The shoes.... - YouLookFab Forum

Have finally been sorted!!!! If anyone recalls, back in September I set a goal to try wearing all of my shoes to see which I still liked, and which needed to go in the giveaway bin. I was stalled when I injured my foot and was stuck in an orthopedic boot for two months. My foot remained too swollen to fit in anything except a special sneaker until recently. (It still hurts but I live with it.)

The results of the shoe sort were revealing in some ways.

I thought I didn't have many navy shoes. Wrong! I have loads of navy shoes!! I didn't count, but more than 10 pairs.

I put something like 25 pairs of shoes in the giveaway bin. I may post some of them for sale because they were in great shape but didn't fit, or were in colors that didn't work with my wardrobe.

Most of my shoes are neutrals, either blue, brown, nude, grey or white. I have some red, one purple, three pink. I have only 4 pairs of black shoes, one ballet flat, one heel, one bootie, one boot.

I like ballet flats, loafers, Mary Jane's and double strap adjustable sandals. I also like gladiators, and ankle strap anything. I have a true penchant for booties. I like platform flats and platform heels, wedges, and heels up to 3.5 inches. Higher than that and it's hard for me to walk in them. My dress shoes tend to be sling backs. I purchase expensive shoes and keep them a long time. The most common brands among my shoes are Anyi Lu, Beautifeel, AGL, Aquatalia, Stuart Weitzman, Paul Green, Naot, Pedro Garcia, Chie Mihare, Hispanitas, Fly London, Aasics, and Donald Pliner.

Now that I have removed 25 pairs and assessed my shoes, I have decided that I could used a pair of flat black sandals. It's strange that I would want anything else black in my wardrobe, because I typically don't, but this is one shoe I often wish I had for an outfit but don't have. I'm looking for something on the slightly dressier side so I can wear them to work with a dress, but comfortable enough to walk around a large school building.

I also want some light blue leather sneakers and mules. The blue should go with either a light wash denim or chambray. Finally, I am looking to replace some gold tone shoes with either silver or gray, and I have two pairs of beautiful colorful statement pumps that have 4 inch heels for which I want to find lower heeled replacements.

My shoe total including fashion boots, flip flops, and booties, after the sort: 94

It's under 100! Everything fits in my shoe containers now!

7 years ago

Anonymous

Sounds like quite a collection you have! Hope you find the missing shoe link to complete it.

Staysfit

Veteran

Thanks Oscar! I admit to being a shoe collector! By the way, anyone thinking about these shoes without the advantage of a nearby Nordies, I ordered them, and they are a very pretty pale pink with a silver glaze.

Nordstrom

Paul Green Pearl Metallic Sneaker (Women)

$339.00

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Bijou

Congratulations on such a big overhaul of your shoes. Cutting down on over 25% of your shoes is a big cull. Given you live in a true 4 season climate, the number of shoes that you have make perfect sense. I hope the right black sandals find their way to you. I also am a fan of Paul Green and Beautiful shoes, I will have to check out the other brands that you have listed as favourites.

Ginger

Wow, that is a really good project! It's an excellent way to figure out the shoes that don't feel right on your feet, or are simply too hard to style.

I think I may need to try to the same. My numbers are probably comparable, though it includes tap and other dance shoes, and a number of 1940s shoes that I won't pass on unless they truly don't fit. But there are some shoes I can probably move since my feet have gotten a little more fussy in the last 10 years.

I love hearing about your shoe collection, because shoes are my favourite fashion topic. It's also great to hear about your culling! It must feel fantastic to have all that extra room!

I think some light blue sneakers or mules would be a great addition. Light blue is good colour for spring and an almost-neutral.

I am wondering about the black sandals though. What would you wear them with? I worry that they are too somber for summer.

The brands you mention are great quality, as far as I'm aware. There are many times I have wanted to splurge on some Stuart Weitzmans!

Suz

(website)

Fabulous! It sounds as if you have made real progress in the sorting. I wish we were the same size because I'll bet I'd like some of your cast-offs! Alas...

Meanwhile, the black sandals...I hear you. I do have a pair. There have been times when I have felt a need for black or at least dark to "ground" an outfit with darker elements up top. I found I rarely wore mine last year, though -- it was strange, as they had previously been a bit of a wardrobe staple. So I would caution you to do the test that Smittie suggests and consider which outfits they seem necessary for -- and whether navy might serve as well in your case.

shedev

Well done on the shoe edit. I seriously need to go through mine as well.

texstyle

Wow, that is quite a task, but congrats on making it through. I know I have at least 6 pair of shoes that I simply am not going to wear again and I have no idea why I'm holding them hostage. I think you've inspired me to clean them out! Of course I just ordered a pair of ruby red gearish sandals to wear to the lake and beach. Hoping they work out as I'm really in need of something like these again.

Zappos

Merrell Siren Strap Q2

Janet

Congrats on the shoe project! That's a significant cull. I did one last year too, and could probably stand to do another, but I keep some things for possible special occasions (when else am I wearing tiger print kitten heel pumps?? but sometimes they have come in handy, like once a year).

Chambray blue shoes and black sandals sound like great additions. I couldn't get through summer without black sandals!

Sal

Well done!! I like a pair of black sandals - if I wear a black top or jacket I like the black, especially with white or light pants. Or if there is black in the skirt. However if you don't wear much summer black then they may not get much wear?

I should do the same, as I do have a couple of pairs that I am not sure if I will actually wear them again.

I also have two pairs of boots that are in good condition, practical for my lifestyle that are also comfortable. But I am out of love with them....

unfrumped

Congratulations! That's a good edit.
As noted, I've been taking the plunge on footwear edit also. I'm giving up the sparkle boots, and that decision did actually clarify some style and fit directions.

UmmLila (Lisa)

I have some black flat sandals that Angie recommended last year (of course hers were the white version) and they were excellent with dresses, shorts and pants, and I walked miles in them. They were not a brand that was previously on my radar. I was going to recommend them to you but they somehow vanished from my finds.

I recently did a big shoe purge as well. And then I ran out and bought three pairs of shoes to celebrate.

UmmLila, I laughed when I read about your shoe purchasing celebration! I hope to avoid that but it's very tempting! I am trying to reconsider my need for the black sandals. Perhaps I can get by without them.

My whole spare bedroom is pretty much full of boxes of shoes. Many have not been worn for years but I can never throw any shoes out, so well done for managing to purge.

DonnaF

There's a fashion/style blogger who owns NO black footwear. I have once black, now charcoal hair, so black footwear would still bookend, but in the past few years (post-YLF!) I find that I rarely reach for my black sandals or any other black plain leather footwear; other options are more interesting. If I wear black, it's more likely to be patent or suede. Since my skin tones get warmer in the summer, I wear cognac sandals or shoes when I want to wear a neutral whereas in the past I might have worn black. After Angie's recent blog, I am also exploring red and coral. . .

YMMV, but have you considered pulling out those outfits that you thought needed black sandals and meditated on alternatives? Metallic? Black'n'white? Black'n'cream? Red?

Lisa

Congrats on a very successful closet purge! And yay to being able to comfortably store all of your shoes now.

That's one heck of a task accomplished! I think it's a great idea to try to wear every pair on the closet and deciding its fate . I plan to do this for spring too . I find that it doesn't matter how many pair of shoes I own at any given time and in any given season.....there are only a handful that I wear regularly. I don't find many shoes hold their appeal or feeling of currency very long - and I'm looking to wear fewer pair a lot more and replace them every year with a fresher version . Maybe

RobinF

Wow, good job! I love shoes and have a hard time getting rid of them. It's funny the discussion about black sandals. I wear black pretty much year round and always have black sandals in my closet, I thought everyone did! I am trying to go toward some more white or metallic for this year though. You guys are good at getting me to branch out!

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