I have always wondered this about women, what's up with the shoes thing....

[WCGreen]

Every woman I have been with long enough to actually take a gander around their bedroom and guess what, I have seen a lot of shoes...

I have probably five pairs of shoes. One Black, One Brown, Tennis Shoes, Boots for winter and an old pair I wear when I just go out to grab the paper or the mail.

Here's the thing, I have never once in my 40 sum years of dating and being married, I never ever looked at a woman's shoes and say whoa, I got to get me some of that or the opposite, man those shoes do not go with that outfit...

All these commercials about shoes and the stuff on the sitcoms, well, I just want to know what is this all about....

[NYC_SKP]

1. It's a mystery, wrapped in an enigma.

Don't ask, just admire; and compliment your friends on their shoes.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. You own more shoes than I do

unless we're counting flip-flops.

I guess I missed that gene

[noamnety]

3. We're supposed to have shoes that go with dresses

and heels for fancy events. But we also need fancier dress flats because our feet freaking hurt if we wear heels all the time.

I imagine if you had to find shoes that went with pants and were expected to also wear dresses for formal events you'd have more shoes too.

I will say though that my husband seems to have an extraordinary amount of shoes. New golf shoes. Old golf shoes. New biking shoes. Old bike shoes. Bike shoes for pedals with clips. Work boots. Steel toed work boots. Shoes for running outside real quick to get wood for the fire. Shoes to wear inside so his heels don't hurt. I could keep going.

[mythology]

22. I can't think of a reason for a woman to wear heels

Granted I'm a guy, but most of the women in my life have been of a similar mindset. I see really high heels and my feet hurt in sympathy.

I'm one of those who if I never had to wear anything nicer than my hiking boots, I wouldn't. In fact the last time I did wear my sole pair of dress shoes was at my last job interview 2 years ago.

[Demoiselle]

48. The reason is men.

It is a not uncommon belief that high heels make a woman's legs curve more seductively.
Like standing on one's toes. Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger.

[olddots]

4. Why do people wear high heals designed by people who hate people ?

.But seriously these ultra heels in the last decade ????

[IrishEyes]

5. Pretty shoes make you feel good.

There is something about a wearing really cute pair of shoes that makes you feel better about life. I only own ten pairs of shoes and none of them cost more then $50 so I'm not a shoe obsessed girl. I only buy news shoes two times a year but I like buying a cute pair of shoes when I can.

[pokerfan]

6. Compliment her shoes; girls like that

Lucy: Just be yourself.
President Shepherd: Be myself.
Lucy: Yeah, and compliment her shoes. Girls like that.

To be fair, I've got a lot of footwear: dress brown, dress black, winter boots, alpine climbing boots, rock shoes, hiking boots, approach boots, tennis shoes, volleyball shoes, ski boots (both downhill and x/c), a pair of nice sandals and a pair of flip flops, Teva sandals for rafting/canoeing, flippers for snorkeling.

[pipi_k]

7. I must be

one of the few females who don't give a rat's ass about shoes.

In fact, when we went out to my stepdaughter's house for dinner today, I wore a pair of clog slippers.

I don't wear shoes around the house. Just socks.

Purses, though...I have a thing for purses. And pens. And eye shadows and lipsticks.

Shoes? Nahhh....

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. I'm guessing I'm atypical for a female.

I have one pair of shoes for winter (or cold weather) and one pair for summer (or for when I'm wearing light colored clothes).

And one pair of extremely comfortable low heels for dress up.

My feet are hard to fit, and I'm picky!

Oh, one more pair: gym shoes.

That's it.

[HipChick]

9. My boots have their own walk-in closet...

I have a huge boot collection...

Enter and disturb anything at your peril...

[LeftInTX]

10. I've got peripheral neuropathy

I own several pairs of EE Width New Balance shoes. One pair of black flat Easy Spirit sandals. (My only pair of "dress shoes&quot Two pairs of Crocs. A comfy pair of water sports sandals. I also have a few grungy sandals that I brought at Walgreens.

I have also spent a small fortune over the years finding shoes that work for me, but you can't tell by looking at them - LOL

[840high]

11. I have 2 pairs of

sandals, 1 pr of medium heels, 1 pr of sneakers and 2 pair of comfy all around flats. My passion is slippers.

[In_The_Wind]

12. If I never buy another pair of boots, heels, sneakers or sandals ...

I won't be going shoe-less. I have black, brown, green, red, beige, taupe in all styles.

[Kali]

13. bwahahaha

you have more pairs of shoes than me!

[WCGreen]

15. I haven't bought a new pare since Clinton was in office....

[Kali]

17. I did get a new pair in January

last order was 2006, I think

I am not counting the occasional cheap pair of $5 flip flops I grab at wally world or wherever when I see them - I usually go through a pair or two of those every summer.

[WCGreen]

19. I like the top siders....

For kick around shoes...

[u4ic]

14. I've known some Italian men who were way more

obsessed with shoes than most women.

I don't fit into your category. If I could, I'd just be barefoot. I despise shoe shopping, and only do it when a pair get worn out. I'm dreading the fact I need to 1. shop for another pair of shoes; am wondering whether the cobbler can just fix the tear on the side instead and 2. find another pair of sandals for the summer, as mine have worn out.

My favourite things...going to the dentist, and clothes/shoe shopping.

[BainsBane]

16. I suppose it's because shoes fit

even have you gain or lose some weight. I won't lie. I have a lot of shoes, but I tend to wear my favorite ones most of the time.

[pipi_k]

28. For some lucky people

that's the case.

For me, though, as I've gotten older, my feet have expanded from a size 7 1/2 in my teens to 10 1/2 or 11 EEE at 60 yrs old.

It's gotten to the point where the only shoes that fit look like this:

[BainsBane]

29. what I've heard

is that some of it is a result of falling arches. Shoes like Orthoheels are supposed to help that.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

39. Wearing battleships is OK if that's what you need!!

I wear baby battleships myself.

8 triple-A in women's --long and narrow. They make my shoes out of scraps, I do believe.

[MiddleFingerMom]

18. At the best of times, I've got two functional pairs of sneaks -- both with Velcro closures

.
.
But I understand.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

[Aristus]

20. I've got more shoes than any other man in the Western Hemisphere.

Five pairs of Doc Martens: black boots, brown boots, black low-quarters, brown low-quarters, and DM flip-flops (yes, they make them.)

Three or four pairs of off-brand flip-flops, a pair of sport-sandals, black leather club sandals, brown leather club sandals, running shoes, grub shoes (for mowing the lawn.)

Dress black oxfords, an $800 pair of brown, cap-toe A. Testonis, two pairs of spectators: black-and-white, and brown-and-white, black penny loafers, cordovan penny loafers, black tassel loafers, cordovan tassel loafers, brown, square-toed Joseph Aboud slip-ons, cordovan Vito Rufalo moccasins, brown leather Sketchers...

...okay, I think that's it...

[RILib]

21. enough said:

[talkingmime]

23. My wife only has two pairs of pumps. One white (wedding), one black (forget).

She is also a size 3 - go find those, I dare you. Normally she just wears running shoes or "fishhead" shoes (also known as bobo toes). Pretty much anything except for heels works with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

Now my first "lived with" girlfriend had a closet full of pumps. She worked at a women's shoe store and always wore high heels - always. She was 21 and already had those, forget what they're called, but it's where the toe knuckles are folded over into knots from walking in heels all the time. I know there's a word for it.

My favorite shot of a shoe closet is from the beginning of "Made In America" (Ted Dansen, Woopie Goldburg) where "Hal" has a ditz for a girlfriend. They're screwing, finish, she does cartwheels toward the bathroom and there's a box-style shoe shelf with about 30 pairs of seemingly identical running shoes - all white.

[libodem]

37. Hammer toes

And they are lovely with their trusty companions....bunions. I'm lucky enough to have both.

[talkingmime]

41. Thank you. That's the term I was after. Did you wear pumps a lot?

[libodem]

44. No, but I took ballet

I never went on point, but you are still on the balls of your feet all the time. I have very long narrow feet, and in my misguided youth I wore too small shoes, more than once, to be stylish and look smaller.

I do not recommend this.

[talkingmime]

45. Ouch.

[libodem]

46. Foolish

I know.

[talkingmime]

47. Not at all. Ballet is amazingly good exercise. It is rough on the feet though.

I especially wonder about that tippy-toe thing. That has to be dreadful.

[libodem]

49. I was very limber

And many of the floor exercises, where you sit on the floor, are like yoga. Lots of stretches. It does take endurance, to get through a dance number. It made me more graceful and pushed my abilities to the fullest. I don't regret it.

[talkingmime]

50. Understood. My wife's a 3rd degree blackbelt - same sort of floor things.

She can drop into a full split in any direction, side, front-back, whatever. My daughters are all 2nd degree blackbelts. It's a rough workout, but it keeps them slender and muscular. They're all instructors now as well. Our house is a fucking arsenal of weaponry (not counting firearms, but I've only got ammo for the shotgun).

I just got my wife a new pair of sai (her third pair) with a felt-lined bag to carry them in. She whips those things around like a yo-yo. My middle daughter is the sword master (kumdo). She's got at least six metal swords (lots of wooden and bamboo ones, some of which I made), one of which is a really sharp double-blade.

I'm not completely out of the loop. One of my canes has a 20" blade concealed in the shaft and I've got a butterfly knife. I've also got a spider necklace that holds a 3/4" blade that's so sharp I won't even test it with my finger, and that's saying something. It sliced me open the first time I tried.

[BainsBane]

51. when I was a girl my grandmother told me not to wear narrow

pointy shoes. She showed me her bunions and said this is what will happen if you do. I listened.

[talkingmime]

52. Curiously the same is true with cowboy boots. I only wear square-toe ones.

The pointy-toe boots look really stupid to begin with, especially with a metal point cap, but they're nasty on your feet. Mine are practical.

[BainsBane]

53. that's because the human foot isn't pointy

Pointy shoes contort the foot into an unnatural position.

[talkingmime]

54. It's the western's world equivalent of foot binding. Feet get LARGER toward the toes.

[cliffordu]

24. Keen Sandals, Flip flops and that's it.

[Taverner]

25. I don't know but I've always found it attractive when a woman has many shoes

To me it shows they can express their personality in a myriad of ways

[cyberswede]

26. My husband has more shoes than I do.

I call him "Imelda."

I don't get the shoe thing, either.

[Arugula Latte]

27. I'm a woman. I don't get it either. Shoes bore me.

I seem to lack the genetic trait necessary to determine whether shoes are "cute" or not.

[grantcart]

31. ok I just spent the last 15 minutes looking at your gif

There should be a law.

[Arugula Latte]

34. You've been Hyp-noooo-tiiiiized!

[BainsBane]

30. I avoid the ones that are torture devices

which frankly, are most.

[AsahinaKimi]

32. shoes..

[Neoma]

33. I just wear tennis shoes, I don't deal with that bullshit.

[CherokeeDem]

35. Oh...yes... well... shoes...

Although I don't have as many heels as I used to have... I'm a shoe freak... at one time, I had shoes to match every outfit and was also a sunglass freak, so I had lots of colors of those as well... but I love shoes... have fancy ones, comfy ones, even a pair of combat boots that I love more than any of the others... great in the snow... I think at the moment...I have close to 30 pairs of shoes...

Hi... I'm CherokeeDem and I have a shoe problem....


I also love wrist watches... have nine... (most bought on sale at Chico's so they're pretty funky.)

[Baitball Blogger]

36. There is always a price to pay.

[RILib]

56. feet the least attractive part of the human body

odd shoes or not.

[RebelOne]

38. I have a closet full of shoes both on the top shelf and on the closet floor

and 2 shoe racks hanging from the bedroom door. And that is not including the ones I have donated to Goodwill. My problem is that they felt great when I tried them on at the store. But after wearing a pair for a day, they hurt like hell and were put into the closet. Some day I will find the perfect pair shoes. And when I do, I will buy multiple pairs.

[zanana1]

40. Shoes are;

1) Fun to shop for
2) You can go alone or with a group of people
3) Women of every age love shoes
And, the most important thing of all about shoes is that...It doesn't matter what size you are. They will always fit you and you can go shopping for shoes with skinny women without feeling left out.

[wickerwoman]

60. So disagree.

The only thing I hate shopping for worse than shoes are bras. I own about three pairs of shoes- work, sneakers and sandals. The soles of the work shoes have actually split in half at this point at the staples holding the tops on are coming out and they squeak to high heaven every time I walk and I still haven't replaced them because I hate shoe shopping so much.

I don't wear a particularly weird size- maybe a 9 1/2 or 10 and a little wide if I can find it and *nothing* ever fits. There are no standard sizes. Shops never stock wide shoes for women. I've even hunted down tall and wide shoe stores and they didn't have anything that fit. I don't even go into the sections with heels anymore. I'd have to wear a size 16 to get a toe-box I could possibly cram my foot into.

And everything is so flimsy nowadays. I've seen shops with $200 or $300 shoes that would obviously fall apart after a few months- soles as thin as paper and fake leather. How stupid do they think women are?

Then you get the shoes home and wear them for more than 5 minutes and discover you spent $200 on shoes that rub your feet so raw you're bleeding in six places and have blisters that last weeks and now you can't return them so you've completely wasted your money.

[winter is coming]

61. Beats me. I've never been into the shoe thing.

Then again, I use the same purse day in and day out for years, so I guess I'm just not into "accessorizing".

[zanana1]

62. I agree about shopping for bras.

I'm a normal sized woman on the short side, a little chubby but not fat, but my rib cage is like a linebacker's. The cup size is never a problem, but I can't get the damned things to join together in the back. It's pretty tough trying to find a size B 46 bra. I also just hate wearing them, even if they do fit.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

42. I only wear flat, comfortable shoes and I am female.

I'm a real narrow size so I have to buy expensive Italian shoes, if they are not sneakers.

And even Ferragamo has stopped carrying double A's and triple-A's. I have bony little feet. I inherited those from dad, who wore Bally of Switzerland in a 13 triple-A. He was about six feet tall, 180 lbs., big strong guy, and wore gunboats.

I asked him what he did when he was a kid, for shoes, and he said, "I walked on my hands." (Everybody's a comedian.)

Quel horreur!!

I refuse to wear heels because they HURT. I don't understand why women wear heels at all, especially spike heels. I don't have calluses, bunions or hammertoes either.

I knew women in my parents' generation who wore pointy toed spike heels in the 50s and destroyed their feet and shortened their calf muscles. My mom wore spike heels called Spring-o-Lators that just had an elastic strap across the top and were open.

They have a piece of elastic in the middle of the innersole so they stay on:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-50s-Springolator-LUCITE-Bombshell-Mules-Heels-Shoes-Spring-o-lator-5-5-6-/330892131477?pt=Vintage_Shoes&hash=item4d0ab53c95

The fashion mags promote the idea that shoes are not "sexy" unless they are high heeled. Well, you won't be sexy if you wear high heels and they hurt, and that gives you a grumpy attitude.
I'm not gonna fall down and break my ass and spend money at the podiatrist's.

It's a good thing I've saved most of my shoes from 20 and 30 years ago if they're not selling them now.

I get my Ferragamos resoled and re-heeled after 20 or 30 years.

I wore sneakers to work and changed into my soft shoes at the office.

[HappyMe]

43. Because you can't always wear

the same damn pair of shoes with every outfit for every occasion.

[AnneD]

55. I am to Purses....

what Imelda Marcos was to shoes. In fact, James Brown meant to sing, 'Mamma's got a Brand New Bag'. Shoes, not so much. I have Nursing Shoes but I go for comfort first. It is style and heel length that get us into trouble. Certain size heels for pant vs dress. casual vs formal vs work. And we won't even talk about co-ordinating colors. I have a minimal number but I have my share, and I use them all, esp the Nurses shoes.

[shanti]

57. here's the thing with women and shoes:

with shoes, your weight doesn't really matter, so shoes get first priority.

some guys do like shoes though. i had a male friend who LUUUURRVED shoes. he always paid a pretty penny for them too, but wearing a size 14, it's difficult to find a good shoe. he liked them as soft as a ballet slipper.

another guy i knew had about 3-4 pairs of high quality shoes, but he'd had them for about 20 years. they never went out of style.

i grew up being a shoe freak, but at 57, really, all i wear now are birkis, uggs, or athletic shoes.

[WCGreen]

65. That makes sense....

[RebelOne]

73. Yes, it is true that the older you become that

comfort overrides fashion. I have a closet full of shoes, but the only ones I feel comfortable in are my Reboks.

[mercymechap]

58. I love shoes, have at least 60 or more

pairs, but usually wear the same ones over and over. When I was still working, I loved high heels, they make your legs look so sexy, now I just want to be comfortable, so for height I wear wedges. I have sandals in every color, some flat some with wedge heels and I love to match them to my outfits. I have 3 pairs of tennis shoes, and around 4 pairs of Harley boots to wear when I ride with my husband on his Harley. If any of my shoes aren't comfortable, I don't wear them.

[freshwest]

59. I don't get it either. All my life only 3 pairs: boots, sneakers and slippers. Period.

But then my clothing is simple and I don't use a purse, just a billfold in pants or jacket. Never been into that stuff, nor jewelry. Started out as a tom boy, will likely go that way to the end.

[Avalux]

63. Competition with other women. The shoes are for them, not for men. n/t

[cemaphonic]

64. My daughter's third word after mommy and daddy was shoe.

And she didn't even wear shoes until right around that time. So maybe it was the novelty, but she pretty much fell in love with shoes as soon as she became aware of their existence.

[Apophis]

66. My gf loves her shoes.

I only have three pairs of shoes, all Chucks: a black pair for "formal" wear, a maroon pair for everyday wear, and a pair with the Justice League of America because I love DC comics.

[MrsBrady]

67. if i had more money, I'd probably have more shoes...

i do love my flip flops, but I can show off my painted toes that way.

I try to buy black shoes so I can wear them with almost any outfit.

I have 4 pairs of black heels, but they are different styles...two I can wear with a dress or dress pants,
one is more like a sandal with heels I can wear with jeans or something more casual....
and another pair is really spiked heels that I wear when I need to glam things up.

I also own two pair of frumpy teacher/nurse shoes that I wear because I am on my feet all day at work.

[Neoma]

68. Uh, I'm not into shoes, and I'm a woman.

I hoard books instead...

[WCGreen]

70. I had to take some of my books to the resale shop....

I didn't have enough space to keep them all...

[Neoma]

71. Partially why I got a Kindle.

I don't have any more room for physical books.

[WCGreen]

72. The first adult piece of furniture we purchased was a twelve foot high, six shelved bookcase...

MrsWCGreen squeezed my whole life in there.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

69. I love high heels, after years of toe shoes, high heels are nothing. face it, I love shoes.

all kinds. so many styles and colors and the right shoe for the right job is important. feet are very important.