There Was an Old Woman…
Posted by Gail | Filed under Smart Shopper
I recently got an email that made me chuckle:
Gail, I have a bone to pick with you. How come you’re always picking on girls who like to buy shoes? On the one hand you say you don’t care what people spend their money on as long as they’re not using credit. And then you keep referring to people who spend a lot of their money on shoes as if this is the dumbest thing you can imagine. What’s up with that?
It was signed “Carrie”, which I imagine is the pseudonym this chick chose because of Carrie Bradshaw’s (of Sex in the City fame) love affair with shoes.
Hey, you’re right “Carrie”, I don’t much care what people spend their money on as long as it is their money and if it seems like I pick on shoe shoppers it’s because they are such easy targets.
Let me quote Carrie Bradshaw from the show: “I’ve spent $40,000 on shoes, and I have no place to live. I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes!”
It’s a funny line. What’s not so funny is that this is the reality for a lot of dolls out there. While I’ve been a big shoe pig myself from time to time, I have never, ever spent money on shoes like these:
- Burberry pumps $475
- Burberry flats $425
- Pierre Hardy heels $725
- Gucci heels $665
- Gucci runners $565
- Louboutin pumps $590
- Giuseppe Zanotti $698
- Sigerson Morrison pumps $495
- Roger Vivier pumps $975
- Prada Sport boots $835
- Loefler Randall booties $550
- Dior flats $455
This is a partial shoe list of someone I’ve met. And she’s not the only person I know who has dropped thousands and thousands of dollars to clad her feet in name-brand shoes.
So what’s wrong with this? Nothing, if the money you’re spending represents a reasonable percentage of your income. After all, if you’re Katy Perry or Gwyneth Paltrow and you’re pulling down five or six million a year, dropping $1,200 on a pair of Louboutins is no biggie. But if you’re making $100,000, $50,000 or $35,000 a year, and you’ve got a mortgage to pay, retirement to save for, and a couple of kids to educate, what the hell are you thinking blowing that kind of money on something as insignificant as a pair of shoes?
Carrie Bradshaw may be a fictional character, but she’s reflected in thousands of people who put the thrill of a big purchase ahead of the satisfaction of a slow but steady commitment to building financial stability.
Blowing money on stuff that has no real value beyond the impression it may create, assuming you hang around with dopes who are that easily impressed, likely means you don’t have the good sense God gave a goose. Nothing I say is likely to change your mind. And, like Carrie, it may occasionally occur to you that your behaviour has long term consequences. But like Carrie you’ll probably blow off such a deep thought and head on out to the stores for some more shopping. Happy hunting!
November 24, 2009 at 8:10 am
oh man!
As a woman I sometimes think I let down my sisters in that I only own all of four pairs of shoes but at least I’m lifting up my fellow TDDUP friends. I work outdoors and have a pair of workboots. Also a pair of dress boots, a pair of slip=on shoes and a pair of sandals. The boots were each about $300 but they will last for years (one pair is already about 5 years old) I get them repaired when the soles wear thin. That’s it!
It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to work out I’m not the most fashionable person out there but it works for me
November 24, 2009 at 8:19 am
Oh how I love shoes…it started before I was in kindergarten…my family would go to Sunday Mass and my twin sister and I would have to sit on the aisle…that way when the congregation went up for Holy Communion we could keep a running commentary of “pretty shoes, pretty shoes, ugly shoes” etc….lol…I have alot of shoes BUT the most I have ever paid for one pair is about 60.00…usually I go with the 25.00 or under pair…that way I can change them up alot…I don’t want them to last forever!….the other BUT is that I have NEVER bought a pair of shoes with money intended for something much more important…all shoes are bought with my spending money…cash only…oh, and my brother’s fiance is an even bigger shoe freak with the same size foot as me…she is a big spender on shoes (but her income lets her well afford it) and so I will often get 15 pairs at a time from her…either bought new for me, or bought for herself and then she changed her mind and never wore them…cha-ching for me!!!!!!!!!
November 24, 2009 at 8:33 am
I understand the shoe obsession but I am not part of it. Although I do not see why anyone would pay close to $1000 for one pair of shoes!!
I have cheap shoes for work (I have about 4 pairs and all around $20), I have good shoes for running/working out ($80 but on sale), I have decent winter boots ($100), I have several pairs of inexpensive sandals ($5-10 each), about 5 pairs of dress heels ($40 each), and just one pair of everyday casual shoes ($60).
Although looking at that, it seems like I have more shoes than I originally thought! It all still adds up pretty fast.
November 24, 2009 at 8:46 am
I own two pairs of footwear that cost me an absolute fortune, but I have to admit (to my chagrin!), they have been worth every penny. Both are from a Canadian company called (what else?) La Canadienne.
One is a pair of knee high leather boots (~350CDN) that I have worn almost every single day for 2 years, no joke. I actually find that they have reduced my shoe budget, because although I used to be quite the cheap shoe collector, now I’m like “Yeah but those just won’t be as comfortable as the ones I already have”.
The other is a pair of shearling lined winter boots (~350CDN). Finally! Warm, dry feet for a girl who’s always cold. Hurray!
Trouble is, price isn’t always an indication of quality, and you shouldn’t necessarily get in the habit of buying expensive shoes. Last year, being so pleased with the footwear above, I went back to La canadienne and bought a pair of summer dress shoes (knee-high leather being of limited use in 30 degree heat!). I haven’t been nearly as impressed. Shoulda stuck with Payless…
November 24, 2009 at 8:48 am
While I would love to indulge in my love of shoes, it’s just not practical. Being a shoe addict was something I gave up in order to be a home owner. So for special occasions, I look to my amazing sister-in-law who works in a shoe department and gets a great discount and borrow her shoes.
I think it’s about balance in your life and if you can afford $500 shoes without incuring debt or starving or being homeless, then why not? But I would like to know how long $500 shoes last for and how often they are worn….. anyone??
November 24, 2009 at 9:01 am
What Gail also fails to mention are the women out there that purchase hundreds of $60 -$100 pairs of shoes only to be tossed out when they go out of fashion. Unfortunately, my wife is part of this group.
$60 x 13% tax x 20 pairs = approximately $1400.
$100 x 13% tax x 40 pairs = approximately $4500!
Think about it ladies! Is it really worth it to spend this much money on your feet, your purses, your scarves, jackets, bangles and bobbles? Not really!
Men are just as bad, but we buy tools. How many TDDUP-ers out there have three or four sets of screw drivers, wrenches, drills, saws, etc. etc. when in all reality is that we will never ever use them?
What you own will eventually own you!
November 24, 2009 at 9:01 am
I see where Carrie was coming from…
I enjoy TDDUP very much and admire Gail’s common sense approach to savings. It is simple and practical. I came to the web-site and blog for the same reasons.
However, there is often a drift away from saving money or tips on paying off your debt faster towards questioning the moral fiber of people who may enjoy spending their money on shoes, homes, cars etc.
If you can afford it and want it, who cares and why should your character be called into question just because someone else thinks it is frivolous?
November 24, 2009 at 9:11 am
I’ve always been a practical type, and never have gone along with the fashion thing. I buy something because I like it, and I can wear it with anything. Same goes with footwear. I buy shoes that are comfortable, and I can wear with multiple outfits. However, I have maybe 10 pairs of shoes and boots in total – and only buy new ones if those that I have are falling apart (hence I don’t shop for shoes much). Of course, if shoes are your thing, and you can AFFORD it, then go for it. But like Gail said, most people CAN’T afford it, and want to pretend they are raking in the millions like the stars who do buy those types of shoes, and get in trouble for it. My practicality would not let me – because as I see it, you can only wear one pair at a time.
November 24, 2009 at 9:31 am
I think that the shoe reference plays a symbolic function, too.
I mean, shoes are one of those things people buy without needing them — and buy they do in great numbers. More than that, the mark-up on designer shoes is astronomical! Perhaps no other consumable so represents the excesses of consumerist spending and capitalist excess!
November 24, 2009 at 9:36 am
Oh, I must have missed the announcement of the new theme! It looks awesome.
November 24, 2009 at 9:46 am
The funny thing is, the quote from Sex and the City, Carrie said this in a shoe store! While I think that spending money you do not have on anything extravagant is silly, I can appreciate good looking shoes!
November 24, 2009 at 9:47 am
A friend of mine REALLY wanted a very expensive, name brand pair of high heel shoes. She showed me a picture of them and they looked absolutely smashing. She saved up her money for almost a year, tried them on to make sure she could actually walk in them and paid cash. She felt like a million bucks and it was a total boost to her ego to own them. She totally understood that these were a want and not a need and she never used credit to buy them NOW. I think this was a perfectly reasonable thing to do.
November 24, 2009 at 9:48 am
While I have a small budget, one of the things my Mom always said, it that you get what you pay for. I have many “cheap” pairs of shoes, and only a few expensive ones, but, the expensive ones you can fix for a small fee. The cheap ones, you have to throw away, and repurchase. Before a purchase, I figure out how much I’ll be using this shoe, how comforatble the shoe needs to be (and let’s face it, with the exception of the stilettos, comfort comes with a price). If I buy a $200 pair of shoes/boots whatever, and it lasts for 4 – 6 years I’ve got my money’s worth. If I have to buy a $20-$30 pair every few months, it’s cheap, but in the end it doesn’t make sense. (I love fashion but I don’t want to have to shop that much)
I’ve bought cheap shoes because it’s all my budget allowed, and was happy with living within my means. However, it was always nice to know that I didn’t have to buy a new coat/shoes/dress every year because when I could afford it, I bought something that would last. I have dresses that I bought more than 10 years ago that strangers still stop me in the street and ask me where I got it.
One of the things that’s gotten lost in our consumer society is that these “designer” labels are so because they last for decades. Literally, if you buy a Hermes handbag, you will die before it will.(These things are passed from one generation to the next for a reason) I don’t judge anyone by what they’ve got (how can I own a car that’s older than most people’s kids—my Mom bought a quality poduct & took care of it-thanks Mom!!)but hey, if you can afford it it’s your choice and if you can’t it’s your lesson to learn.
November 24, 2009 at 10:19 am
@Brianne: See my post above. I get one heck of a lot of wear out of these boots. They’re still looking great two year on…
November 24, 2009 at 10:37 am
I know someone who fits this stereotype to a ‘T’. A friend insists on buying $1000+ shoes because “she has a reputation to uphold”. Meanwhile, she & her SO live in a small apartment in a bad neighbourhood. They scrimp & save on everything from groceries to transportation.
They’re not in debt so I don’t think it’s my place to say where they should spend their money. But it’s hard not to ask when it ends: When they have a family? When they want to buy a house? When they’re retired?
November 24, 2009 at 10:41 am
We often laugh because my DH is the one with the shoe fetish! He definitely owns more pairs than I do, and they are all Rockports or other nice quality, thank you very much. LOL!
However, I do think that good quality, comfortable shoes are better than cheap, uncomfortable ones. Most of our shoes have a life expectancy of 3-5 years. Also, we both have foot/spine alignment problems and wear orthotics (covered by insurance, thankfully). No fussy dress shoes or 3″ heels for us! The orthotics wouldn’t fit inside those, and they are bad for your feet and back.
November 24, 2009 at 11:01 am
Well, I have a shoe fetish. Most of shoes are brands but not like the one you have listed. I have Fluevog, Modern Vintage, Patrick Cox, Diesel, Camper, etc. I only buy them on sale and only when I have my money saved up for them. I honestly do not see a difference in whether I buy shoes or clothing or anything else that fits into that misc category. I feel that if I can afford them, there is nothing wrong with buying them. that being said, I only ever buy shoes on sale and I have never paid more than $200 for a pair of shoes. I know that can sound expensive to many people and it is. But I can afford it and I save my money so that I can.
November 24, 2009 at 11:10 am
I was raised by a Mum and Grandmum who believed when it comes to a womans clothes you should buy the very best you can afford. This doesn’t mean pay full price, or buy forty white shirts.
I think the message they were trying to give me was you have to be rich to buy cheap. Carefully consider your wardrobe purchases and make sure its something you will wear and LOVE for a very long time. I don’t necessarily believe everyone who buys a Couture purse or shoes is doing it to show off, for some people craftsmanship and quality is unbeatable. Oh yeah, I’m a Taurus so… totally bias post
November 24, 2009 at 11:11 am
The cheap shoes seem to be fine when you are young, but then you find out that you have destroyed your back, or your arch, or your knees. I buy my kids and myself good quality footwear. If my kids’ footwear doesn’t perform, I can also go back to the store and get replacements with the store actually standing behind their product. My boots were $169, but they have arch support, and good insulation, and they will last me 5 or more years. My current shoes that I wear at the office were nearly $200, but I have been wearing them nearly daily in cooler months for about 5 years now. Occasionally I have regrets, sometimes I will buy some expensive shoes, and they were comfortable in the store, but they just aren’t on daily basis, then I have an expensive shoe that I can’t wear. Overall, I find a quality product is a better buy than a cheap product that falls apart, or doesn’t protect your feet.
November 24, 2009 at 11:20 am
A previous clothing and shoe horse here. I feel that Gail is right to pick on us shoe people – they are the most obvious of the shopping addictions, as well as the clothing horses who can’t find a thing to wear in a walk-in brimming with clothing. This is often representative of therapy shopping and is a huge issue in the financial department. Gail mentions that as long as you have the money to do these things go for it. The key is that most people “going for it” are deluding themselves into thinking they can afford it.
Plastic is not affording it, and being in debt is not affording it. These days I save my shopping money when I want something new for me, and because I have a debt, that isn’t very often. I usually use gift ideas for the items I need to update my wardrobe, or for some money to shoe shop with. Added bonus is that the people who are giving the gifts are looking for something they know I’ll want. And I get time with them for the day to go with me to help me pick something nice out.
I tell ya though – one pair of Christian Louboutins would be nice sometime in my life though. And I’d wear those things until they snapped off my feet!
November 24, 2009 at 11:49 am
I second everything Pam said.
I also want to add that I recently read a blog where someone bought a pair of Prada shoes for $600 and has been wearing them for the last 12 years! If you are buying a good quality, timeless item, it might actually make sense to shell out more money.
Leather heels are great, because they can be repaired. I’ve repaired my leather shoes so many times. I’ve been wearing the same Steve Madden heels since 2005 – nearly 5 years! – and they only cost me $100 to begin with. I pay about $10-$12 to have the heels fixed every 6 months or so, depending on how often I wear them. I also got a pair of handmedown leather shoes; I replaced the heel and they were perfect! Leather moulds to your foot and lasts for ages.
November 24, 2009 at 11:53 am
I just wish I could FIND a comfortable pair!- expensive or cheap!
November 24, 2009 at 11:57 am
I love the SATC theme!
I don’t buy expensive shoes. I buy name-brand running shoes because if I don’t get the right fit/feel my “former track athlete” annoyances pop up. I bought my winterboots at Walmart and they do just fine. My dress shoes are a mix of those mall shoe stores (Transit, Aldo) but I rarely pay full-price. I also live in my cheap shoes during summer (flip flops, flats).
November 24, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I actually disagree with Gail on this one. I think that misc. expenses can totally include shoes, and it shouldn’t be based on a million dollar income vs a 40,000 income. If someone saves, and chooses to buy shoes instead of going to movies, or buying other wants, what difference does that make. Good quality shoes are often expensive. Owning shoes that you love, and make you feel really good, and are comfortable is probably worth the price you paid for them, as long as they were not purchased on credit.
November 24, 2009 at 12:13 pm
I’m glad I dopn’t have a shoe fetish. but spending crazy amounts of money on anything is crazy. I once raced cars and people around me were spending 10 to 20 thousand dollars on their vehicles. I couldn’t understand it but I went along because I wanted to participate. I ended up in debt before I stopped.
Spending always needs to be done in moderation.
regards,
Jason
November 24, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Agree with Tamara and others. It’s not what you buy, it’s the total % allocated to such purchases. If you have $1,000 in misc spending a month and you save it up for two months, go ahead and spend $1,500 on shoes, no problem.
I think Gail is assigning ‘value’ based on her personal preferences. To me I can’t tell the difference between a $100 pair of shoes and a $1,000 pair of shoes, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
November 24, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I agree with Gail. If you can afford the designer shoes (or whatever) buy them. If you are only buying them for status or image though, you will never really be able to afford them because there will always be something else you need to maintain said image.
One caveat though, not all expensive items warrant the price, sometimes you are just paying for the name of a designer who had nothing to do with making the shoes. A lot of designer items are made in the same factory and by the same people as the no-name items. Quality is what matters and it doesn’t always have to be expensive.
November 24, 2009 at 1:12 pm
For those of us with large feet (mine are a not-so-dainty size 12!) there are not a lot of places to buy shoes (I LOVE Tallcrest!), and they’re not cheap. I will fully admit to being a “shoe snob” – always leather, always good quality, always last a long time, but they come with a price. I don’t like the fit and feel of cheap shoes…even cheap leather doesn’t feel nearly as nice. I don’t buy a lot of shoes, but I don’t ever begrudge the money that I spend on them.
Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money, but my mother is a firm believer in buying quality over quantity as far as shoes are concerned. She loves a deal, but she refuses to buy cheap shoes…she says you’ve only got one pair of feet and they have to last you forever! She was thrilled when I bought her a pair of Rockport shoes for 40% off at the last big sale…comfortable, supportive and a great deal!
November 24, 2009 at 1:39 pm
If you can afford it – go for it.
I think Gail is speaking more to these people – my co-worker just mentioned to me that she doesn’t have any money left for food, not much in her pantry and we don’t get paid until Friday. But she went shopping on the weekend and put $300 of clothes and shoes on her credit card. She doesn’t see what the big deal is.
This same co-worker also gets HR to take extra tax money off her cheques so that she gets a refund in the spring to pay off her credit card.
November 24, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Gail picks on the men with the big screen TVs as much as the shoe-gals!
I confess, own a pair of Prada boots. Soft as a kitten, comfortable and stylish, I love any excuse to wear them, and have had them for years now. I paid a WHOPPING $8 for them at a thrift store. I don’t know how I lucked into that! Apparently there are some shoe pigs in my thrift store’s catchment area because every few months an assortment of very nice shoes come in (barely worn – some still with tags) in designer names. SOMETIMES I luck out and they are my size, sometimes a size too small (heartbreaking). So my shoe closet has a very pretty collection including Rockport, Prada, Bebe, and some lovely quality Spanish and Italian shoes. They all look new and fit terrific only I paid less than $10/pair. (I can’t always buy used. My workboots and running shoes are always brand new, replaced after they are worn out to the point of not supportive anymore).
I love a pair of pretty shoes as much as the next gal — they get my heart racing, so I found a way to indulge without breaking my clothing budget!
November 24, 2009 at 5:47 pm
It’s not always the pricey ones that get people though. One of my friends adores shoes and though she may not buy the most expensive she is known to buy 3 pairs at a time and has to go into every shoe store when we go shopping. If we go to Italy this year, as we’ve talked about, I may have to put her on a leash.
Because only a few companies make shoes that fit my high arch properly, I’ve never been into accumulating shoes. Also I’ve always had overly flexible ankles hence anything over 2 inchs and spiked have been off my list for years. So I shop primarily for what is comfortable and try to buy my favorites when they are on sale. (I have other shopping vices though.)
November 24, 2009 at 6:22 pm
I am just not a shoe person. And sometimes, like right now, I’m sort of glad. The other day I was at the mall and saw some cute red shoes, but balked at the $140 price tag. I can’t even fathom spending many times that amount on a single pair, especially a pair that probably isn’t even comfortable.
Now, skirts on the other hand, those I have a weakness for. But even still, I couldn’t see spending more than $50 a pop, you know?
November 24, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I wouldn’t even know where to buy the above mentioned shoes. My most expensive shoes are some holiday shoes that I purchased in 2000: $75, my winter boots are the most expensive at $100. I love shoes, and I have plenty, but not super expensive ones. Okay my running shoes are 80, but wear them everyday!
November 24, 2009 at 7:08 pm
The shoes I wear today are 16 years old. I considered it a real find when I dug them out of a box of my stuff my Mom found at her house. They’re covering up my mismatched socks. I’m wearing all my socks out and am on my last 10 pairs and they’re not all matching.
A friend of mine recently explained that there are 3 financial ways to live your life.
#1. Cheap, cheap, cheap, scrounging and hoarding every penny. My great aunt did this saving 20% of her income and at the end of her life said ” I only ever took a couple nice trips, I could have done so much more”
#2 Frugal with the expectation of abundance. A good middle ground.
#3 Spendthrift. Judging from TDDUP, it’s too stressful.
I’ll take#2. I’ll wear out my socks but I expect to buy something really fabulous that means a lot more to me/my family than socks and shoes.
November 24, 2009 at 8:41 pm
I prefer to buy fewer shoes that are of great quality. I do own a few pairs of designer shoes, and they are extremely comfortable and durable. I’m not sorry I bought them, and they are paid for. I spend almost nothing on entertainment, restaurants, or vices (drinking/smoking) so I think it’s just fine to spend that part of my budget on shoes.
November 24, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Best. Blog. Ever!
November 24, 2009 at 9:18 pm
I must admit I’m a bit of a shoe pig. While I never thought I had any sort of shoe fetish, apparently I’m known at the office by my shoe collection under my desk (probably anywhere between 10 pairs of shoes/4 pairs of boots, give or take). I choose flats to walk to/from the office and change into my heels once I reach my desk and since I’d rather not drag shoes back and forth between home and office, my footwear collects under my desk. I don’t own any designer shoes and probably have not spent more than $100 on any one pair. Thankfully, in my 20s, I never wore stilettos or extremely high heels (I’m barely 5’2”), so my feet have been good to me – no issues with bunions, heel spurs or falling arches and my shoe collection hasn’t put me into debt. My secret shoe acquisition would be a pair of Louboutins – maybe one day
November 24, 2009 at 9:51 pm
I have several pairs of shoe. Some call it a fetish. I just like to look nice and shoes help that. BUT, I don’t spend a ridiculous amount on them. Many of them are designer, good quality and wear and last well. I am SAVING for a pair of Christian Louboutin’s. Saving being the key word. They are a reward for my weight loss goal and I don’t get to buy them until I reach the goal. I figure if I save the money over the next 6 months, my weight loss goal should be able to follow!
Gail’s point is that too many people buy frivolity (shoes) on credit and then complain they have no money or can’t buy food because pay day is Friday.
I am so glad I watch TDDUP and found this blog. It has truly changed the way I view money and stuff!
November 25, 2009 at 1:43 am
mmmm…Fluevogs. I have three pairs. All retailed for $250 plus. My price? No more than $70 a pair, all bought on ebay. What did we do before ebay anyway?
I think a lot of people assume when they buy expensive, quality shoes that the money is well spent because they’ll last forever, and they’ll wear them forever. But it’s only hindsight that proves this – plenty of expensive, quality items do fall apart or fall out of style. I’ve has $100 shoes that barely lasted a year, and $20 shoes that lasted four.
November 25, 2009 at 1:54 am
Gail – The moral of your story reminded me of something my mum used to say to me when I first started out on my own…. “if you think you can afford to spend your money on that crap, why aren’t you saving more?” Hmmm….. yet a different way of looking at it I guess. I took her up on her sound advise and now, 20 years later, have more than $500,000 in savings and no debt other than my mortgage which will be paid off in less than 5yrs. Needless to say, I could care less what people think of my shoes (or anything else) especially when I check out the status of my accounts.
BTW – like the new look to your site. Keep up the great work!
November 25, 2009 at 6:57 am
My 8 yr-old daughter decided that 3 pairs of shoes are needs, any after that are wants. I tend to agree with her.
The way I read it, Gail is not saying there is anything wrong with buying good quality shoes. Not at all.
She is questioning why a person would spend loads of unsaved money on a pair of brand-name shoes when it leaves them poor in other areas.
It also seems she is commenting on how easy it is to fall into the trap of going for immediate gratification versus having to endure the sometimes agonisingly slow time it takes until a person gets the thrill of seeing a large savings account.
And I don’t think she is talking specifically about shoes – they are just an easy way of illustrating a point.
November 25, 2009 at 9:11 am
Folks,
It’s not the amount necessarily you spend, it’s the quantity. If you own only 3 pairs of shoes one black, one brown, one pair boots, and they cost $200 each..that’s okay…but fess up ladies….how many of you out there only own 3 pairs of shoes.
My wife alone has more than 10 at an average cost of $125 per pair…do the math folks.
Gail is trying to point out consumeritis…..buying elaborate stuff at mass quantities = personal ruin.
As I said…What you own will eventually own you! Question is….how conforting will it be to have all those shoes when you’re living in a car…not very….
November 25, 2009 at 10:45 pm
as a guy, I just don’t understand what’s with women and shoes. My girlfriend is also an example of this. There has to be something similar with men that women don’t understand. Maybe an obsession with electronics?
November 26, 2009 at 5:31 am
There is a saying that “Clothing is an art of expressing one’s personality”. This saying holds a great truth in itself. This is why people pay so much attention on their clothes. Every person with their personal dress will show qute different out of thousands of peoples.
November 28, 2009 at 10:04 pm
I keep saying I don’t have much footwear, but they do add up quickly after a while. But I bet these are not the type of footwear you’re thinking of!
- one pair of business shoes
- one pair of running shoes for everyday
- one pair of old running shoes for dirty work
- one pair of hiking boots
- one pair of sandals for when it is hot
- one pair of dressy half-boots
- one pair of heels
- one pair of winter boots
- one pair of crocs to wear as river shoes
- two pairs of moccasins
My partner has:
- one pair of work boots
- one pair of hiking boots
- one pair of dress shoes
- one pair of sandals
- one pair of running shoes for everyday
- one pair of old running shoes for dirty work
- one pair of cowboy boots
- one pair of slippers
- one pair of winter boots
As you can see, we’re not exactly shoe fanatics. Many of these pairs of footwear have been around a long, long time. And still we have 20 pairs for two people!
November 29, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Elvin, I have:
- 1 pair of running shoes (around $80)
- 1 pair of black dress shoes (gift from my mom)
- 2 pairs of flip flops (for wearing out / wearing in the apartment; these were gifts or purchases at $3)
- 1 pair of brown canvas slip ons (to replace my previous pair that I wore through, for $15)
- 1 pair of croc-like shoes for vacations / rainy days when I don’t want my running shoes soaked through ($10)
- 1 pair of winter boots ($85)
- 1 pair of heels (to wear with dresses – $30)
Total: 8 different pairs. When something gets worn out, I look for a replacement pair, but I don’t actively hunt for shoes! My dress shoes were probably around the $150 mark, but they’ve served their purpose for more than 3 years now, with regular wearing. I’ll have to replace them within the year, but paying more for something that is going to last beyond one season isn’t unreasonable. Would I pay that much for flip flops? No, they have a different purpose, and aren’t being worn for at least 9 hours a day, nor do I need to be able to run for a bus in them!
February 20, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I like your content on your website, but it looks as though your RSS feed is offline? Maybe it has something to do with your host. I just thought from webmaster to webmaster I would warn you of this problem so you don’t miss out on potential subscribers! If it still works for you have a friend try it, could be blocking external connections.