Perfectly defining the problem

So, I have a shoe buying situation that so perfectly captures exactly why I have so many shoes and why I rarely wear many of them. I'm over the gold wedges. Totally over - they are too high, and really cry out for a half inch platform (gee, now I'm designing shoes). But, I am still thinking about the purple ones. Here's a pic:
I even said I felt like I was in a purple phase. Still really interested in these.

And then, lo and behold, I was on the Lands End site and saw these. Shoot, can only put in teeny tiny picture that is blurry.
But essentially, they are flat purple/brown shoes. Not nearly as "cute" as the Talbots, but still interesting, charming in a utilitarian way. They even have a buckle. Chunkier. But! They are 9.99, plus another 10% off (through today), PLUS free shipping. They might be irresistable. But then I'm still thinking about the Talbots flats. The Lands End ones are more casual, and look like they could be worn with socks and in cooler weather (suede/quilted material), whereas these talbots ones are no socks flats. Despite their similarities, they'd be worn entirely differently.

You know what I'm going to do, don't you? I'm going to buy the Lands End (seriously, $9? How can I pass that up?). But I'm going to keep thinking about the Talbots ones, and I'll cave and buy them (most likely because I will see them for even cheaper at the outlet center), and then suddenly I've got TWO purple shoes with buckles and brown trim. This is precisely how I got into the situation of owning three pairs of virtually identical green shoes. No one needs purple shoes with brass buckles and brown trim, much less two oddly similar, yet stylistically different, pairs.

So that, in a nutshell, is me shopping. I'm going to lose all my friends because seriously, me shopping is more than a little quirky. One by one, you all are going to back away from me, eyes averted, trying not to make any sudden movements.

In other news, I've broken my 6 week fast - I bought a pair from Lands End earlier this week. These were $15, plus free shipping. One of my good friends, K., used to be my Talbots buddy (we still exchange e-mails discussing Talbots merchandise, policies, and general info, including one this week bitching about the new final sale policy). But once she became a stay at home mom, she cut back on Talbots. One day I asked her where she got her super cute green loafers and she clued me in to Lands End. Lands End has incredible sales, their clothes and shoes are practical, sturdy, and yet still retain a basic level of style, and their kids clothes really hold up well. End of season sales at Lands End, as is going on right now, are really, really good. Check out the overstocks section. And if you sign up for their e-mails, you get a free shipping code (sadly every.single.day., but it's easy enough to delete the e-mail). So anyway, saw these in a catalog at my sister in law's house, and J told me she had just bought them, and let me try on her size 7s, which actually almost fit, so I went with the 7.5s. They are winging their way to me now, along with a different pair of pink shoes for Elizabeth!
Yay! New shoes for me! Now, where am I going to put them?

*eta: OMG! The shoe gods are with me this week. Talbots just issued a Facebook offer for free shipping with no minimum purchase. And, they're down to $24. So, umm, that makes pairs 10, 11, and 12 this year on their way to me right now. (those wedges - now $23, are now tempting me again). Way to go Talbots! Have to give you props even though I am pissed about the final sale on internet/catalog purchases. Seriously, who buys final sale sight unseen? I'd buy if you offered a return for store credit.