I've never considered myself much of a clothes hog. And especially as I've gotten older I've become less and less concerned with what I wear. But my Christmas present this year (which I chose and ordered before telling Rebecca what she was getting me) was a new pair of Columbia winter boots--great for hiking, snowshoeing and even standing around in the snow. They are waterproof, with Goretex and Thinsulate, and claim to be able to keep your feet warm in temperatures as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. I was very excited to receive them.
That is, until I went to put them on my shoe shelf. There was hardly space, and I was immediately embarrassed at how many pairs of shoes I have accumulated over the years. Many are functional shoes--my 5.10 Canyoneers, a rugged pair of hiking boots, a light pair of hikers, climbing shoes, cross-trainers, two pairs of running shoes, a pair of trail runners, soccer cleats (worn about once a year at the Turkey Bowl, two pairs of water shoes (one new, one very old), basketball shoes and a couple of pair of beater tennis shoes (both at least 10 years old).
I also have nine pairs of dress shoes, some over 15 years old (which have been resoled at least twice), cowboy boots, two pairs of dressy casual shoes and four pairs of very casuals, one of which is totally beat up but work great when slippers don't quite do the trick. And speaking of slippers, I also have two pairs of those. And one pair of hand-me-down Adidas sandals, of unknown origin, which I almost never wear.
If my math is correct, and I haven't missed any, that's 34 pairs of footwear. However, I am pleased to report that I do not own any moccasins (except that pair I use for costumes--oops, 35). OK, but I don't have golf shoes (yet, as I haven't gotten old enough to switch to golf). And I refuse to count my snowboarding or ski boots, so the count holds at 35.
Anyway, upon reflection, I am aghast at my podalic indulgence, and hereby relinquish all rights to criticize anyone for their excessive wardrobes.
Wow! I wish I could say I had that many shoes... I do have a lot, but I really should throw half of them away. My high count is with flip flops (cheap and simple!).
ReplyDeleteHopefully your new ones will hang around for 15 years too!
Lanee and I will hold you to this, and may we never hear another word about our shoe fetishes! That being said, I'd like to make you feel better by telling you that I have 58 pairs of shoes: 7 boots, 4 functional, and 47 others (mostly heels), and I have worn all but 3 pairs (golf, snow, water) in the last year.
ReplyDeleteI'm not confessing my numbers here, let's just say I have a lot, and I think at least one pair is functional. Would somebody please enlighten me as to what the difference between cross-trainers, running shoes, trail runners, basketball shoes, and tennisshoes is?
ReplyDeleteThere is a sole difference between them all.
ReplyDeleteLanee, that would be like trying to explain to Dad the difference between a wedge, a kitten heel, stilettos and pumps. To him, they're all just heels. I'm sure no one would mind if you continue to use the blanket term "athletic shoes" or "not cute footwear".
ReplyDeleteI'm not that ignorant:
ReplyDeleteWedge: A very primitive machine.
Kitten heel: Early form of a cat heel.
Stilettos: Form of switchblade knife--see West Side Story.
Pumps: Means of extracting water from the earth or putting air into basketballs.
"Athletic shoes" and "Not cute footwear": Two terms you would never hear spoken by a manly man.