on a double LA layover now, but my damn knee is messed up.  

[Chorlini]

I think I threw out 2 dozen pairs earlier this year in a clean up. And I probably STILL have too many.

[Mr. X]

I have most definitely bought heels that I will never wear out.  I think I am just as much a collector as I am a wearer.

[gothic_smurf]

2 minutes ago, Mr. X said:

I have most definitely bought heels that I will never wear out.  I think I am just as much a collector as I am a wearer.

understand that

[mlroseplant]

I thought I had been such a good boy and gotten rid of 2 pair last week. One because they flat-out don't fit, and the other because they are flat-out ugly. And they stink. However, I've gotten 2 more pairs in the meantime. So I'm not such a good boy. Hopefully, this will at least slightly lower the percentage of shoes that I don't wear. I think I'm down into the single digits of shoes that I don't wear out of 106.

[Cali]

I had about 10 pairs wear out (synthetic materials+ time) in the last year and I haven't been able to find decent replacements, so my total of heels have dropped. I have also designated 5 pairs to 'find new homes for' or adoption pile.

But I have too many pairs still. Can't wear them often enough.

[pebblesf]

Well, needless to say, my vast collection of boots and sneaks is a sore point in our relationship.  Getting ready to retire and want to move, downsize, cut costs.  I guess it is only right that I go through my collection and donate/discard pairs I am not longer interested in or that are worn out.  Will try one container at a time, next week...

[Jkrenzer]

There is always a place for used heels. 

[Shyheels]

I’ve about a dozen pairs of boots and in my sharply downsized life that is more than sufficient 

[pebblesf]

4 hours ago, Shyheels said:

I’ve about a dozen pairs of boots and in my sharply downsized life that is more than sufficient 

I'm thinking I could downsize my collection to around 12 pairs also.  Looking forward to downsizing my life for sure....

[Shyheels]

Twelve is a good number. They all get used and become comfortably familiar 

[mlroseplant]

I know it's very First World of me, but I cannot imagine having only 12 pairs of shoes.

[Jkrenzer]

27 minutes ago, mlroseplant said:

I know it's very First World of me, but I cannot imagine having only 12 pairs of shoes.

Yah, not possible. Not desirable. Not happening. 

18 hours ago, pebblesf said:

I'm thinking I could downsize my collection to around 12 pairs also.  Looking forward to downsizing my life for sure....

Don,

Not giving up your red stiletto boots I hope.

[pebblesf]

3 hours ago, Jkrenzer said:

Yah, not possible. Not desirable. Not happening. 

Don,

Not giving up your red stiletto boots I hope.

Definitely not giving those up.  Just too many other pairs that are either worn out, or just have lost their appeal and not worn anymore...

[Shyheels]

7 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

I know it's very First World of me, but I cannot imagine having only 12 pairs of shoes.

Try living on a narrowboat and you’ll imagine it soon enough! 🙂

[Jkrenzer]

8 hours ago, pebblesf said:

Definitely not giving those up.  Just too many other pairs that are either worn out, or just have lost their appeal and not worn anymore...

Happens. Sent you a pm

Never mind says you can't receive messages 

[mlroseplant]

17 hours ago, Shyheels said:

Try living on a narrowboat and you’ll imagine it soon enough! 🙂

Even if I lived in a trailer, I'd have to have a double-wide, I guess. 😆

[Shyheels]

5 hours ago, mlroseplant said:

Even if I lived in a trailer, I'd have to have a double-wide, I guess. 😆

I guess you could always go for a Dutch barge …