How many pairs of shoes do you own and what style? - Page 3

35 pairs.

Tods lace-up oxford boot, black
Florsheim Imperial zip up boot w/ cuban heel, brown
Florsheim Imperial wingtip, black
Prada boat moc, brown
US Navy issue ('Nam era) steel-toe boot w/ cap-toe, black
AE MacNeil brogue pebble-grain, brown
Wallabee, sand
Vans slip-on, goldish
Chucks hi in very dirty off-white, lows in blue and optical white
Mizuno running shoes
Lowa and Vasque hiking boots
Shit-load of slaps/flip-flops

Looking to ditch the vans and chucks and move on to Tretorn or something else soon.

1 pair of Pumas I never wear
1 pair of Ponys I got like 4 years ago and wore twice
2 pairs of white vans slipons
1 pair of brown vans authentics

pictures! we need pictures!!

Okay, I admit it: I'm mad. Well, shoe mad.

For over 48 years up until February 2007, I was like most other men, owning 2 pairs of shoes in good condition, plus perhaps a pair of corner store work boots. I learned in the 1980s that cheap shoes lasted me only a few months, but alternating pairs of very good shoes could with rebuiding last years. I bought Church's shoes right in their shop on Madison Avenue, New York, NY, and later bought Allen Edmonds.

I started going mad when I was impressed with my friend's Paul Stewart ankle boots -- made by Grenson, perhaps? Very stylish, very expensived and not available in my "E" width. I won't retell my entire history (I'll those confessions for "Shoes, Anonymous" if one ever is created) but for now I'll reveal what I own. I am not wealthy, and some of these I bought "used only once to go to a wedding" on eBay:

1. Loake Burford -- in tan. The "tan" isn't the classiest color (it's almost orange) but these are probalby the most comfortable footwear I own. Constantly a delight. I ordered a pair in black, just to totally avoid the possibility that when apocalypse comes I could be caught barefooted.

2. Barker Harrison -- in tan. I haven't worn these enough to have an opinion, but they are almost identicle to the Loake Burford boots, except they have a dainite (not double leather) sole, and the tan is a work of art, as though literally hand painted using a pallet that adds touches of black.

3. Tricker's Stow -- in black. They are increasingly becoming comfortable, and the break-in they required was worth it (they're probably also just slightly too narrow, or were before my pods got the better of them). They're gorgeous and solid and fabulously well built (I've never seen the tongue before sewed in on both sides), but also monster big: let's go invade France!

4. Alden shell cordovan model 4060 Grant Last lace-up cap toe ankle boots. They are AMAZIN', possibly my favorite of the lot. I'd probably like them better if they weren't cap toe, and if I got the model with speed-laces on top. Note these are a LOT more svelte than at least some of the models Alden of Carmel carries. I had a bad experience with that shop (on the first day I wore their boots, a speed-lace hook POPPED OUT -- ripped right out of the boot!, and getting refund wasn't easy or pleasant).

5. Caboots a/k/a Champion Boots 13" high lace-up mule skin packer boots with roper-style toe and heel. I love 'em. And they're solidly made, only the eyelets are somewhat soft metal, so they bend just a little sometimes. Caboots says no one's complained about 'em, and possibly they'll never break off, but on an otherwise exceedingly solid piece of work they are less than top of the line.

That's the main show. But I also bought:

- a pair of Browning Kangaroo leather 200 gram of thinsulate winter boots. They're not fashion statements, but the Kangaroo leather is exceedingly light and flexible (apparently thinner layers compared with cow leather are equally as strong or stronger)

- Allen Edmonds Fairgate. I owned these since before I went shoe mad. Simple, cap toe, indestructable, very comfortable.

- Allen Edmonds (is 911 a model?). Cap toe brogues (or semi-brogues?), a handsome acorn color. Maybe "Colton" model.

Oh, and a few others. A Johnson & Murphy cap-toe Black semi-brogue that I got on eBay.

I've been very lucky that everthing fits, with one exception -- black Barker Towcester which perhaps I should advertise here...

Mea Culpa!

- Til

tilyo u1@verizon.net

Jil Sander navy suede drivers
Louis Vuitton brown leather Damier tonal drivers
Louis Vuitton Bahia flip flops
Louis Vuitton blue spa mules
Yves Saint Laurent brown moto boots
Louis Vuitton Sprint sneakers
Louis Vuitton brown Kirk loafers
Ferragamo brown Brisbane loafers
Thom Browne brown wingtips
Bottega Veneta brown/white/plum perf. laceups
Yves Saint Laurent black suede stub toe wingtip loafers
Lanvin red patent leather tassle loafers
Y-3 taupe/blue/white trainers
Dolce & Gabbana white espadrilles
Manolo Blahnik oxblood patent leather monkstraps
Gucci brown suede bamboo tassle loafermocs
Ferragamo black Meeting laceup
Marc Jacobs grey wool/white suede/red piping sneakers
D&G red suede/black canvas/greenishbrown boxing boots
John Varvatos Converse military green

By my count, 44. Something for everyone to love, and probably also something for everyone to hate. Really only three pairs I'd try hard to replace. The last two months on this board have been an eye-opener...

Three things are missing:

a real black captoe (and Park Avenue is not an option - too round)
C&J Tetbury chukkas (the chukkas I have are too broad in the foot)
and the shoes to the left <------

Dress (21)

Bally Chestnut Mirror Finish Captoes
2xBally Penny Loafers, one round, one squarer - both black
Bally Black Wingtips
To Boot New York apron toe derbys
To Boot New York black reverse-stitch captoe (toe is sewn to the van, with the seam on the inside)
Boss black loafers - extended toe
SF Handmade tan split toes
Santoni tan split toes
Antonio Maurizi tan half-Goodyear split toes
Antonio Maurizi brown half-Goodyear wingtips
A. Testoni black medallions
Bruno Magli black apron-toe bit loafers
Lidfort tan chisel toe whole-cut derbys
Lidfort black chisel toe whole-cut medallion derbys
Cole Haan split-toe brown pebble grain loafers
Canali tan apron chisel toe loafers
2xFaconnable Artisan apron chisel toe loafers, in black and antique brown
Fratelli Rosetti chocolate apron toe loafers
Fratelli Rosetti chocolate semi-brogues

Suede (3)

SF Chocolate Suede/Leather loafers - suede van-to-toe
Harris suede monkstraps
Gordon Rush sand suede derbys - split toe

Boots (7)

Costume National full-length antique-brown boots
KC square-toe black chelsea boots, Goodyear welt
John Fluevog antique brown chelsea boots
Bevifano chukkas, oxblood, Goodyear welt
Fratelli Rosetti tan Goodyear welt apron toe - not chelseas, as the elastic is exposed
SF two-strap jodhpurs, black and brown

Sneakers (7)

Adidas Tuscany, brown and cream
Adidas Tuscany, green and gold
Diesel trainers, white
Lacoste flipflops, white
Reef Sultan flipflops, brown
ASICS 2110 Trainers
Adidas Supernova Competition Racers

Driving Shoes (3)

Boss driving shoes, tan
Donald Pliner driving shoes, sand
Cole Haan driving shoes, chocolate, croc print

Odds (3)
BB White sports shoes with stripe (these defy classification - shaped like cricket boots, with golf-shoe soles)
Opera pumps
Hiking boots

Great taste in sneakers. As a start, I'd invest in a second daily dress pair, as giving your shoes time to dry after a day's wear will make them last longer.

Damn, you guys have a lot of shoes. My tiny collection:

- Jack Purcell (black)
- Varvatos Purcell (blue)
- Chuck Taylor low (blue)
- Stan Smith (white/navy)
- Vans Sk8 low (black/grey)
- Tyrwhitt suede chukkas (brown)
- AE Birmingham (black)
- AE Park Avenue (brown)

And a pair of grey Pumas I go running in and an old pair of eight-eyelet Doc Martens I rarely wear but don't want to get rid of.

That's odd, I don't see your lips or tongue in the first pic at all

Black Tramezza captoe oxford
Black Bally 3 eyelet derby
Grey Costume National boot
Beige n.d.c. wingtips
Black Chuck Taylors
Cream Varvatos purcells
Black leather + suede pumas with grey stripe
Beige Bally loafers
Asics gel Kayano runners.
2 pairs of grey havaianas

12 athletics