Spinoff of this thread: I pit people who riot over a pair of sneakers. - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board
Have you ever paid over $200 for a pair of shoes? And if so, what kind of shoes were they and do you feel they were worth the price?
Actual poll coming in a minute.
Yes. $210 for my last pair of good non-dress shoes. I have big feet, and am really rough on shoes, so I had to pay that much to get a pair that’d last and fit.
Yes. Alden 401s, brown, $300 (at the time, from the linked store). They are the most comfortable boots I’ve owned. My only complaint is that they don’t have the cushioning that ‘modern’ boots have; but they feel great on my feet.
I have a number of shoes and boots a that I paid $200 or more for, and probably 50% of the footwear I own has a MSRP of $200 or more. I’ve had a few disappointments, but I walk everywhere, and on the whole good shoes are very much worth the money.
Hmmmm, I don’t think so, and I do love nice shoes. Most of mine are from Aerosoles: heels, flats and boots both comfortable and chic. Every so often, pumps or boots from Lord & Taylor. Usually $75 - $120 or thereabouts.
I paid £130 for a pair of cowboy boots, which Google tells me is $201.64. So, yes, and they are definitely worth it. As well as looking great, they’re comfortable, and have lasted a while.
I just spent £70 on some workboot-style boots, and would have spent more if I could afford it right now, as these new boots are comfortable, but I don’t think they’ll last as long as a more expensive pair. Should still be good for a couple of years though.
Hm. I bought some cowboy boots in the '80s. I know one pair was Tony Lama, but I don’t recall what the others were. They may have been in the $200 range.
I walk everywhere and work on my feet, and I’ve never even paid $100 for a pair of shoes.
Nope. And I fucking love shoes (trail runners) – but they all wear out pretty quickly, so it matters that I can replace them with another 100 dollar pair (or less) when they get too painful even for little under-30 miles around town. I’d consider spending around two hundred or more if I wanted hiking boots, and have them resoled if necessary, but I don’t go winter backpacking or spend a lot of time on scree or places where some monster traction might be helpful.
I have never done so, but when I was a pre-school-age kid and wore corrective shoes, they apparently cost a total of about $125 per pair (shoes plus custom orthotics built in.) That would have been 40 years ago, and $125 was a good week’s pay at the time! :eek:
Only for my Renfaire boots, which were a bit over $200.
Hiking boots, yes.
+1
I paid $300 for a pair of White’s Smoke Jumpers. When I was a wildland firefighter. Worth every penny.
I think the most I ever spent on shoes was around $100 for a pair of SAS loafers. I’m wearing them right now. They give me happy feet! 
Now that I think of it, I think I paid around $450 for my 1936-pattern RAF flying boots – also the most comfortable boots I’ve worn. I may have gotten free shipping from England, since a friend and I combined our orders; but I don’t recall.
Hiking boots and cowboy boots, yes. Regular footwear, no.
No. The most expensive shoes I have ever bought were $100+ Danskos. I loved those shoes and wore them for 4 years before one of my dogs started chewing on them. I kept wearing them after that because they were still perfectly comfy shoes. Then my new dog found them. I can’t wear them any more. It makes me sad. I loved those shoes. They were the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned and they were in just as good condition in 2011 as they were when I bought them in 2005. I will be getting another pair as soon as I have the money to spare. When I’m not wearing them, I’ll keep them safe on a high shelf.
Me, too. I walk from the train to work (over a mile each way), I’m also a nurse in one of my jobs.
I don’t routinely shop at places like Payless or Target for my shoes. I have foot problems, so need well-made shoes. I won’t go over $90, but I’ve never needed to.
Maybe it’s regional? I shop in and near Chicago.
Yes, they’re basically a knock-off pair of Louboutins from Ann Taylor and they were just over $200. I bought them for my interviewing outfit. I routinely get stopped by girls in school asking about where I got them-they replaced a previous pair of beautiful Ann Taylor shoes (have really had good luck there in the last few years).
I didn’t know until about 2008 that Ann Taylor even made shoes over $150, they are still a mall store after all. I consider them worth it because I was originally going to buy a pair of Louboutins, which would have been about $800 if not more.
I consider between $200-400 acceptable for nice women’s shoes, especially if we’re talking brand name knee-high/boots or shoes I’m wearing to beg for a job. $375+ is the point at which I start balking to pay.