How many pairs of sitting shoes should one own? - YouLookFab Forum

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How many pairs of sitting shoes should one own?

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

So I realized today with great regret that I can't do heels as casual wear. I wore my See by Chloe wedge sneakers grocery shopping, errand running etc. They have a 3" heel, which used to be very doable by the old me. Towards the end of the day my back was a bit sore. I figure I can do heels for things like dinner and the opera, because well that's mostly sitting. So I need to do some major culling.

Dressing

28 replies

Latest reply was from Isabel

catgirl

Veteran

I don't own any. If I can't walk in them, I won't wear them. Very limiting!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I have three pairs of sitting shoes - all my Kate Spade 3 inch high pumps. I can walk in them OF COURSE, but not for long periods of time.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I can walk in them, just not all day.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I think it depends on how many "sitting" occasions you have. For example mine are very few so a couple of sitting shoes is plenty for me.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

We posted at the same time, Anna. HAHAHAHAHA!!!

K. Period.

Veteran

Someone is going to be really really happy when you complete your cull. I can see a whole YLF swap initiated by your post.....

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I have season tickets to the opera. That's five performances over the season, although due to budget cuts they're only doing four the next season. I go out to a fancy dinner about 1x -2x a month.

Kari

Veteran

I have just a couple, and they aren't only dependent on heel height. For example, I have a pair of suede Clarks booties that have a heel over 3", which I don't normally bring into my wardrobe anymore - but they are very comfortable. I've got so tired of having sitting shoes, though, that I've culled most of mine. I still have a couple pairs of shoes that I think of as not quite sitting shoes, but perhaps shoes that I could walk comfortably in for part of the day, but wouldn't want to stride around in the city or be on my feet browsing in a museum while wearing them.

Jonesy

Veteran

I have a variety of heels: some I can walk in for miles and be comfy, some I can stand in for several hours (teaching) but wouldn't want to walk miles in, maybe 1 pair that I wouldn't want to walk much or stand much in.

Jamie

Veteran

Honestly, I think I have too many. I just don't "sit" often enough to use them all! I've been trying to weed them out a bit and get myself down to just a few pairs. It's not going as well as my other purging. I have a terrible weakness for shoes.

fern

Veteran

One should only own shoes that do not cause pain.
Bad knees = zero "sitting" shoes for me - I have to be able to walk in all my shoes.
I'm jealous of your opera tickets.

Diana

Veteran

Yeah, I am thinking that for me the number is 0-1. I realized at my last "sitting shoe" event (a wedding) that I am really bad at sitting still. =P So even for a non-walking event, I'll probably still be standing around a lot, so my shoes have to be able to handle at least that. Since I live in the city and don't own a car, I also tend to go to things that require some walking just to get to (for example, if going to the symphony, I have to take the subway/walk, or even if we drive, we have to park several blocks away and walk).

ETA: But Anna, I bet you are a LOT better with heels than I am. So my sitting shoes might be your standing/gentle walking shoes.

rachylou

Veteran

Two. One crazy, one see-you-through everything pair.

Scarlet

Veteran

I have three--two open toe (one black, one snake skin), one closed (black). This has been good for me, but each pair gets out maybe once or twice a year.

velvetychocolate

Veteran

I have way too many of these so-called "sitting shoes". As others have mentioned, probably time to clear most of them out.

In terms of how many pairs you'd consider keeping? Two, maybe three pair - max.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I'd say maybe 2 to 3 since you have the lifestyle to support actually wearing them on a regular basis.

rae

(website)

Veteran

However many you can get by with to use all your formal dresses.

cciele

Veteran

I've basically culled all such shoes. I like to walk and dance and stuff, so I don't really do enough "sitting" events to make it worth my while to own sitting shoes. However, I do have heels with various hour tolerances

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I have 4" wedges but I can walk in them, even wear them long periods of time as they have platforms and lace up which makes them more supportive.

My true sitting shoes count at just 2 pairs (although I may be forgetting something). They have 3" plus heels and no platforms, no cushions, no nothing to make them comfortable.

Deborah

Veteran

I think you can have as many as you want :). Specially if you already own them. I have gotten to a point where shoes must be comfortable so I think I probably only have 2 or 3 pairs that I would call sitting shoes, bit in reality I probably could survive a day in them as long as I wasn't on. Y feet for the whole day.

roseyw

Maybe you should buy a pair of booties? The short heel wont give you a sore back and you can always find some great booties somewhere. I would suggest Macy's! I absolutely love booties from there. Should have a look.

http://www.macys.com/cms/slp/2/Booties

Queen Mum

Veteran

Like others have said, it depends on how many "sitting" occasions you have, and how much variety in footwear you want to have for them. No reason to get rid of what's already in your closet, unless you're wanting to sell them to recoup some of your cost.
Rather than go wild getting rid of all your sitting shoes at one time, perhaps wait 3-6 months, and then get rid of half of what you didn't wear during that time. Or you could adopt a one-in, two/three out, for any future "sitting shoe" purchases you make.

Personally, because I do limit the number of shoes I allow in my wardrobe, I only allow for about a third of my shoe collection to be "sitting" shoes (if even that much)

Suz

(website)

Veteran

As usual, Kim offers great advice.

Anna, you love your sitting shoes, so please don't get rid of them all at once, unless it hurts too much to look at them.

For myself, I'm learning that 0 is probably the right number of complete sitting shoes! I want so badly to walk and move that wearing shoes I can barely walk in drives me nuts. Wedges do help here. At the moment I own 2 pair of shoes that really aren't much good for more than sitting. And I almost never wear either.

DonnaF

Veteran

Also, I've noticed that some shoes are great for standing and walking in level places like stores, but other ones are necessary for uneven sidewalks and sloped streets and the like.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Sounds like you have quite a few opportunities for sitting. If you're like me, you're quite attached to your pretty but impractical high heels. I wouldn't be clamoring to put them up on eBay just yet, unless you want to increase your budget for new shoes with lower heels. It's not like you can't wear them AT ALL. If that were the case, even looking at them might make you feel sad and frustrated -- but you *can* wear them, if you choose the occasion carefully. And I imagine you like variety in your shoe choices.

If it were me, and I had come to the realization that I could only wear high heels for sitting occasions, I'd still keep the six pairs of three-inches-or-more heels that I currently own, because I really love them all and they are quite different. But I probably wouldn't try to acquire any more.

ETA and for what it's worth, none of us is supposed to wear sky-high heels for regular every day wear, anyway. It's all kinds of bad for the back, as you well know! I get a bit of sciatica now and then and I try not to aggravate it with lots of charging around town in high heels.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Thanks everyone. I think Kim offered the best advice. The more formal pumps work for the opera, and I really don't have too many of those. It's the more casual ones that I'm thinking of.
For example I own the navy suede version of this

http://www.bluefly.com/Miu-Miu.....detail.fly

And these super monster wedges.

http://www.shopbop.com/wedge-a.....orId=12867

Scarlet

Veteran

Just thinking some more, even my "sitting shoes" can be worn for dancing all night. I just wouldn't want to do that too often because my feet would be tired and sore afterwards. I think I top out around 3.5 inches, no platform.
The casual heels you mentioned would still be good for a daytime party. Unless you have the kind of friends who make you take your shoes off...

Isabel

Veteran

Anna, I don't know about others..but I have none. I just don't tolerate them like I used to when I was younger.