Oh, I am glad you clarified, Ingunn. I was really struggling to figure out how I would manage on five pairs of shoes for a full year. Although...truth is...before YLF I had fewer than that!! One pair shoes, one pair sandals, one tall boot. one short boot. And gear shoes.

Of course, I needed new shoes every single year and it was always a scramble to find them. And my outfits definitely lacked fashionable pizzazz.

Now I am a shoe convert.

Like you, I figure on about 20 to 25 pairs to make me perfectly happy. Right now I have 19. So I don't need to purge any (yay!!)

If you are talking about most worn shoes or the ones that seem to add most fashion value...even that depends on climate and lifestyle. But since yours and mine are so similar (and our overall style, too) I will share what I have been wearing most the past year or so.

Summer:

Most worn: Sofft Bernia gladiator in pewter. Wore them to the ground.
Why? The perfect combination of comfort and style, plus the pewter looked great with white bottoms.

Most "fashion value" (the shoes that "made" many outfits): Sam Edelman Okalas.

Also heavily in rotation:

• Cons Hi-Ness wedge sneaker
• VC taupe cage sandal.

Basically, these were the only shoes I wore all summer apart from gear and a pair of less comfortable S.E. wedge sandals.

Note that the "fashion value" and "most worn" were different...the Okalas are very comfortable for me, but too dressy for my ordinary life. They are "going out" shoes.

So my ideal is a shoe that crosses over -- i.e. provides the most fashion value AND is so comfortable and just casual enough that I wear it a lot. Did you say: Hard to find???

Last autumn/ winter:

Most worn: Zara ink blue neoprene top bootie. Why? Pointed toe style added fashion value. Comfort was medium but good enough to walk miles per day in them if necessary. Great, stable heel that gave a bit of lift but was not tricky to walk in. Could be worn with pants and skirts.

Most fashion value: Zara ink blue booties. Why? Because they had the all important pointed toe yet were stable and comfortable enough to be an every day shoe, and they offered enough coverage from the cold.

Also heavily in rotation:

• Tall black La Canadienne boots
• Short Stuart Weitzman black chelsea bootie
• Almond toed cranberry suede Munro bootie

Rarely worn:

• Sam Edelman snake print bootie (but those were worn heavily the previous year and still got about once per 10 days wear).
• Donald Pliner point toe bronze bootie (too dressy for every day)
• Leopard calf hair round toe wedge heel pumps (hardly ever get pump weather)
• Burgundy patent pumps (ditto)
• Tall grey dressy suede boots (weather conditions were too horrid, even though these are weatherproof -- and they are dressy)
• Taupe Report booties (really more of a "warm weather" bootie and not good in deep fall/ winter/ early spring.)
• Tan knee high "western" point toe boot (only bought at end of season so didn't get to try them much).

The moral of the story for me is that I really don't need very many dressy open vamped shoes in my climate and with my lifestyle. I do need some, however, and they had better add fashion value or they won't get worn much at all. (Hmmm....is it time to purge or upgrade those older pumps? Maybe...)

I am very glad you clarified, Ingunn!

I know that I could reduce my overall number of pairs as I currently have 60, not counting special occasion shoes, flip flops and slippers. And some only get a wearing or two every six months. But I would not want to go below maybe 30 as I do like to have a good variety and not have to repeat wearings too frequently.

Well, as recent photos of my new shoe rack have revealed I have a few more than 30 pairs of shoes. I could certainly get away with less colors/variations of ballet flats, but I do wear them all, mostly year round, because our climate is mild.

If I had to pick five silhouettes they'd be:
Ballet flat (currently something with a pointy toe)
Casual sneakers (maybe slipons, this year)
Low heeled pump (again with a current toe)
Flat sandals (until this year I'd say gladiators, but classic sandals are starting to be trendy again too)
Ankle boots (I prefer ones with a zipper or laces but Chelsea boots are very now)

These would be my 5:

1. Pointy Flats
2. Pointy Pumps
I like the sharp, tailored shape of pointy footwear with current fluid fits.

3. Dressy, heeled ankle boots
Mine happen to have a less-trendy round toe, but I think the single-soled shape, stiletto heel and snake texture keep things modern and interesting.

4. More casual/rugged short boots
I like that they add a bit of toughness to casual and smart casual outfits

5. White Sneakers
Love my converse - they are easy, comfortable, and add a bright, crisp punch to casual and smart casual outfits

I have more shoes because I love variety, but for most situations/seasons one of these 5 does the trick. No sandals - I hardly wore them last summer!

I added a note and coined a term: Just Casual Enough.

My perfect shoe is comfortable with a fashionable edge. It is relatively refined, yet is just casual enough that I can wear it easily across many types of activity in my mostly-casual life.

I have learned that:

• If the heel is too high and/or too "thin" (i.e. a stiletto -- even a super comfortable one like the Okala) I won't wear it as much.
• If the vamp is open, I won't wear it as much -- partly due to fit issues (shoes like this fall off me), partly due to climate (i.e. fewer opportunities for wear).
• If the shoe/ boot feels too "clunky" or chunky or RATE, I won't wear it as much. I do need a pair of shoes/ boots that fall into this category for very casual days...but I prefer a more refined look with my outfits.

Well, I have travelled for a couple of months with (1) a pair of black, 1.5 heeled booties, (2) a pair of black leather sneakers, and (3) a pair of dressy (but very walkable) flats.

Those three pairs kept me comfortable and appropriately dressed through several countries and weather that ranged from freezing rain to warm and sunny. Throwing in (4) a pair of wedged espadrilles and (5) a pair of 2" pumps would cover some occasions when the original three were a bit of a stretch.

If you'd let me add (6) a pair of tall boots, (7) a pair of low-heeled oxfords, and (8) a pair of casual sandals, my shoe wardrobe would be complete. Everything after that would just be variations so theoretically, duplicating each of my original 8 would give me an ideal number of 16 pairs of shoes (excluding gear).

What strikes me as really interesting when I look at that number is, if I include a pair of athletic shoes, a pair of slippers, a pair of snow boots, and a pair of rain boots (all of which I count as gear), I end up with a total of 20 pairs of footwear--which is exactly the number now sitting in my closet after my recent closet downsizing!! Rather startling since I would have sworn my decisions were based more on "I can't bear to leave these behind" than cool-headed logic!

Suz, your list resonates with me, as does your term just casual enough! Your style, climate AND lifestyle corresponds with mine in many ways. I love pumps, but can hardly wear them. I need boots and sandals and a high vamp flat shoe for in between seasons. I wear stacked heels way more than stilettos, and I crave more comfort now than ever. So - out goes the three pairs of low vamp shoes that I don't need anyway. I'm keeping one pair of black pumps and the silver pointy toe pumps. That should cover my needs by far. If I find something fshionable and fun like the Okalas I might add those later.

Thanks all, your lists have been very enlightening. Like Viva said, it's been very clarifying!

Gaylene, that is magic logic like I've mentioned my ideal shoe wardrobe is in the range of 20-25 pairs included gear, about the same size as yours. That feels comfortable. So - I need to purge a little more. The way I see it I prefer to wear out my shoes more often and replace them rather than keep a large collection. That way I also get the variety I like.

well, i'm glad you clarified, and just to be truthful, i was asumming that my 5 was for fall/winter and that i got to add another 5 for spr/summer.
i often look for footwear that's the opposite of Suz's just casaul enough--instead i love just dressy enough that i can wear it with jeans to run Saturday errands, but it will still work for the office.

My top 5 for winter would be a tall winter boot, a black knee high leather boot , some sort of black flat shoe and a pair of more sporty type. And a black ankle boot. This is would enough for Winter.

Not including gear....

A tall black riding boot that works with skirts and can pass for dressy in the middle of the winter. Just refined enough but safe for my wobbly ankles: a little heel (1-2"), narrow ankle, fitted calf, ideally some nice hardware or other details (HEWI from last year!)

Booties, probably with some current/trendy element - I have a burgundy pair with some pony hair right now

Fashionable sneakers - most likely converse for me, not sure if I would choose a classic or of-the-moment version

Walkable, neutral sandals that again, have some sturdy heel and can pass for dressy if needed. Style takes a back seat to practicality here but I try...

A flat in a colour ie/not neutral and current shape/style (currently some blue pointy-toed ballet flats that need replacing but I wear a lot)

I am impressed that so many of you can keep mental track of 20+ pairs and consider that ideal... while I agree that you need more than 1 per season, after 2-3 pairs I just can't maintain interest in the older or less-favoured pairs and they get forgotten. I've decided I'm good with that. For example, I don't need new booties this year because last year's pair feel quite current. I can wear them out and next year get another current pair.

Reading through the answers and my own I am starting to understand why a dressy shoe is always a wardrobe hole for me. I can't wear classic pumps, so there's no basic shoe I can keep around for years that is always appropriate for weddings/funerals/job interviews. In the winter people here understand boots are required, and in the summer, if what I have won't do for an event, I can generally find a cheapish trendy sandal that might get worn a few times. But a dressy transitional shoe that works with or without tights, is flattering in outfits with different proportions, and works for several years... very difficult to figure that out with my fussy footwear needs.

My top 5

1. navy cons hi ness, 2. black Steve Madden Strappy Combat, 3.grey Fergie Command 4.black Softwalk strappy sandals 5. black Rampage heeled booties.

I'm leaving a 6th spot open for black lace up tall boots, if I find some.

This covers my core wardrobe colors of black, grey and navy.

Jules, your point about keeping interest in older, less favored pairs is exactly what I think. too. I'm just not wearing them. So, for me, a smaller shoe wardrobe of 5-6 different shoe types is more than sufficient foe one season. Over the span of four seasons I think about 20 pairs is great for me, including gear like rubber boots and snow boots.

These are my go-to shoes these days:

1. Black pointy-toed pumps
2. Tall boots - My current pair (in saddle): http://www.thebay.com/webapp/w.....leather-bo
3. Black booties with a high chunky heel
4. Flat, cognac sandals (worn every day outside work, until the weather turns)
5. Black flats (getting worn the least these days)

When fall finally hits, my black chisel-toed Blundstones will replace my sandals as my every day casual shoe with pants.

My essential shoes are flat T-strap sandals (like the S.E. Gigi) for summer and ballet flats (like the AGL capped toes) for winter. I know a lot of forum members are "over" ballet flats, but they work really well for my climate, wardrobe and fussy feet. I imagine that I'll be wearing them long after they're considered a fashion faux pas. I can see why a shoe like this wouldn't get much wear in your climate though, except for a week or two in the Fall and Spring and only then if it's dry enough to wear them.

This is a tough question, because it would seem to leave out a lot of the more impractical shoes (like the stiletto heels Suz mentions), which can do a lot to elevate an outfit for dressier occasions but cannot be worn for everyday wear. So I guess I am viewing this question as more in the practical realm, kind of what the core elements of your shoe wardrobe would be.

Suz's post gave me the idea to look back at my spreadsheet, where I've been tracking wears since January 1 of this year. My most worn shoes:

1. Knee-high riding boots (black), with a 3/4-inch heel.
2. Mary-jane-style comfort shoes (black).
3. Flat sandal (cognac), simple style (so it can read dressy or casual).
4. Pointy-toe flat (dark brown), simple style (can read dressy or casual).
5. Dress boots (2.5-inch heel; dark brown suede).

Like you, I don't have a very long season in which to wear pumps, flats, or sandals. The five I have given above seem to cover all four seasons, and there are a dressy and a casual option for each season (or else the style is simple enough that the shoe can go either way).

In looking at my overall shoe wardrobe (17 pairs, not counting gear or snow boots), it looks like about 12 of the pairs are really geared toward dressy occasions: pumps, dressy sandals (that is, with heels), dress boots, dress booties. The heel heights on these range from 2.5 inches to 4 inches, so they're not something I can wear every day. It's interesting to see how much of my shoe wardrobe is geared toward dressier shoes that are not practical for day-to-day wear. These dressy shoes are meant to "complete the outfit" first and foremost; function comes second (although I try not to buy anything that is terribly pain inducing!).

My ideal footwear would all have around a 1-1/2" to 2" heel:
1) Black Ankle Bootie
2) Light Colored Ankle Bootie (pale taupe or ivory)
3) Nude Sandal
4) Metallic Fashion Sneaker
5) Pointed Toe Ankle Strap Pump - black or nude (I need the ankle strap because I can't keep a "regular" pump on my feet - I walk out of them!)

High five, Marley -- if you add some snow boots, I really like your list!!

This was a really helpful exercise Ingunn! I've realized that for me, gear excepted, a 5-shoe wardrobe would actually work. It's the bare minimum and I prefer to have some options, but I could get by with 5 carefully chosen pairs. It also helped me realize why I really do need those black boots and walkable neutral heeled sandals, and that I am completely justified in spending time and money on these. Last year I thought I could find a replacement pair for the perfect Aldos boots I got for under $200 (pretty much minimum price for tall real leather boots here); I never found them and had to wear the old worn ones a few times, because these are a wardrobe NEED for dressier winter occasions. I need to get hunting for this winter and I can justify $300-400 here (eek! Way high for me!).
By the same token I understand better why my booties, flats and sneakers can be lower quality, trendier, more fun and colourful - these are my current pieces that I love for a season or two, that I don't even WANT to last because I want to move on to the new thing!

Here is my list of 20-25 shoes
I currently own ---

gear:
hiking boots
hiking shoes
running shoes
snow pacs for the woods in winter
river shoes
Ugg moc slippers
gear flips
shower shoes

casual only:
casual flips

casual and work:
green camo Klogs
Grey sketchers sneakers
navy jack purcell converse
burgundy euro sneaks
red Chelsea boots

dress:
black and white heeled dress oxfords
black suede and cork wedge sandals (dress-- high heeled)

on order:
Frye campus boots it cognac/chesnut color
black sherling lined Docs
Earthies flat oxfords-- dark brown suede with bronze metallic finish

contemplating:
Klogs Harley -- harness belted dark grey clogs in a narrower style (would replace my current pair)
Black Lucky brand refined booties with rocker detail
comfy but stylish pumps or other low vamp dress shoe (gallery shoe, SO's x-mas party shoe)

for next spring:
1-2 pairs low vamp or cutout flats
slip on sneaks
sandals

I need a lot of gear shoes-- but I wear them all (8 pairs)

I don't need many sandals, since I wear them only casually (forbidden at work) 3-4 months a year-- that said, I should have a non-foam option. Of course, if I took a special warm weather vacation I'd buy more pairs.

This year I wore sneakers about half the year -- I have both winter and summer sneakers. I really need to invest in 1-3 more pairs of breathable summer shoes like perforated slipper flats, ballet flats, and canvas sneakers because my only two truly comfortable summer shoes were cloth sneakers.

I have 1 pair of winter sneakers, but depending on how many boots I buy a leather pair wouldn't go unused. Whether it be the Earthies oxfords or a leather sneaker, it would be nice to have a second pair of non-boots to wear in transitional weather and on dry days in the winter. The earthies might do double duty as a business-appropriate dress shoe with my slacks.

I wear my klogs alot, but they aren't the best shoe-- they are chunky, a lighter color than I like my winter footwear to be, and a little sweaty in summer-- but they are slip on, can be worn with my bootcut jeans without dragging, and have comfy footbeds. I'm gonna see how comfy the Earthies are-- if I still need a super cushy footbed I might consider demoting the klogs to house wear and re-purchasing from their slimmer line (like the harleys or mission). These may fill the 2nd leather transitional shoe void.

I plan on adding boots this year-- that said I don't anticipate my collection growing much after this. If the Fryes work out, they will be a workhorse (favorite leather color, with slim jeans or bootcuts, all weather, most occasions, classic). The docs also would be all weather, keep me warm in my arctic office, and get worn casually (I have a pair of tan thinsulate combat boots that I wear in truly rough conditions, but these are the perfect alternative for running to the grocery store or the movies in slushy weather). I love my red boots, which I wear everywhere in mild weather-- I want to see them with my new slim jeans and with skirts this fall. Beyond that, I would love to add a pair of black boots that I could get away with wearing as dress shoes with a skirt to work or other winter dress events-- but something really refined would be too restricting-- I want something I will also want to wear to work on a regular basis.

I would also like a really stylish pair of pumps-- something with a shortish heel (since I'm only about 3 inches shorter than my sweetie) --- either something sophisticated and katherine hepburn-ish or something in a color. I really don't have the right "knock 'em dead" shoes, or something to wear with skirts when neither the heeled sandals or heeled oxfords are appropriate (like weddings, hot season work events, and winter dressy-festive events).

This won't be current, and will be tailored to my style, but here goes:
1. Walkable flat shoe (neutral) for three seasons
2. Walkable flat sandals (neutral) for summer
3. Low heel knee boots (neutral) for winter
4. Walkable low heel pump (neutral) for dressy occasions
5. Variety (not necessary)