Shoe overload

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
126
Holy buckets! I just read a statistic that claims the average American woman has 19 pairs of shoes! That's verging on the need for a closet just to hold shoes. It's mind boggling.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
60,605
10,960
126
I probably have ten pair, but I pretty much only buy my stuff used. I have to get it when it's available. If I don't need it now, it goes into the closet til I do. I don't even exactly know what I own.
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
126
I guess my thinking is shoes for me are completely utilitarian and I can't wrap my head around anyone spending time, money and, thought on owning 19 pairs or more.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
60,605
10,960
126
I guess my thinking is shoes for me are completely utilitarian and I can't wrap my head around anyone spending time, money and, thought on owning 19 pairs or more.
I agree. With all my shoes, I wear a pair of "get to/from work" low top boots, combat boots at work, and boat shoes off hours, with some high top boat shoes(?) on occasion(cause my mother gave them to me, and wants to see me wear them :^P ), and sandals in the summer some times.

I like the familiarity of the expected, and shoes are most comfortable when they're on the verge of worn out. I wouldn't want to wear strange shoes every time I put them on.
 

Murloc

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2008
5,382
65
91
I guess my thinking is shoes for me are completely utilitarian and I can't wrap my head around anyone spending time, money and, thought on owning 19 pairs or more.
but if you count ballerinas and flip flops and other kinds of open shoes, shoes with heels not for everyday use, and you add 40 years of shopping, is it that weird?

PErsonally I care about comfort more than anything so I don't buy new shoes often. And when I do, the old ones are usually too worn out to be kept anyway.
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
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I appreciate if not understand the view of shoes as fashion. However, it doesn't end there. There are handbags, scarves, jackets...
 

Dr. Detroit

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2004
8,587
976
126
Wife easily has 40+ pair. Heels, wedges, tall boots, ankle booties, flats, athletic shoes, sandals, flip flops, trail runners..........
 

cbrunny

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2007
6,791
406
126
1. everyday boots
2. brown work shoes
3. black work shoes
4. winter "driveway shovelling" boots
5. flip flops
6. everyday sneakers
7. running shoes (for running)
8. cycling shoes
9. 2 pairs of running shoes that are garbage
10. 1 pair of brown work shoes that are garbage

So 8 for me if you don't count shoes that haven't hit the garbage yet.
 

Svnla

Lifer
Nov 10, 2003
17,986
1,388
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19 pairs my butt. ALL of my exs have more, much more than 19 pairs.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
I technically have 6 pairs but only wear 2 of them.
1. Converse Chuck Taylors for non-shit weather
2. Really old, sole worn through hiking shoes for shit weather
3. Barely worn hiking shoes -- to replace the old one but they look and feel like shit
4. Really expensive running shoes I barely used
5. White running shoes I wore for a while
6. Dress shoes that also feel like shit

I've been meaning to throw out or donate pairs 3-6. Going to need to buy me a pair of boots for shit weather and to replace the dress shoes...
 

MongGrel

Lifer
Dec 3, 2013
38,466
3,067
121
The wife probably has 50 pairs of shoes she has worn once, her sister used to work for HSN she used to pick the leftovers up dirt cheap.

About as useful as her old beanie baby collection.

Personally, I think I have worn about 3 pairs of shoes in the last year, depending on circumstances.
 

Dr. Detroit

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2004
8,587
976
126
Did she always have this many shoes or did she start acquiring them after you got married?

Need that pair of heels for the work Xmas party, need that pair of trail runners for the upcoming backpacking trip, need that pair of flip flops for the Caribbean vacation.

You acquire shoes over the years as your income and experience grow.
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
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Need that pair of heels for the work Xmas party, need that pair of trail runners for the upcoming backpacking trip, need that pair of flip flops for the Caribbean vacation.

You acquire shoes over the years as your income and experience grow.
If you don't wear shoes often enough to wear them out, you have shoe issues.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
Just remembered that I have 7 pairs: a low-cut steel-toed running style shoe. I have no idea where it is...

But I'd like to thank this thread for reminding me that I can buy one pair of boots to function as dress-ish shoes, ran boots, and colder weather shit shoes.
 

HeXen

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2009
7,838
39
91
And how many pocket knives or 9/16 sockets do many guys own? how many bottles of nail polish do women own on average? How many dishes vs residents and guests does the average have? Some people have over 3 dozen pair of socks and there's only 7 days in a week...wtf? 19 shoes is nothing, get a clue on the bigger picture in life.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,589
986
126
Shit, I probably have 15 pairs of shoes/boots myself.

I have no problem with my wife owning as many shoes as she does. In fact, lately she has been giving me grief for how many shoes I own.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,828
184
106
I went to look at shoe size charts... What the fuq. The different between a US size 9 and size 10.5 is supposedly 0.50" from heel to toe. I'm shocked at how small the difference is between sizes.

Edit: Crud. I looked up Converse's size chart and they're different than Amazon's. No wonder the size 9 Converse I have fits so well... It may actually be a size 9.5 for other brands. So, I may actually be a size 10 and I've been buying size 8 to 9. No wonder some of my toe nails are deformed.
 
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bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
7,485
3,115
146
I think my wife is well under the 19 pair average but I'll be honest I don't really know. I'm not even sure it matters or that I even care. First world problems have their own thread right?
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,555
14,950
146
Heh...one of my neighbors, an old woman nearing 80, has 65-70 pairs of shoes. MOST of them are NOT inexpensive shoes either.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,998
126
If you count only actual "shoes" and don't include sneakers and specialty athletic shoes like for golf, bowling, ski boots, baseball spikes, etc I'm not sure that I've owned 19 pairs of shoes in my entire life.

And for women, 19 seems low. Any self-respecting female has 19 pairs of black shoes alone.