To say that all women collect shoes, while men view them as a necessary evil, is silly. Not all women collect shoes and I happen to be a man who loves them.
Though my collection isn’t mammoth, I’ve recently hit the 20’s. That’s right, there are twenty pairs of shoes in my closet. Go ahead, laugh. But don’t forget that one of my pairs is for studying the martial arts. You wouldn’t be the first person those shoes have kicked in the . . . .
Anyway. I view shoes the same way I look at shirts; no one wears the same shirt everyday! It’s a question of good fashion sense. Different shirts go with different pants. Some shirts look better under a sweater, and others need to be paired with the right jacket or tie. Shoe classification is just as detailed. For a guy, it’s an absolute necessity to own one pair of black shoes and another pair of brown. The second you put on a brown belt you’d better make sure your shoes are brown. Unless, of course, you’re wearing sneakers (the blue jeans of the podiatry) . . . which go with just about anything except dress slacks.
Secondly, despite the fashion ramifications of owning a variety of shoes, you have wear-and-tear to think about. I own shoes that were purchased in the fall of 1997. That may not earn me a place in Ripley’s or Guinness, but it keeps my shoes looking brand new.
Lastly, the best way to build a shoe empire is to not pay full price for them. I am in no way a shoe snob. Half of my shoes were purchased at the Salvation Army and Goodwill. Why, you ask? Number one, you’d never know to look at them. I’ve always said look like you spend a lot of money on your clothes . . . but don’t. That ties in with number two, they only cost me three dollars. Full-price Doc. Martins go as well with a writer’s income as black leather shoes and a brown belt.
Shoes rule (almost as much as socks) and with a little know how and few dollar bills you can create quite a diversified, well maintained, fashionable, and inexpensive collection that will last you for years to come.
Posted by Kevin Olsen
