Meet My 27 Pairs

When I travelled for 3 months this past summer, I thought 4 pairs of shoes would be enough (2 flip-flops, 1 heels, 1 running shoes).  Needless to say, I was lacking for all sorts of occasions.  Somehow, I managed to return from my long trip with about 10 pairs instead of the 4 I left with.  Perhaps that explains my extra baggage weights.

But every girl has an obsession with shoes, whether it’s just that one pair or 289 pairs like Jenna Lyons.  Shoes are a necessity for practical reasons, but they serve more than just getting you to places.  Each occasion deserves a special shoe from weddings to rugged travelling to going out on the weekends, plus there are 4 different seasons to consider.  Each pair has a dedicated purpose, responsibility, and a job description.  Here are my current 27 pairs and their places in my life.

1. All-purpose riding style boots:  They take me to class, off-campus, and to run errands.  They are my go-to for all purposes except in the summer time and when it’s raining outside.  I love them in the fall, but not so much in the winter when there’s snow and salt on the ground.  They are perfect pairings for my corduroys and light blazer days.  However, the wooden heels are a bit high maintenance since they have to be repaired after every season due to my ridiculous habit of wearing them so often.  Plus, the light leather is not as sturdy as I would prefer them to be.
2. Snow boots:  The perfect snowy weather days.  I love my snow boots with great traction and extremely light as compared to others.  They are too warm for any other day and not flattering to pair with anything other than rugged lets-play-around-in-the-snow outfits.  I only wear them when it snows, but that’s pretty often on a New England campus.
3. Wellies (with fleece inserts):  I love my willies because they serve two main purposes – the rainy days and the barn.  Even if the weather was over 50 and sunny, I would still wear my Wellies to the barn because they are the easiest to clean – just hose them down.  In the winter, they keep me warm with the fleece inserts and in the spring/fall, they’re perfect for the mud.
4. Riding boots:  The sturdy leather is great for the ruggedness of the barn.  But of course, their main purpose is to keep my ankles in place (like hiking boots) and to keep my feet from slipping through the stirrups with the heels.  They are also slimming and elongating for my legs.
5. Lazy-day boots:  I call them my lazy-day boots because they are rarely worn unless if I’m in gym clothes and running errands or just heading for some fro-yo across the street over the weekend.  These two consists of a pair of sheepskin UGGs for the winter days and pair of light canvass UGGs for spring and fall.
6. Out-and-About heels:  My weekend night outs consists of a couple pairs of heels, but I do have a pair of favorites that are just my go-to comfort heels.  However, in the realm of the heels world, pairs of black and nudes are necessary.  My less-loved ones include cheetah prints, snake prints, gray/green velvets, satin cream and beige straps. 
7. Flats:  I just can’t escape the world of flats, no matter how many times I would prefer to just wear flip-flops.  Flats do serve a purpose though – work.  They are perfect for office wear if heels are too much for a city commute.  Of course, two pairs of blacks for all-purpose wear and a pair of popping orange (my favorite color).
8. Loafers:  To be frank, my two pairs of loafers are the probably the most unloved pairs of shoes in my closet.  I rarely wear them.  But they are great for days when I feel ultra-New-England-liberal-artsy.  If purchasing loafers, I suggest a pair of beige leather oxfords.  Otherwise, a pair of bright color loafers, like my orange ones.
9. Gladiators:  They are so 3-4 years ago, but I still love my strappy sandals that are so out of date and worn out.  They’re great with skirts and shorts for summer days.
10.   Go-to flip-flops:  A pair of leather go-to flip-flops are necessary for any summer day that requires lots of walking outside or just running errands.  They’re perfect with almost any informal outfit – jeans, shorts, skirts, etc.  I also have a pair of really light flip-flops for rainy days when leather is not the best option.
11.   Flip-flops with .5-in heels:  Even though my go-to flip-flops are great for any day of the week, it’s important to have flip-flops that are a bit more presentable when dressed for an occasion.  They’re not formal flip-flops, but I certainly would not wear them with gym clothes while I run errands.  One pair of sparkly gold and one pair of white.
12.   Running shoes:  Complete necessities to life.  They take me everywhere – on runs, travelling, the gym, etc.  Two pairs, only because Kendall would prefer that you don’t use the same shoes for both outdoors and indoors activities.