I have a neighbor that is not the happiest person I’ve ever met and in the 13 years I’ve known her she’s had three jobs ( all well paying jobs, not retail-wage-slave jobs) and she has at least 100 pair of shoes in a custom made shoe rack that her husband built for her in the garage. ALL ARE BLACK*.
Every job she has, even before the honeymoon period of the job is over, she pretty much hates it and then whines, complains and needles about this job and starts a job hunt for THE NEXT JOB, which takes 2-4 years before she finds something else. Before she finished her masters, she said to me, " I hope I actually like working in business since I’m nth close to graduation." Excuse me, but you’ve been in the business world since you were 21, I would think that after 15+ years or so you could gauge whether or not working in a business setting is for you or not.
She hasn’t learned that money doesn’t make you happy. Posessions don’t make you happy. You make yourself happy. She has major self esteem issues - despite the fact she has a masters in business, lost 60 pounds and can be a really nice person when she isn’t whining.
Her husband, OTOH, has had the same job all along and gets along with everyone and ever thing.
I rotate between three pair of birkenstock clogs for daily wear and a pair of steel toed work shoes for my craptacular wage slave job. ( And a couple of sport shoes that will last forever as I never wear them, hiking boots and my treasured fuck-me pumps.)
Go to a reputable jewelery store, preferably one with their own goldsmith/jeweler, but any one you feel you can trust (ask around), bring them your current ring and they can re-size it for you. 30 seconds to find your ring size using their sizer rings, and you just come back a week later or whenever they call you and pick it up (and pay!) That way you get to keep the ring that you and your husband chose together, and you don’t have to find another design. IME it isn’t really expensive either, especially if the current ring is very simple.
Clothes, shoes, handbags… I’m guilty of all three. I don’t care about jewelery. I’ve never been overweight, have always tended to be underweight more than anything.
I honestly can’t see how this theory would work considering that as people get fat, so do their feet. Most stores don’t carry super wide shoes so I would imagine they’d end up buying larger sized shoes.
I guess my husband must feel fat and depressed a lot. He owns WAY more shoes and jewelry than I do. He’s also addicted to coats and walking sticks. Quite the dandy. It’;s a good thing I prefer to only own one pair each of brown and black boots, one pair of pumps, one pair of sandals, and one par of nasty work-out shoes at a time or we’d be totally broke.
Shoes? I own… let’s see… I think six pairs of shoes, total.
If we’re counting boots, though, I’m in trouble. That brings me up to 20ish pairs.
I don’t buy shoes when I feel fat. I don’t like buying shoes in general. Don’t let me get near a boot shop when I’ve got money, though, or the budget’s in serious danger… (That has pretty much nothing to do with self-esteem issues, though, and everything to do with the fact that I <3 boots.)
I was astonished in Winners when I finally looked at the ladies’ shoe rack, and saw dozens and dozens of pairs of shoes, all different, and all under $70/pair or so. That could practically make them an impulse purchase.
I mean, accordingly, the only shoes I’ve ever impulse bought were a $25 pair of Chucks – a) cheap and b) a different style from my other shoes.
For the first time in my life I own more than the basic two pair of work shoes, one pair of dressy shoes, one pair sandals, one pair sneakers, one pair snow boots. I’ve been buying more shoes, and a coworker gave me a ton of new, never-worn shoes. My problem is I can’t throw them away, even if they are beat-up, chewed-up, falling apart…my mother’s frugality coming through.
But I agree with the OP…for women with the affection for shoes, that is a good explanation…i see it with my daughter and my boss. But I have wide feet too, so I had to have my shoe gene removed…
I have the shoe gene and easily have over a hundred pairs and counting but they are bought because they are good deals or fit my mood that day or an outfit or my feet hurt and I want/need a new pair. Nordstrom Rack has some pretty good deals. Right now I’m buying shoes and orthotics because my feet are getting bigger or swollen because I’m pregnant and my other shoes don’t fit sadly. Handbags I don’t get so often because they are super expensive. Clothes I get when I need something or want something differerent. Jewelry I never buy unless it is a joint purchase and well researched and thought out.
I have a minor shoe gene. I love to get that really unique, super cute, I’ve never seen a pair like that shoes. I have never had a perfect stranger complement me on my clothes, but I have frequently been complimented on my shoes.
As to why it’s shoes, well, IMHO it’s easier to show a bit a quirkiness and personality through your shoes than any other clothing or accessory. I could be wearing jeans and a button up shirt that doesn’t really say anything unique, but the right pair of shoes can just give the outfit a little boost. And it is easier to shop for shoes than anything else.
I think the lack of shoe genes is part of having oddly shaped feet. Mine are fairly small and wide. Cute shoes don’t look cute on my feet Therefore I own few pairs.
I once liked cute shoes when I was young, then the foot pain set in. I spend more time shopping for Dr. Scholl’s shoe inserts than I do shopping for shoes. I only have about 3 pair of shoes that I wear on a regular basis, sneakers for work, sandals and clogs, okay 4 if you count the flip-flops I only wear around the house.
I have a few other pairs that are either spare work shoes or slightly more dressy shoes for rare occasions that none of the other shoes are appropriate. Then I have a few special occasion shoes, like boots that I wear with costumes.
You’d have to hold a gun to my head to get me to wear high heels.
(That has pretty much nothing to do with self-esteem issues, though, and everything to do with the fact that I <3 boots.)
Therefore I own few pairs.