April 10 - more flip flops

What:  size 8 pink/green flip flops
From:  ??  there's no label and I am drawing a blank
Purchased:  mid 00s
Cost:  ?? unknown.  Guessing $15

Found this one at the bottom of my closet, still seeking the left shoe.  So I have orange flips flops that are (or were) perfect - slight wedge heel, comfy wide straps.  I have worn the hell out of those flip flops and they are in danger of falling apart.  And ever since buying them, I've been seeking a replacement pair, with little luck.  The purple ones are too high.  These are super cute, and the heel and platform heights are just right, with a cork bottom for extra support.  The straps, though, are NOT comfy - so narrow they really cut into your feet.  And then I refuse to pay more than $15 for flip flops, so I pass up flops that might actually work and get worn.  I should throw them all out and start all over.  Hmm, did I do that during shoe-maggeddon?  Stay tuned to find out!

This is shoe 198, y'all!  

Bottom line:  keeper, for now

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

March 1 - pink sneaks

What:  size 8 pink slip on sneakers
From:  AK Anne Klein (Lord & Taylor)
Purchased:  2004
Cost:  $40

So I have these in red, and when I wrote about the red ones I said I couldn't find the pink ones.  They turned up shoved under my dresser.  Oh, how I freaking wish AK Anne Klein still made them.  So I had the red ones, they got totally overworn, and I bought the pinks ones, relegating red to gardening or painting.  These pink ones have since become utterly and totally completely worn.  But I love them and they are totally comfortable, and I've never successfully found a replacement shoe.  I should ditch both the red ones and the pink ones, but the lack of replacement is holding me back.  Now having a dog again I am dying for a pair of slip on sneakers for quick trips outside.  Bah. 

Bottom line:  still on the fence, for both.  I need to just trash both of them. 

November 27 - pink bows

What: size 8 pink satin peeptoe slingbacks with bows
From: Talbots (outlet)
Purchased: 2008 +/- 1 year
Cost: $20

I had seen these at Talbots and took note of them, but they were way too expensive and impractical. But then I ran across them in the outlet clearance center, and they were super cheap and still totally impractical, but I had to have them. So cute. I wore them to a black tie event in NYC in 2009, and then again this day to a wedding. Totally comfy (heel is not too high), totally cute, still pretty impractical. But you never know when you might have a chance to wear hot pink satin shoes with cute little bows on them! I hope to have many more chances.

Bottom line: keeper!

October 3 - pink heels

What: size 8 pink croc 2.5 inch heeled pumps
From: Bandolino (TJ Maxx)
Purchased: mid 00s
Cost: $30

These are great basic pumps, perfectly comfortable mid height heel. Love 'em, but you know, you can't wear pink pumps every day. The heels on these are black, while the other pink shoes I just wore have brown heels, so I always think of these as complementary pairs. I wore them to church with black pants, a pink cotton shirt, and a black sweater.

Bottom line: keeper!

September 14 - pink patent sandals

What: Size 8 pink patent leather low heeled sandals
From: talbots (outlet)
Purchased: Late 90s
Cost: Guessing $25

Since I wore the white ones the day before, I decided to go with the matching pink ones the next day. I used to wear these ALL the time. I had a yellow skirt with pink flowers that matched. I loved these shoes. And then I did what I do - put them in the closet storage and didn't wear them for years. In 2008 I bought a pair of sandals that I thought could be a replacement for these, but they don't quite fill this same niche.

Even though the heels are a bit chunky, I don't think they are terribly out of style? What do you think? I think, after wearing them, plus wearing their match, they've gone from probably discard to probably keep. Hmmm.

Oh, and for both days I'm just guessing on how much they cost. I got them at the outlet, and I got two pairs at once back when I was flat broke and paying off student loans, so I wouldn't be surprised if they cost $10 each. But since I can't remember, I'll go with a more average price.

Bottom line: keeper, for now

September 12 - pink kittens

What: Size 8 pink kitten heel loafers with tassel
From: Ann Taylor
Purchased: 2005
Cost: $40

Love these shoes. Super cute, comfy. The toes have gotten a little worn, but still in decent enough shape. I think I got these when I was pregnant, and the only pleasure in shopping was for shoes.

I also think they carried these in either black or brown, can't remember which now, but I snagged them off the sale rack and the neutral color was long gone in size 8, so I settled for pink, and I've gotten a lot of wear out of them.

Bottom line: Keeper!

August 23 - first day of school needs pink shoes

What: Pink flower ballet flats, size 8
From: Talbots
Purchased: Aug 1, 2010
Cost: $40

Yes. I bought them. My 14th pair this year. I had been coveting them for a long time. Coveting! And I get paid monthly, and the first of the month I went out and bough them at $40, which is really too high (especially since I bought these, too). And, the very next day they were marked down to $25. Laurie asked a very good question, why not just go in for a price adjustment? Believe me, I am - or used to be - the queen of price adjustments or returns and repurchases. But now, stupid Talbots has instituted a final sale policy. Once they reach a certain point of markdown, items become final sale. This made me nervous they were running out (particularly of the flip flops), and I had seen no signs of these shoes at the outlets. So I bought them. And then they were marked down further, and I was stuck. Lesson learned. But - stupid Talbots is becoming super annoying with their policies. I pointed out several pairs of lovely shoes (gee, the month of my birthday, hmm) I would love at great prices, and then - they re-raised the prices! So these are now back to $50, and all the other shoes I pointed out recently are roughly twice as much as at their lowest price point. So see, they are trying to out-trick their savvy bargain hunting customers. They won this round. But overall I'm still pretty much ahead. I really should have held out on these - they still have a ton on the website in a rainbow of colors. I think I'm satisfied with pink.

Anyway, wanted something kicky and fun for the first day of school, even if I was just doing drop off and pick up. Still needed to dress to impress, even if that is verging on borderline crazy (I'm trying to impress the other k students? The other moms? The teachers? I don't know, and let's just not talk about it anymore). So these were fun. Even if they did - you guessed it - wear some blisters! (hey, a week of crocs and no foot is in any shape to be confined!)

I didn't realize until we were walking home that Elizabeth was also in her new pink Lands End shoes. Everyone needs a pop of fun color on the first day.

Bottom line: keeper!

July 30 - hot pink

What: size 8, 2.5 inch pink patent leather/raffia sandals
From: Impo (?) bought at DSW
Purchased: late summer '08
Cost: $28

By late summer '08, I was sick to death of the same shoes I kept wearing over and over, and took myself off to DSW for some retail therapy, and bought these. And, this is the first time I've worn them. They were sort of to replace another pair of pink patent sandals I have that are nearly worn out, but it turns out I rarely wore those anymore (or at least was no longer wearing their matching outfit), so could never find anything to wear with these. These are pretty styling. Like them. Kind of limiting with the hot pink patent, but they work great with the right outfit (which I do not think I was wearing, actually, but I'll find something better).

Seriously, I own too many pairs of shoes. I cannot keep up. If I have enough pairs to wear a different one every day, how in the world can I wear each pair more than once or twice a year (and yet, still whenever I discard a pair or wear a pair for only part of the day, the flip flops come out!). I have GOT to get rid of more, or stop consuming. (ok, yes, this rant is partially fueled by the knowledge that I bought more shoes this weekend. Stay tuned).

Botton line: keeper

July 28 - functional but pink

What: size 7.5 pink trekkers
From: Lands End
Purchased: last week!
Cost: $14.99

Daggone, that is a crappy picture. My 10th pair of shoes purchased this year, extensively documented here. Cute. Mostly comfy, though they started to wear a sore on my right heel. (even comfy shoes have to be broken in).

Bottom line: keeper!

July 11 - pink/orange

What: size 8 pink/orange 2 inch strappy sandals
From: Talbots (outlet)
Purchased: '03/'04
Cost: ~$30

Love these sandals. I keep thinking I should take pics with a better camera than the iphone, but it's sooo easy to get the photos off the iphone I persist with slightly crappy shots. It's hard to see but the straps are 2 small strips of pink and orange leather, sewn together to make one strap. Love them. Love that color combination. Always received compliments on these when I wore them to my last office. I've worn them a lot - the front are a little beat up. For office wear, I have an organe twinset with pink trim that I used to wear a lot. Silly to wear a twinset at home in the summer, you know? We went out for brunch Sunday so pulled out these sandals along with a pink shirt I have. These shoes are so comfortable.

Bottom line: keeper

June 19 - futile quests

What: Size 8 slip on pink Keds
From: Keds - I think from Hecht's
Purchased: early 00's??
Cost: $15

I was talking to my mom about this shoe exercise and she said she had just read something about shoe decluttering that suggested you spread all your shoes out in a large area (hmm, not sure where I could do that - pics coming soon of my at least 5 shoe storage areas). Then, sort through them in total, and for every ten pairs of shoes you keep, get rid of one pair. Not a bad idea - a fairly gentle culling, actually 1 in 10. For more serious decluttering, the article suggesting tossing two pairs per ten. So on day 19, thus far I've placed on pair in the donation pile. (and btw, my scabs from that harrowing day 1 experience just fell off).

As I've said, I'm on a continual quest for comfy slips ons. Here's yet another try. I actually can't really remember where or when I got these. I feel like I got them at some outlets, but then it's also possible I've had them awhile and got them from Hecht's. I do know they were cheap as I wouldn't pay much for slip ons.

If I were forced to cull, I'd probably get rid of these. They don't fit quite right, they're not long enough (heel hangs out a bit), nor wide enough. And of course keds have no support. However, they are kind of cute in the picture. I've only worn them very sporadically. Here they are in May 07, when ELizabeth was just about Andrew's age now:
What do you think, gentle readers? Keep, as there's nothing wrong with them? Or donate, as there's nothing really right with them, either?

Bottom line: awaiting input, but leaning towards keeping

June 5 - twofer

What: Orange with white trim espadrilles, Size 8
From: Jones New York, outlet
Purchased: Fall '08
Cost: $6!

I think she rang them up incorrectly, actually. Bought these at the JNY outlet store mid-fall 2008, a way it's the end of the season sale. Wore them almost all summer last year, alternating with two other espadrilles. Perfect for summer weather, casual, comfy, and yet still stylish. My friend Lisa says you only get one season out of espadrilles, and that's pretty much true - once you walk in rain or puddles and the bottoms get wet and start absorbing water it's pretty much all over. But I am going to try to keep these going as long as possible!

Bottom line: we'll see how long they last before totally falling apart

What: pink 2 inch heeled sandals, size 7.5
From: Bandolino, Lord and Taylor
Purchased: summer '03 or '04
Cost: ~$20

Later Saturday I was at my 20th reunion dinner. I wore the espadrilles for the afternoon and brought a dress to wear for the dinner, and before we left I spent too much time at home searching for the left shoe from the black sandals I had been wearing with the dress. That left shoe was no where to be found - and the last time I remember seeing it, both shoes were on Elizabeth's feet. So who knows where it might be. But, the dress has pink in it, and I remembered I had pink sandals so grabbed these. I first bought them in black, size 8, and wore them OUT - those black ones were go-to shoes for a couple of summers. I really need to throw out the black ones because the fronts are torn up. Later that same summer, once summer sales really kicked in, I decided to get the pink ones, too. The black ones were slightly loose, so I decided to go down a half size, but the pink ones have always been too tight. They've never loosened (honestly, have any shoes ever really loosened?). But pink sandals fill a wardrobe need, so they will stay. Other famous last words of the shoe addicted: they're not that uncomfortable.

Bottom line: they're there when I need pink sandals. Will never be comfortable first choice, but they'll do when needed.