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 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

November 20 - another lilac

What: size 8 lilac 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 black, too, so couldn't have paid much for them. My memory is fuzzy, but I kind of vaguely think they were super cheap, like $15, but let's say $20 to be more reasonable

Another pair of shoes, new in box, never worn, shoved up on the top shelf of my closet. I kind of like these, there's something interesting about the heel, and they are a pretty color. I bought them because they were cheap, but also because I had a pair of lilac mules I loved and wore often and wanted more lilac. But, I've never worn them. Not even once. I'm trying to finish out November by doing a big purge, but these are still exerting some pull. I have them in black, too, and they are not super comfortable, as I recall (I just pulled down the box and photo'ed, but didn't put them on).

Bottom line: a tough one. On the fence. Think I should ditch but hesitating.