Aurore, I always find it interesting to compare numbers.
I own 15 pairs of shoes including gear.

This is the best thing ever. Not only is your analysis on a par with rocket science but your graphs are beautiful and explanatory, too. Plus, you've made some great discoveries.

I am with SarahDB, who says it is okay to have slightly more sandals that your climate might strictly warrant. We change out sandals more often, and they are more delicate, as she says. (I really like the one in your Finds! I'd love a pair of those.)

The other reason this is the best thing ever is that Angie chimed in to say she has about half the number of shoes you do, and is not a "shoe person."

Well, I also have about half the number you do, and I am a shoe person, as I've already confessed.

In other words, your analysis has just given me permission to go shoe shopping!!

Thank you for your support, smittie!

Suz, I love your conclusion! It makes perfect sense. Have fun with more shoe shopping!
Also, thank you for your insight on sandals. The blue camo ones in my finds were a gift from my husband last year and I LOVE them.

I also found this very enlightening and motivating. I am in the hundred + shoe camp with Janet (and relate to body shifts but shoes always fitting) & running out of appropriate storage areas. I’ve culled about 25 this year for donations and am motivated to donate a few more.
Yes, I am hopelessly a shoe person.

Aurore--just came back to the post and want to apologize for being so negative with my post this morning--i think I was just projecting my frustration from a work thing (in which we spend an hour each staking out a position on what the numbers meant and what we need to do to "fix" them....)

jlpp, your cullling experience is impressive! Congrats!

kkards, no problem - and thank you very much for caring. Furthermore, your post did make sense.

I'm very impressed with your system. I probably have about as many pairs as you and need to cull a bit. I'm happy with the number of winter shoes I have, though, so it would be better to start when I take the warmer weather ones out of storage. I'm a little afraid. Not being a scientist or engineer, I won't be as systematic about it as you!

Love your data-driven approach (as a scientist myself)!

I have 31 pairs of regular shoes and 11 "play" shoes (dance shoes, climbing shoes, hiking boots, and old boots that I only wear to festivals like burning man). I don't know if that's moderate or high. I don't usually count the play shoes towards my total though because each activity has such specific shoe requirements.

Let me start by saying I am impressed by the statistics provided. I had to take a statistics class to fulfill my business minor (thankfully, it also fulfilled my second math class for my liberal arts major). I recently did a pretty thorough audit of my shoes, and it wasn't this in-depth. I might need you to come do this to my clothes, shoes, and accessories; this is a lot of cold, hard facts. No matter how emotional I get over something, I generally give in to facts; and I couldn't argue with the logic behind this kind of wardrobe analysis. How much do you charge?

tanstaafl, I'm taking a stats course right now and thought the same exact thing Aurore, you are a woman after my own heart - data analysis ftw.

Probably everything has been said already; I really should do a similar analysis myself. I know I have too many fancy shoes, and too many semi-fancy, honestly, since I rarely have to do business casual right now and am smart casual or just casual 90% of the time.

Christina F, I'm pretty sure my approach is a bit too much (using an elephant gun to kill a flea, is that the right wording? ) and you'll find an efficient way to estimate your summer shoe collection.

Thank you Greyscale! I hesitated to take utility/play shoes into account, and finally did to ensure I had not too many of them either. It's true that they are so specialised that having many, diverse activities results in having many, diverse pairs of shoes.

Thank you Cindysmith and Laura - now I'm blushing because of you two!

Oh, I love this! Clothes and diagrams put together. What could be better! I make charts in my notebook (I am old school - I graduated with my BA in math in the 1970s) but I love to look at these analyses.
You have given me some ideas on how to look at my footwear needs.
I love those DuBarry Boots. Just my style.

I like charts and looking at data. I love yours! Of course, the focus of the data makes it quite fun!
I am impressed by your criteria and point system. I also like that you have some shoes that you can improve by altering them slightly.
You have some shoes to pass on and you also have criteria to follow when shopping for replacements. I think Angie’s suggestion of a vacation to a warmer climate is a great idea. Those sandals are meant to be worn!

Aurore, what a thorough analysis! I love your conclusions, they are inspiring me to go look at my own collection and do the same. Don't be too hard on yourself about fancy shoes. It's normal to find yourself with a few pairs you'd like to integrate into your daily outfits, and are still figuring out how. After all, if you are here, it's because you are working on your personal style, and personal style often starts with footwear.

Thank you Mainelady! I do need more sun and more summer.

Krishnidoux, thank you for your wise and spirited words!

You are a far braver woman than I, Aurore.
I am sure I must have more than 47 pairs of shoes, boots, and sandals, slippers and flip flops, but don't tell my husband that. As to WHY, well partially I just love shoes, and also I will buy a pair I love, but find out after 2-3 wearings that they simply HURT (or the one strange pair of FLY London pumps that fart when I walk). Of course, by then it's too late to return them after you've bled all over them from the blister they rubbed on your toe. Thus, they sit in your collection because you've paid good money for them.

I did get rid of a lot this year, and am slowly working my way through a lot of the heeled or hurtful ones I no longer find practical. But it's hard to let go of some of them. I might try a straight numbers assessment as you've done here.

Aurore! These are my favorite types of posts. I'm going to get a drink and devour every single word you wrote and every single comment posted.

Your analysis makes my heart swoon with delight.

WichyD, the story you tell happened to me for most of the shoes I willl donate. Buy, try, keep, wear, bleed, and never wear again. *Sigh. I'm totally with you when it comes to having a hard time letting go some pairs.

Sterling, thank you SO MUCH! Your post made my day. Really.