Tuesday, April 30, 2013

How Many Shoes??

 
Most of us love shoes and have a few dozen.  Maybe 20, or 40 or 50.  That's normal, I believe.

I have a friend who collects shoes.  Emma has 300 pairs -- and mostly high-end brands like Christian Louboutin.  You might find that excessive but, for Emma, shoes are a passion, not just something to wear.  She displays them in her house like artwork.

How many pairs of shoes is too many?  Well, we finally have an answer to that burning question.  Last week, singer Celine Dion revealed in interviews that she has over 3,000 pairs of shoes.  3,000!  She admits shoes are an addiction for her.  She even buys shoes in the wrong size, simply to own them.

My question is -- where does she keep them?!  What closet could contain so many shoes?  Then again, she's rich so she probably built a new wing onto her house just for shoes.  Seems a bit crazy but, then, I'd display motorcycles in my living room if I could afford it.  :-)

On a side-note: Celine brags that her 2 year old son Nelson loves to wear her heels.  I applaud that.  Not every parent is so open-minded.

Last, you knew this question was coming -- How many pairs of shoes do you own??

33 comments:

  1. Wow, now I'm a huge shoe fan, but it's hard to imagine 3,000 pairs - that must, as you said, take up a staggering around of space (move over, Imelda Marco!).

    Much as I completely adore shoes, I have somewhat hard to fit feet (oddly high arches, ever-so-slightly uneven sized) and it's not uncommon for me to have to try on 100 or more pairs before I find one that's even remotely comfortable (a problem that was actually much worse when I was a child - I have one rough memory of shoe shopping when I was maybe 5 or 6 and being yelled at angrily by a relative because none of the shoes they put on my feet that day were fitting right, as if that was somehow my fault - *sigh*).

    As a result, I really don't have a particularly (by modern standards) shoe collection. Simply off the top of my head, I'd place it at about 20-25 pairs, which is actually up a lot over a couple of years ago, as I've really been trying to find more cute vintage appropriate styles while thrifting and the like that at least sort of comfortably fit.

    ♥ Jessica

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  2. I own too darn many, and don't wear far too many of them often enough, because they hurt my feet. I wear a US 12/UK 10, and cute shoes in those sizes are so hard to find that I cling like grim death to even the ones that hurt and are seldom worn.

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  3. Once I found inserts, stretchers, and cleaning items, my shoes last a lot longer. But they still don't go over $25. Maybe 50 pair of which I wear 10 regularly. I might need to think that over.

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  4. I am guilty, I own well over 200 pairs & I display them in my bedroom! My husband has the second bedroom closet & I have the master bedroom closet & racks I buit for my shoes. I'm obsessed! :)

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  5. I'm at exactly 20 pairs right now. I did a recent post on them, but I recently swapped my canvas house-flats for a pair of leather clogs (for better durability). And then won another pair on ebay (in the mail).

    I'd absolutely have more if I could afford to have more 'sometimes' shoes and had the storage space. But I've built a solid collection of shoes that I can walk all day in with one pair of sometimes boots that are still walkable, but not all day.

    I'm jealous of anyone who can buy shoes just to own them. I find many shoes that are just cool to look at, but aren't my size!

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  6. Where is Emma ? I have tried to find her blog as I use to read her and admire her shoes too, but I can no longer find her :(
    I use to have over 100 pairs but I am downsizing - now I have about 70, which i still think is too much.

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    1. Emma closed her blog last year, but I keep up with her on Facebook. If you want to find her there, e-mail me and I'll tell you her last name.

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  7. I have around 20 pairs including boots, I think. I'm going to chuck a few pairs that aren't working, though--I'm trying to be nicer to my feet and I'm not going to talk myself into wearing cute-but-uncomfortable pairs anymore! My comfiest pairs are some Born flats that I thrifted for $8. I probably won't get that good a deal again, but I'm going to start trawling eBay for another, more brightly-colored pair!

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  8. I love shoes! I probably own about 100 including summer and winter. My red ones are my faves. 3000 pair of shoes is crazy, but they are so beautiful!

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  9. I am probably one of those that has 'too many' as my number is close to 100. And sure enough I am running out of room and need to either weed them out or come up with a better storage idea. Also a red flag is when start forgetting what I have which didn't happen before.
    If you have easy feet that fits into most shoes it is dangerous. And sites like shoedazzle make it so easy and inexpensive to buy shoes on a whim to follow a trend. Should I be concerned that Zappos and shoedazzle have made me VIP without me asking for it?
    Daphne.

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  10. I have about 40 pairs (possibly more now, it's been awhile since I've done inventory). Man, I thought I had a lot, but I have nuthin' on your friend and Celine! I live in an apartment though, so I wouldn't have the room. I barely have the room for 40. I like to have my shoes all on display. I chuck the boxes and have them out on DVD racks at the moment. They take up less space than shoe racks and are nicer to look at.

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  11. I'm at 48 pairs, which is significantly down. Do I need 48? No. I feel 2 pairs of winter boots, one pair of rain boots, a flat, a heel and a casual pair each in black, brown and grey, a pair of quality runners and two pairs of sandals are likely all I really "need" so long as they are all QUALITY. As I age and my feet and knees can't handle the pain, I'm getting down and down in number, replacing the crazy impulse buy with the better quality pair, if they are replaced at all. Will I get down to the "need" for only 15 pairs? No. I do love shoes too much, and there are always times that need a colourful shoe, or a special strappy shoe where I'm willing to sacrifice comfort for appearance. While shoes can be works of art, they can also be instruments of torture!

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  12. Here's a glimpse, you can't see my flats because I am out of room & they are in bins! http://krystlemethod.blogspot.com/2013/03/new-shoe-rack.html

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  13. I have been so tempted to do the Celine, buying shoes that don't even fit just so I can have them and cherish them as art. Right now I think I only have maybe 20 pairs of shoes. I buy super cheap shoes so that I can buy more for less so my shoes are in constant rotation - new, wear, trash, new, wear, trash LOL!!

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  14. I have around 85 pairs - I love my shoes and want to wear them all, all the time! I would love to have beautiful shoes and display them around the house.

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  15. 300 pairs of shoes!!! Oh I wish! That is quite a collection. I think maybe 60-70 pairs which includes all my boots and stuff, but I am moving soon so currently down sizing and plan to get rid of loads as I just don't wear them anymore, I have a certain style at the moment and all the shoes I bought in my teens just arent me!

    Daisy Dayz

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  16. Wow!! Everyone has so many shoes!! I only have about 15 pairs and I feel so much better about it now! I actually thought I had a too many lolzzzz
    I can't say anything about Celine's shoe habit because I literally buy/keep clothes that are not my size just to have them... It's a tad ridiculous.
    Becky :)

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  17. I have around 20-25 pairs. I'm trying to get rid of most pairs of heels as I barely wear them. I must always have a pair of brogue boots and I have 2 pairs of low heels which I will never rid of. Because of my bunioned wide granny feet, I buy expensive Clarks shoes that last for years and are extremely well made. It does mean I'm restricted but my feet are terrible and I need to look after them. I love shoes but my feet don't love them

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  18. Lots of shoes is one thing, buying shoes that don't even fit is another! More dollars than sense I guess. I have about 30-40 pairs at present I think.

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  19. Ok. How many pairs of shoes. Erm. Well quite a number actually. Over 100. More. And that's having cleared out a whole load when we moved house. To give me some credit quite a number of those are walking boots that I've been sent to review - I should/could pass them on to people who need them but I simply can't part with them.

    The fact is I love shoes. They are the best accessory and I generally start any outfit with what I want to wear on my feet. I have all kinds of the things, I love them. I don't spend a lot of money of them though, there are no designer labels in my wardrobe. Except Dr Martens if that counts. I don't think it does.

    I must also admit, shamefully, that while I have lots of beautiful heels I recently wore a pair for the first time in months and realised I can't actually walk in them any more. Sad times! I'd better get practising!

    I am afraid to say that if I had Celine Dion's money I may well have 3,000 pairs of shoes.........

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  20. I love these shoes, the colour is amazing. 3 000 that is unbelievable! and buying them in the wrong size! But actually I was thinking the other day that shoes are basically an interest, a collectable or a display item and why should they merely be worn, they should totally on show in the house. I want to do that one day. I have about 40 pairs of shoes and my family and friends think that's a ridculously high amount to own.

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  21. My God, I really wish the Emma you refer to were me :) I love Louboutins and it's my life goal to someday own a pair...probably the black patent leather ones with a moderate heel, so I could actually WEAR them!

    Anyway, if you don't count my Old Navy $2 flip flops (which I own in almost ever color), I probably have a modest two dozen or so. But I have an actual shopping list of other styles or even specific pairs I want, so that number is always growing!

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    1. Also, the notion of buying shoes in the wrong size "just to own them" is so grossly extravagant. There are children in the world who don't even get enough food in their bellies, let alone a single pair of shoes, and Celine's buying shoes she'll NEVER wear "just because"? Gag me.

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  22. 3000! Her house must be filled floor to ceiling with shoes. I own about a dozen pairs, but I really only wear about 5 regularly.

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  23. While I appreciate shoes artistically, I wouldn't bother buying them for a collection unless they truly stood out. This would limit me to avant garde designs, or perhaps shoes of a much older era. It seems to me some of these extreme collectors are people who are collecting the brand name, not unique shoe design. Which changes things a bit... makes it seem more hollow.

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  24. Yikes!!!! 3,000 pairs of shoes. I think that is seriously over the top even if you are rich and famous!!!

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  25. HA! She better be sharing them with her son if she owns THAT many!! Hrmm, I thikn around 35 if you count slippers, flip-flops, & gym shoes.

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  26. Hmmmm, good question: not sure. Maybe about 30 pairs? But could be more- eeeeek! WAY too many! How many do YOU own!x

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    1. The answer is interesting: while I own only five pairs of men's shoes (and feel that's adequate), I own about 40 pairs of women's shoes -- and think that's not enough!

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  27. I feel like this Emma person and I need to be best friends! I definitely don't have that many shoes but I wish I could!
    xo
    girlintheyellowdress.com

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  28. Virginia Postrel wrote a bit about this, asking readers to estimate how many pairs of shoes they had and then actually count them. Most of us thought we had way fewer than we actually did!
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-09/boots-were-made-for-talking-about-who-we-are.html

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    1. I know that's true because every woman I've asked to do the same has reported the same thing. We believe what we want to believe about ourselves, even when it's inaccurate.

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  29. I own many shoes (too very much afraid to count but it's closer to 100). I own shelves in my closet a speacial closet for shoes and this shoe keeper. It's amazing and I'm thinking of buying an extra one for my hubby's shoes. it looks like this http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/550x/99/ab/f3/99abf3f6c7604a81a5dba6cef491d713.jpg

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