Male. One.
Joe
female, 35, ~30 pairs including winter and summer shoes. Maybe 5 are dressy heels I wear rarely, and 2 pairs of boots I only wear in yucky winter weather.
Male, two.
How do you get by with just one pair of shoes? I mean even people who are very low-maintenance have at least: dress/work shoes, snow boots, and sneakers.
Female. If I went through my closet, I’d probably find 15ish pairs. Now, if you ask how many I wear with any regularity - about 3 at any given time. I’ve got a pair of sneakers that are my everyday shoes for pretty much anything. And a pair of Birkenstocks for warmer weather. I’ve got (I think) 2ish pairs of nicer sandals that get some wearing where the Birks won’t do the deed.
The rest are dressier things that I’ve purchased in the past (some are 10+ years old) and trot out once a year at most, since I so rarely wear anything beyond jeans.
Oh yeah: I’ve got a very challenging shoe size (12-wide) so even if I wanted to become a shoe aficionado, it ain’t happening. If I can even find something that fits, it’s prohibitively expensive to get a closetful.
Oh - and answering for the kids: each one has at most 2 pair ofs shoes at a time: sneakers plus maybe one other pair (plus some Crocs in reserve, and maybe a pair of flip-flops). Neither has any frequent use for anything dressier. So they wear their sneakers until they’re falling apart and I buy another pair for them.
Dweezil did get one pair of dressier shoes a year or so ago that he wears maybe 3 times a year. Moon Unit will get something dressier when we need it for a specific occasion, then refuse to wear it any other time. We needed something pretty for a family event last month and she wound up wearing a 2 year old pair of fancy flip-flops.
Limiting their choices makes it a lot more likely that they’ll be able to find their shoes on school mornings. Otherwise they’d leave 'em any old place, assuming they’d be able to find something… then in the morning not be able to find any. A single pair, a specific spot, and life is better.
Female. Five, I think. Three of those stay in the back of the wardrobe. Of the three, one pair was given to me and it just seemed wrong to throw them out.
3 pairs of dress shoes (burgundy captoe, black wingtip, black captoe).
1 pair of army boots.
People with more than a dozen pairs of shoes: What’s the marginal gain of another pair? When you’re buying your 31st, do you think about the other 30 pairs?
I wonder this, too, because I will throw out shoes or give them away, depending on their condition.
Male
1 pair black dress shoes
1 pair brown dress shoes
I pair brown casual dress shoes
1 pair new balance running shoe (every day wear)
Sandals (vacation beach wear only)
I have an old pair of hiking boots, not sure where. Haven’t worn in years.
Chick
200
Yah, yah, yah…
If you don’t live in a place where it snows, then you don’t need snow boots. We don’t get much snow here. If it DOES snow, it’s usually just a tiny sprinkle that’s gone by afternoon. If it’s an actual heavy snowfall, there’s no use in going out, because everything is closed.
Male
10 pair, including hiking boots, running/tennis shoes, sandals and a pair of 5 fingers.
I figured that out all by myself. The three types of shoes were meant to be an example - even low maintenance people have a couple of different kinds of shoes. Other people might have different ones, but it boggles my mind how anyone can have just one pair of shoes for all occasions.
I have a pair of black Croc Bistros (non-slip soles) for work. They’re not the ones with stupid holes in the top. Don’t need snow shoes in San Francisco, they suffice as “dress” shoes, though I don’t have many occasions that call for dress shoes, and they’re comfortable enough that I don’t need sneakers.
I should add, that I don’t look at shoes. Everyone on earth could be barefoot at all times, and I’d never know it.
Joe
Male, 22.
2 pairs of ancient, ratty sneakers in the car so that I/a passenger can go close toed in an emergency
1 pair old, yardwork sneakers
1 pair everyday sneakers
1 pair soccer cleats
1 pair cleats for reffing (more ankle support, black)
1 pair black running/reffing athletic shoes
2 pair casual shoes (black/brown)
2 pair dress shoes (black/brown)
1 pair black cowboy boots, dressy - probably won’t replace the black dress shoes
1 pair hiking boots
1 pair heavy duty sandals (rarely used)
3 pair flip flops (only one used regularly)
15 (17 including the ones in the emergency duffel in the car that don’t see the light of day) - more than I thought I had, can easily cut 4 pairs, 5 would be possible - though I am strongly considering getting a new set of black turf shoes for reffing on non muddy fields…
Male.
Most pairs ever with distinct functions-9
Motorcycle boots
Racing flats
Track spikes
Lightweight training flats
Daily training flats
Old pair for weight lifting
Cycling shoes
Non-running daily wear
Dress shoes
Now, just 3.
Workout pair
Daily wear
Dress pair
Male. Probably a dozen or so. Let’s see…
2 pairs of Chucks. I will wear a pair until they wear out, then move them into a new role as “dirty work shoes” (lawn mowing, tree planting, etc.) pitching the old work shoe pair, and buying a new pair for regular use.
1 pair of Nike crosstrainers for working out, 1 pair Adidas shelltoes for casual wear.
2 pairs of hiking boots, 1 pair “grungy” and 1 pair “nice”, similar replacement process as the Chucks. Grungies get worn for muddy hiking in state parks, nice for dry hikes in neighborhood parks. The nice pair served well for extended walking in Manhattan on my last visit.
6 pairs of various dress oxfords. Some work better with dark suits, some work better with more casual outfits. 2 pairs have soles that work really well for dancing; I keep these separate from the other dress oxfords, and save their wear and tear for club use.
Don’t know if they’d count, but I have some antique combat boots from WWI and WWII in storage. So, 12 pairs that I wear on occasion, 14 pairs if I include the combat boots.
Guy. About a dozen. I tend to keep old worn out shoes around for working around the house. And I have pretty many pairs of boots for snow and mud.
Male, around 25. That’s after giving away probably a dozen recently since I rarely wore them.
Back when I was a college student though there probably were 5, dress, cowboy boots, running, everyday and slaps.