April 9 - white/cream? slingbacks

What:  size 8 white/cream slingbacks with bow
From:  Talbots (outlet)
Purchased:  early 00s
Cost:  $15

Huh, I thought these were a match to my pink slingbacks, but they're not.  I am pretty sure I got these earlier, and I sort of remember my friend Kdot was on the shopping excursion with me, which means it might even be very early 00s.   I've had them a long time and they've never been worn.  They were on the "as is" racks at the talbots clearance store, because there is a tiny rip in one slingback strap.  The rip is negligible, and I thought they'd be a good shoe to have on hand.  But I just rarely wear white/cream.  Are these white or are they cream?  I don't even know, I guess a very light cream.  Eh, I'll employ the same logic I used when I bought them - you can't go wrong with a solid pair of cream shoes in your wardrobe.  I guess. 

Bottom line:  keeper

April 5 - super frustrating pumps

What:  size 7.5 loafer-style red and taupe suede pumps with bow
From: Franco Sarto (purchased online from SmartBargains.com 
Purchased:  '04-'06
Cost:  $30

Oh, these shoes annoy me.  Why in the world did I think 7.5s were a good idea purchased online without trying them on?  You guessed it - too tight.  I stalked these and the black suede ones and got both in 7.5.  And I don't know why I didn't try to return them.  The ever-present hope that the next time I put them on they'll actually fit?  I'm also a sucker for red/brown combos. 

I marched around with these today and they are tight.  Are they too tight?  I got rid of the black ones (which were really, really tight).  I have this unreasonable hope that suede shoes can be stretched.  Bah.  I can't admit the error of this purchase, too.  They are cute. 

Bottom line:  keeper - will take them to be stretched next fall and we'll see if there's any hope

March 19 - there is really no hope for me at all

What:  size 8 black pointy toe pumps with low heel
From:  Talbots (outlet)
Purchased:  March 19, 2011
Cost:  $23

Uh.  Yeah.  So.  Listen, I've been really, really good lately.  I've stayed out of stores even during the end of winter clearance sales.  I've studiously avoided trying on shoes.  I've stalked but not purchased.  I have been frugal.  And, well, we all have our breaking points, and mine came with the "extra 10% off clearance prices at the outlet" e-mail.  Saturday morning Rich took the kids to E's dance class and I escaped to the Talbots Clearance store.  The day before, I had written about discarding a perfectly good pair of black suede pumps because they were too tight, and so I had in my head how difficult it was for me to find plain, simple black shoes at a cheap price and how I never quite have the right plain, simple black pump.  And so when I saw these on the clearance rack, I grabbed them.  And they also had them in grey suede, which I was of course more drawn to, but I thought, no, if I get these I am getting them in black because that is practical and I could actually use them and although no one with over 180 pairs of shoes needs any more shoes, you could almost make the argument that I needed these.  Ok, that's stretch, but still - $23!  (stay tuned tomorrow and the next day as I justify TWO MORE NEW PAIRS OF SHOES!)

I wore these out ot a party that same Saturday night and they are awesome!  Very comfy.



Um, yes, you might remember that plain-ish black pumps started this whole shoe blogging thing.  But these are different - they have a lower heel, and a pointy toe (instead of almond toe).  Totally different!












Pair #4 for 2011.  There is no hope for me.

Uh, I said I was going to do one shoe in one shoe out in 2011, so um, I'm counting the black suede ones I discarded last week against these! (shut up: my blog, my rules!)

Bottom line:  keeper!

March 18 - dusty black blah shoes

What:  size 8 black loafers
From:  Easy Spirit (from who knows where)
Purchased:  Yowza- late 90s?  maybe early 00s?
Cost:  No idea - let's guess $32

Wow - so tucked in the very bottom pocket of the closet shoe organizer in my closet I found these, totally covered with dust.  I had completely forgotten I had them.  Uh, though now cataloging all my shoes, it seems I have a fair number of fairly boring black loafer-type shoes.  These, these, and these.  Know how I found those links?  Searched on "boring." Whoa - and there's also this pair of black loafer style.  These kind of remind me of these red ones, which I think I got at about the same time, maybe.  I think I got these after the first pair I linked.  Hmm.  Does anyone need this many pair of vaguely unsatisfying black shoes?  No, of course not.  I should get rid of these, especially because the AK Anne Klein ones from '09 are nicer, though they have stitching and a buckle so not quite a simple as these.  But come on, functionally they are the same shoe.  Ok, I am going to discard these, but I do want to see them all lined up together on April 8th, jsut to see it all in totality! 

Bottom line:  discard! 

March 14 - nude slingbacks redux

What:  size 8 nude/taupe slingbacks
From:  Talbots (outlet)
Purchased:  mid-late 00s
Cost:  guessing about $24 but really not sure

So, going through the shoes in my underbed thing which holds brown shoes.  Nude shoes are HOT right now - I've gotten a bunch of spring e-mails/catalogs that have entire pages devoted to nude shoes, so I'm glad I'm sorting them all out.  Prior to this current nude trend, I would have called these taupe-colored, and quite honestly I've never known what to really wear with them.  I have a skirt that sort of matches this color, but now that nudes are everywhere, I have a lot more options.  Except for the fact that I am a color person, not a nude person.  (I was looking at a catalog yesterday from Restoration Hardware and I had to put it down because it was giving me a headache because every page was so bland and neutral - photo after photo of gorgeous furniture just crying out for a throw pillow or something in a color other than some shade of sand/taupe/khaki/brown). 

Anyway, last week I put a different pair of older nude slingbacks into this underbed shoe thing, and looking at them today I just thought - what is the difference in these two shoes?  The older ones a little bit cheesy and frumpy with the bow, so I think they are going to go.  Funny how sorting shoes out by color/style/season illustrates my overlaps!  Cannot wait til April 8th and the big shoe sort!

Bottom line:  Keeper

March 9 - uh oh!

What: size 8 black 2.5 inch heeled sandals
From: Nine West – I think maybe an outlet purchase?
Purchased: mid ‘90s
Cost: ~$30

So these are a match to my seafoam sandals, and I just never got around to wearing the black ones this past summer.  They've been crammed in my shoe wardrobe-y thing for years.   And so can you see what's happened?  The toes have totally curled up.

I hate to get rid of them, but I just don't think a) they can recover from the curl and b) they are really, truly worth saving.  I still have (and still love) the seafoam ones, but they've never been perfectly comfortable shoes.  And they are really old, and these black ones are really beat up.  I think I should ditch them.

I am really excited to lay out my entire shoe collection, though, because I think the state of my black shoes is really going to stun me - I think most of my black shoes are in really bad shape and need to go, but I've held onto them.  Black shoes, as I've written before, aren't as easy to find as a super bargain.  Super bargains are reserved for odder shoes that are left over.  I really do feel like I need to do a major upgrade of my black sandals.


Bottom line:  I want to see all my black sandals together, so I will hold onto these until April 8th, but I think they are going to go.

March 8 - too tight!

What:  size 7.5 black suede pumps with stitching bow detail
From:  Van Eli (purchased online from SmartBargains.com)
Purchased:  '04-'06
Cost:  $25

Oh man.  Still working on the shoe wardrobe piece of furniture.  I hate admitting these failures.  These are among the first shoes I cyber stalked - saw these and another couple of pairs on an online site and they were a great bargain.  And so I bought them, because I am on a lifelong quest for basic black pumps.  I just cannot get it right, though.  Soon after Elizabeth was born, my interest in shoes began to grow exponentially - I think it definitely has something to do with not gaining weight in the feet, so shoes nearly always fit. Plus I had that co-worker who became a friend who teased me about my shoe collection, while I feigned horror at her shoe collection (well, I wasn't feigning all that much as she seriously owned the worse shoes ever). 

Anyway, so there I was paying a lot of attention to shoes, found these online, and went back and forth on ordering the 7.5s or 8s.  Today I'd definitely order 8s, but I really am slightly in between those sizes.  So I went with 7.5s.  And they really are too tight.  I wore them once to work thinking, oh suede, they'll stretch just fine.  But yowza, they were painful.  They've been sitting in the shoe wardrobe thing-y for years and I just need to admit they are not magically going to stretch out.

Ouch!

Bottom line:  Sigh.  This pains me.  Discard........

March 6 - the last of the green sandals

What:  size 8 green sandals with bead detail
From:  Talbots (outlet)
Purchased:  '03-'04
Cost:  $20 - dont' remember exactly but they were cheap

The last pair of green sandals!  Well, I have (had!) three pairs of virtually identical light green sandals.  And another pair of green wedges.  And then these.  I snapped them up for cheap at the Talbots outlet, and they are perfectly comfy and fit well.  But, the heel on the left shoe needs to be repaired, so I haven't worn them in this challenge.

These also are not the most practical shoe - I wore these at my last office job, and they are stylish and look good.  But those beads?  Turns out if you walk down a quiet, carpeted hallway, all you hear with each step is chk chk chk chk chk chk.  Annoying!  More than once I had people leave their office to see what was making that noise.  Not the right shoe for the office, then.  But a great dressier sandal. 

Bottom line:  keeper, though they need to be repaired!

March 5 - blue strappy

What:  size 8 blue strappy sandals with rosette strap
From:  Unisa (bought unknown)
Purchased:  2001-02
Cost:  don't remember.  A bargain, though - you can still see a tiny bit of red sticker on the right shoe.  I kinda have this feeling I got these at a place like Nordstrom Rack, but really don't know.  Let's guess $20

Love these shoes!  Wore them for my friend Kdot's wedding.  (Love that Kdot let us chose our own shoes, so I could wear something snazzy!)They are great.  Well, they are mostly great.

Can you see, in the picture above that my pinky toe does not quite fit in the strap across my toes?  It sort of almost sneaks in there, but really, it's not contained by the toe strap.  Sigh.  The only thing worse than wide feet is narrow feet, as my friend Elaine can confirm.  I still like them, and they still work fine enough.

Bottom line:  keeper

March 3 - pink slingbacks

What:  size 8 pink slingbacks with bow
From:  Talbots (outlet)
Purchased:  mid 00s, I think?
Cost:  hmm, guessing around $24

I'm working my way through my shoe wardrobe (the actual physical wardrobe piece of furniture, that is) jsut trying to wrap this up before April 8 - can I do it?  Will I make it before final decision day? 

Anyway, these.  They are fine.  But I do not have many occasions to wear them.  I actually have a sweater and a skirt the exact shade of pink.

Why yes, I did graduate from high school in the 80s, how did you know?  There is something I do not love about the outfit though.  Partly it's the matchy matchy. You could not be more matchy match if you tried.  Well, only if I had the shell for the sweater set (which I do not own) - I usually wear a white shirt under the sweater.  Things are supposed to go, not completely match anymore.  I get that.  But there is no other color in this outfit besides black - so what color goes?  Green, maybe?  Just stick with black since there's a lot of bright stuff already happening?  In any case, these shoes are perfectly fine and heck, I just have to find a different out for which they go, not match! 

Bottom line:  keeper

February 28 - another black slingback

What: size 8 black slingbacks with 2.5 inch heel
From: Liz Claiborne (bought at some outlet, somewhere)
Purchased: early 00s
Cost: not entirely sure. I have them in lilac, too, so couldn't have paid much for them. My memory is still fuzzy, but I kind of vaguely think they were super cheap, like $15, but let's say $20 to be more reasonable

So, just trying to wrap up February and grabbed these out of the closet. I showed the lilac ones in November. These have gotten more wear than the lilac ones, which I've never actually worn.

The heel is a little bit tight, I'm remembering is the problem with them. I have to put bandaids on my heels so the elastic doesn't cut into them. But other than that problem, which is not insignificant over a long day, but not insurmountable, either, there's nothing terribly wrong with them. Nothing great about them, either, though.

So this raises a question for me - do you think shoes need to be 100% comfortable from the get go? How much pain are you willing to endure for shoes? See, I've been e-mailing Elaine who returns shoes that might cause blisters. I used to work with a friend who insisted shoes had to be 100% comfortable from day 1. What do you think? I feel like there's a certain level of discomfort that comes with many shoes, and you mitigate as much as possible, treat injuries, (band-aids are your friend) and after a couple of wearings your foot gets used to the way that particular shoe rubs and off you go. So every fall, when I switch back to closed back shoes, I know my heels will hurt a bit for a week or so, and every spring, when I start wearing shoes that are strappier, I expect minor sore spots or blisters til I adjust again. I'm no sadist - shoes should not injure you (like the scar I still bear from June 1, the first day of this shoe experiment!), but I've always kept a box of band aids in my work desk. And I have plenty of shoes that never cause any sort of hurt (beloved grey booties, for example). But do I accept a higher level of pain than you do?

Back to these - bottom line: keeper, for now

February 27 - red loafers

What: size 8 red leather tassel loafers with heel
From: Ann Taylor (outlet)
Purchased: '02-03
Cost: $30

I bought these at an Ann Taylor outlet store in Gilroy, CA! Business trip to Monterey, oh I miss those. The business trips, and the old AT outlets. Ann Taylor outlets used to carry old product from Ann Taylor (and LOFT) stores, but now they've been branded Ann Taylor Factory Stores and they carry products made specifically for the outlet store. Hate that! Where do they sell all their left over merchandise now? I used to get some good bargains, but alas no more.

Anyway, these were always a hair too tight, so I'm going to actually get rid of them. And look what I've done:
The shoe rack in Elizabeth's room is done! Totally cleaned off! Wohoo!

But look what else I've done:
The discard pile right by the door in our bedroom. Making me crazy. I've got to get this stuff donated.

You know why it's (relatively) easy to get rid of these? Because I still have these. I don't even need TSM to see the overlap here.

Bottom line: discard!

February 21 - boots the third

What: size 8 pleather tall black boots
From: unknown - these were a no name brand purchased at a discount shoe place (famous shoes? Something like that - the store at Potomac Yards)
Purchased: '03-'05?
Cost: $50

I seriously cannot believe I would buy boots and hold onto them, not letting older pairs go. These are the third pair of black boots I've purchased (over ~10 years), after the first two had become totally worn. Pair #2 had really become unwearable, and I desperately needed a new pair but didn't want to spend a lot of money, so another pair of pleather boots. These are actually pretty worn, too - the pleather is starting to crack and peel a bit. But, they are also quite stretchy, and given my right calf problems, I need stretchier boots, so here we go again, I've stashed these in the boot box under my bed. I really should discard these, but they have an out of the way place to live, so I'll see where things are next fall (ie, what fits my calves!) when I pull out my boots.

Funny, you can see the progression of style in the boots - Pair 1, chunky heel, squared off toe. Pair 2, slightly rounded toe, less chunky heel. These, pair 3, still less chunky heel, almost point toe.

Bottom line: on the fence

February 20 - old boots

What: size 8 tall black boots
From: unknown - label worn
Purchased: mid-late 90s
Cost: ?? don't remember. Guessing $60

So I wrote recently I hardly wore traditional pumps anymore. It's because in the late 90s, the tall boots and skirt look really took off. In my work career, early on, especially in the winter, I wore pumps a lot with hose. But, in the late 90s, pumps and hose went out of style, in favor of tights and tall boots. Love that look. These were the first pair of tall boots I bought. I took advantage of some free time over Presidents Day weekend to check out the boot box under my bed, and found these. I totally forgot I still had them. I wore the heck out of them over years, and then bought these, which I discarded in the summer (not really - I actually put them in the hallway, to be discarded, where they got covered with a pile of other stuff, so technically I threw them away yesterday! That is sad.). Anyway, just looking over that long ago July post (for the love of Pete! I've been blogging my shoe collection for over 6 months!!), it's clear I had forgotten about my original pair. I bought these first, then when they became worn bought the ones from July. And believe it or not, I bought my third pair of tall black boots, then my fourth (!), all while still holding onto the previous pairs! Ridiculous! So the second chronological pair have been trashed, and now the first pair have been placed in the donate pile, which is a giant stack right by the door of my bedroom that is starting to drive me crazy! CRAZY.

I have GOT to get the stuff I want out of the house actually OUT OF THE HOUSE. That would help, a lot.

Bottom line: TBD - to be donated!

February 19 - new boots

What: size 8W black suede wedge tall boots
From: Naturalizer (online)
Purchased: November 28, 2010
Cost: $80

My 22nd and final purchase of 2010! Love these. In the early fall, my friend Elaine sent me an e-mail asking about some boots on the Naturalizer site, and I spied these. I cyber-stalked them for a bit - all my tall black boots are in bad shape. Also, I doubt my friend Therese remembers this, but the first time I met her (we worked at sister organizations) she was wearing a pair of black wedge boots, and I've wanted a pair ever since. I was intrigued by these because they came in a wide shaft option. I have a confession to make. My right calf has always been larger than my left calf, but since having Elizabeth, the disparity has become even more pronounced. My right calf is now a full inch wider than my left. Which means, over the next few postings, I'm about to show you a whole series of fabulous boots that don't fit me. It is infuriating. I don't know if getting into shape will help or not, but I'm not willing to give up on my boot collection.

So, anyway, I needed new tall black boots. When at my inlaws for Thanksgiving, I was able to visit an actual Naturalizer store (not an outlet), and I found these in 7.5 W, in the regular width shaft. With a 20% off coupon, they were $80. And they mostly fit. Tight, but zippable. But tight enough that I felt I should check out the extended shaft opening. They were offering free shipping, and it hit me that since there are no stores in DC, there would be no tax. So I ordered 8W extended shaft from the website (they didn't have any 7.5s). And then I dithered for a couple of weeks, which is why they weren't worn in 2010. Ultimately, I kept the extended shaft - theoretically, I could possibly even wear them with jeans tucked in. In theory. These are great, though, it's nice to have them, and I've definitely enjoyed rocking the short skirt, tights, tall boots look.

Bottom line: keeper!

February 19 - blue pumps

What: size 8 navy blue pumps with lizard accent and bow
From: Ellen Tracy
Purchased: January 2009
Cost: $28

Since I wrote about my kinda crappy blue pumps, I thought I should pull out my nice new blue pumps that hav never been worn, bought in my shoe extravaganza of 2009. These are really nice, and were a great buy, even if I've never had the occasion to wear them. Maybe this spring I'll try and busy out more blue. These are too nice to remain in the box.

Bottom line: Keeper

February 16 - shootie #1, or why do the shoe gods hate me??

What: size 8 grey shooties with buckle
From: Liz Claibourne (Marshalls)
Purchased: January 2011
Cost: $20 - on clearance

OK, folks, these were the second pair of shoes that I bought in 2011, and I wasn't sure about them. They are cute, but Liz Claiborne isn't a great brand, and besides, I was coveting the expensive Naya shooties. I bought these January 17th, with a 30 day return policy.

And then I found the Naya shooties on super sale. If the Naya shoes were perfect, I didn't need another pair. But if the Naya shoes were not perfect, these might be a good alternate. Sob! You see, the deadline for returning these was fast approaching, and my Naya shoes were not showing up. The last time I ordered online from Naturalizer, the shoes arrived in two days. I had taken to screaming at odd times: "where are my new shoes?!" (I've never claimed to be easy to live with). I consulted Rich, and he said, just keep these, they were cheap, they look good. So I decided to wear them on the 16th (also, still have not fixed heels of grey short boots). And they are pretty cool, and I do like them and am glad I kept them.

BECAUSE: Naturalizer broke my heart. Broke. My. Heart. On the 17th, I got an e-mail saying my order was canceled (sic) due to lack of inventory! Let's just say distraught doesn't begin to cover my disappointment. After a period of mourning what could have been, I am back to cyber stalking. I've found the Naya shoes on one site for $80, plus $10 shipping. And at this point in my non-working life I can't justify that purchase. And, I do have these. They are fine. I like them fine. And, if not for the heartbreak caused by Naturalizer, I might have been able to say I love them. But alas, they will forever be linked to second place, good enough status, which isn't really fair to them. But such is life.

Bottom line: keeper

February 15 - wow these are old

What: size 7.5 black suede mary jane pumps with decorative stitching
From: Unlisted (I think I bought these in FL at the department store Parisian)
Purchased: early 90s!
Cost: $25

I had to peel these off the shoe rack in Elizabeth's room. I should have gotten rid of them years ago - I think these might be the last pair of shoes I still own from when I lived in Florida for grad school. Or it's possible I bought them my first year in DC. I loved these shoes. LOVED them. They are destroyed. I've long thought of getting rid of them but have held on for sentimental reasons. Sigh. It will be hard to part with them.

Bottom line: still on the fence, but know they have to go

February 14 - blues

What: size 7.5 navy fabric pumps
From: Nina (likely Hechts or Lord and Taylor)
Purchased: hmmm. Late 90s
Cost: another guess, hope I didn't pay more than $30 for them!

Cleaning off the rack in E's room, and pulled these off. These are old - the shoes are stiff and dry and maybe don't have any life in them. But they also fit ok, and there's nothing objectively or specifically wrong with them, other than I never wear pumps anymore (and didn't even when I worked in an office, I'm just not really a pumps person anymore). I can't believe how many failed blue shoes I own (or once owned, as I've discarded many). Good lord! 4 pairs discarded! Clearly I have a problem with blue. I think I used to wear more blue, and now no longer do? Or given how many pairs I discarded that had barely been worn (if at all!), I think I think I should own blue shoes but I don't really need blue shoes. For example, I know I have a very nice pair of blue shoes still in the box purchased in my Jan '09 shoe frenzy (5 pairs in less than 30 days all from L&T - I write about this a lot because I think that was the first time I ever really thought I had a shoe problem). They are low heeled pointy toe, stylish navy blue, and I've never worn them, and quite possibly they might be the only navy shoes I would ever need, as they'll work across the seasons and with a variety of outfits, should I ever need to wear blue shoes (they are similar to these grey shoes, but not identical). I'm trying to type myself into discarding these, as my original intention was to keep them.

OK, I've come close to the discard line, but I think I'm going to put these on the fence. I think I need to look at the shoes altogether, at the end of this process, with observers, and then my bet is these will go.

Bottom line: on the fence

February 13 - another quest for casual comfort

What: size 8 light tan loafers with stitching and bow
From: Jennifer Moore (a Hecht's store brand, I think)
Purchased: '02 or '03
Cost: $25

A guess on cost. But yet, after the past few shoes I've put up, it's clear I've been on a long-term quest for casual yet comfortable. Here's attempt #184, it seems. I just cannot figure out the right casual, yet comfortable and walkable, dressier than sneakers shoe.

I remember I took these on trip to visit my friend K in Virginia Beach in early spring 2003, and she suggested we go for a walk on the boardwalk. And when my friend K walks, she walks. Several miles. I hadn't brought many shoes with me, so when I came downstairs with these she suggested I try something else. I think I might have borrowed sneakers from her for our long, cold walk.

Undecided on these. They aren't super comfortable, but do fit. There is something a little interesting about them. Any thoughts?

Bottom line: keeper, for now. Am actually really starting to look forward to lining up all my shoes for an audience (of one right now - TSM), because I think that might help cull.