What is your shoe shopping strategy? - YouLookFab Forum

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What is your shoe shopping strategy?

Jewell

Veteran

I'm curious about how you all approach shoe shopping. Do you...
A) shop from a list of specific needs
B) grab whatever catches your eye
C) wait for Angie's (or other YLFers') recommendations
D) All of the above

And do you apply the one in-one out rule to shoe purchases? Or should that be two in-two out since shoes come in pairs? Oh well, you know what I mean

I added 8 pairs of shoes to my wardrobe in 2012. I bought:
1. Navy pumps to replace a pair I outgrew during my previous pregnancy
2. Angie recommended loafers
3. Snake print wedges
4. Floral sandals found on clearance
5. Plaid sneakers
6. Peep-toe wedges with leopard print heel
7. Oh so comfy red patent flats found on clearance
8. Black shooties for work

And while this seems like a lot to me, I feel like I need more. There are still holes to be filled. I'm just wondering if I'm going about this shoe buying thing the best way.

Shopping

18 replies

Latest reply was from Jewell

Keix

Veteran

I maintain a list of specific needs, but the reality is that I try to shop for shoes whenever I can and I prioritize comfort and fit when actually purchasing. I wear a specialty size (women's size 5) that is difficult to find in many shoe stores, plus I have fussy feet that make me reluctant to do a lot of online shoe shopping.

So my strategy is to keep a list and then "shop by size" while I'm shopping for other things. For instance, I know that Nordstrom carries a good (albeit often pricey) selection in my size and that Aerosoles stocks size 5.5 in their stores, but Macy's in-store and most specialty B&M's are going to have a sparse selection. I actually do a lot of outlet shoe shopping, because the smaller online-exclusive sizes often make it to clearance prices and I can try them on in person.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I seem to start planning my outfit from the shoes up, so the right shoes are a really important part of my style. Add my fussy feet to this equation & you see why I tend to buy more shoes than I actually need. I haven't sorted this part of my wardrobe yet as the shoes I keep will depend on the clothes that make it through my edit. So to answer your question - it depends:)

deb

Veteran

I collect shoes which started when I was a kid. We had a shoe store here in Calif that carried narrow shoes but were expensive. The store had a sale once or twice a year and had shoes for $1 and 2$ a pair. Because narrows did not sell well, I had a very large selection to choose from. My dad told me if I made my own clothes, I could have $15 to spend on shoes. I had shoes to match every outfit. I totally understood Imelda Marcos and her shoe collection, lol. To answer your question, D, all of the above.

Sara L.

Veteran

I love shoes! I shop for both specific needs and also stuff that catches my fancy. I tend to buy the "fun" shoes on sale and whenever I happen to find them when I have some extra cash. Specific needs I usually shop for both online and at BM stores. I prefer to try shoes on so don't use online stores unless I absolutely can't find what I'm looking for in town.

jenanded

Veteran

Funny you should write this Jewell as I was re reading Angie's tips for a sandal wardrobe last night... I am speciality/fussy fitter but at other end with size 11s and face same issue. I am trying to learn from my Angie workshopping of what I throw out a lot/orphaned... its sale shoes, online shoes, shoes with heels (often acquired above!). I guess this has come from when someone even has shoes in my size and they fit I have tended to buy them as I can literally go to stores that have nothing to even try on... I am trying to teach myself that I could have a fewpairs that wont become orphans even though they cost more. So I shop beginning of season and get the local store to ssend in any of the styles that fit my checklist of size, comfort, wardrobe hole and layby where needed. Alas shoes is one area where I lapse into imaginary life quite a bit...

Anonymous

Since finding YLF, I've done all of the above, but now have a pretty good footwear collection. I've found Angie's picks especially fabulous and now watch for those I need. I'm still looking for the perfect low-heeled leopard pumps and now for low-heeled dressy black boots for a narrow calf. For those I will watch sales but may wait for NAS as they aren't essential at the moment.
Some types take awhile for my eye to adjust. This winter I'm wearing loafers, oxfords and some booties that I bought last year but didn't wear that much then.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

My shoe needs seem to be ever evolving and I maintain a wish list in my head that I refer to when shopping. I do to impulse buying while thrifting, but I am much more systematic when it comes to buying retail. From my wish list I recently purchased

dark brown riding boots
black booties
grey booties(thrifted
nude pumps
Black peep toe patent slingback heels
Brown peep toe patent slingback heels
Fuchsia Pumps
5 pairs of Aerosols ballet flats (to replace worn ones)
Bass Penny Loafers (thrifted)

Everything except the Fuchsia Pumps were on my wish list,.
The previous two years I bought a lot of knee high boots, brown booties and red booties , so each year my needs change and I am building. I will be able to slow down this rate to only include worn items and maybe one or two things that become fashionable...

Jjsloane

Veteran

D! All of the above! I love shoes but have certain criteria for them (mostly to include price) so I am aware of certain holes and will also impulse buy if the shoe fits (literally) and is at a good price. I need to weed some out as my closet is busting with boots, booties and shoes right now. It's a bit harder to purge than clothes since I don't really grow out of my shoes, just tire of the style.

I resolve to be a more purposeful shoe buyer (and to purge some) in 2013.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

B, totally B.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

B and C. Red booties were not on my list, but I grabbed them when I saw them and have been wearing them happily ever since. I have more shoes than anyone needs, so need is not a factor.

carolbee

Veteran

Mostly A. There is no point drooling over Angie's picks as I am not going to buy shoes over the internet. I have spent more money on shoes this year than ever before, however most of these have been replacements, but I have bought better quality. I am finally learning to buy what I will actually wear - comfortable, low heel or small wedge, neutral colour and did I mention COMFORTABLE!

Thistle

Veteran

A mostly.

Comfort is always critical to me. No matter how stylish the shoe, if it isn't comfortable, I won't keep it. I love shoes, but I avoid most retailers because so many beautiful shoes are just not right for my feet.

I keep a little list of what I would like to add and then I start searching. Zappos is a great place when you know what you are looking for.

Every 6 months to a year, I spring for one emotional purchase. There is a local store by me that only sells feet friendly shoes. I let myself go in and pick one pair, and I am NOT allowed to look at the price tag until I have chosen my favorite pair. I don't want to let the cheapest pair be my favorites every time.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Ditto Anna!! This is one realm where I totally viscerally react. I either love them or don't. Period.

Anonymous

I am totally A on this one.

I have tried the B approach, and find that those shoes never get worn since I don't have a need for them, or room for them in my life. I am talking to you, red snakeskin stilettos. So pretty but so impratical for me, they never got worn.

Edit: Except for those metallic gold Tiek Ballet Flats. It was love at first site and they are all I can think about right now...I wonder when they will get them back in stock.

Aziraphale

Veteran

A) shop from a list of specific needs
B) grab whatever catches your eye
C) wait for Angie's (or other YLFers') recommendations
D) All of the above

Sort of an intersection between A and B, I think. Never C. Not that I don't appreciate recommendations in general -- it's just that for shoes, which tend to me an emotional purchase for me, other people's opinions don't hold much sway. (I'm more open to suggestions when it comes to clothing). So, I gravitate to whatever catches my eye, but try not to purchase anything that does not fit my current shoe needs. Right now I don't have huge shoe needs, but I could use a pair of flat oxfords and some sort of black leather boot that is neither dead flat nor high-heeled. I'm keeping a casual eye open for anything that makes my heart stop and also fits either of those categories.

There are exceptions, though. For example, I just scored a pair of second-hand but never worn Fluevog spectator t-strap stilettos, which are far too fancy and high for everyday wear. I certainly don't need any more impractical shoes, but I had been hunting for those exact ones for several years (they are long out of production) and there was no way I was going to pass them up!

Lisa

Veteran

I am mostly A and sometimes B. Almost 2 years ago I had to overhaul my shoe wardrobe and stuck to a strict list. Comfort was first and foremost. One trick I did to prevent from going batty was to purchase two of the same shoe in different colors. It was so hard to find shoes that worked, when I finally did, why not right?

In the past 6 months I have purchased two pairs of boots, one was a replacement for a workhorse pair and one was an impulse pair in a light color (they fit and were comfy and were a color I did not own, camel).

My current shoe wardrobe is at 15.

3 tall boots (black, brown and camel)
3 booties (natural, black lace up, black side zipper with a buckle)
2 pairs of sneakers (white and black)
1 sandal (blue and white stripe)
1 flipflop (black with arch support built in, it looks more like a sandal than a flip flop)
1 black loafer
1 black wedge (for dressy occasions)
2 sling back loafers (black and natural)
1 boatshoe (grey)

fern

Veteran

Something between list A & grab it B - because my list is not very specific so I can be swayed by love I revamped my shoes over the last 3 years, and all the big holes got filled. Now I can be more towards B, within my shopping constraints.
Sometime this Spring I will need a pair of "Summer shoes" but given my casual life, I can be that flexible - something light & fun for summer. So now I can keep an eye out & see if anything... well, makes my heart stop, as Elisabeth said.

Jewell

Veteran

Wow, we have more list lovers than I thought! Thanks for sharing your shopping strategies and in many cases your words of wisdom. Now I'm off to sit on my closet floor in front of my shoe rack and create a needs/wants list on my phone. I think the key to making this list work is being VERY specific. Instead of just the shoe type, I need to specify color, heel height, material, buckles/no buckles, etc.