One Shoe Wardrobe: Why Not?

[unagiluva]

What about when life happens and one pair is ruined or lost?

 

[yachtie]

Originally Posted by unagiluva

What about when life happens and one pair is ruined or lost?

He needs spares.

 

[spectre]

I couldn't quite go to Foo's extreme but close.
I could live with multiples of a brown semi-brogue captoe and a brown suede version, grey and navy solid suits, flannel for winter and lightweight worsted for summer, plain light blue shirts and a bunch of solid ties in half a dozen colours. Navy cashmere sportcoats, heavy for winter and light for summer and a bunch of grey odd pants in various wieights and couple different colours.
I pretty much do this already anyway.

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by zbromer

What happens when you need to resole? Under your plan, all 5 (or 7) pairs are receiving the exact same wear. Therefore, it would seem likely that they would all need resoling at the same time. This will take a few weeks with Alden. Have you thought about how you are going to deal with this? Will they all be sent off together? Will they be sent off separately at risk of ruining your equal wear? Will you simply take a several week vacation on the beach where you don't need shoes while they are in the factory?

Originally Posted by mafoofan

F*ck.

Foof, have you worked this one out yet?

Maybe you should start wearing this pair now, so that it's ahead of the curve and can be worn while the other six are being resoled.

 

[Manton]

Why is this thread still going?

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by Manton

Why is this thread still going?

Why haven't you weighed in in the shoe box thread?

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by grimslade

Why haven't you weighed in in the shoe box thread?

I never figured out what it was about.

 

[zalb916]

Originally Posted by grimslade

Foof, have you worked this one out yet? Maybe you should start wearing this pair now, so that it's ahead of the curve and can be worn while the other six are being resoled.
Because I was the one to confound him, I'll offer my suggestion for a solution. It's simple: 10 (or 14) pairs. You order 4 (or 6) more now. These 5 (or 7), which now includes the original 1, will be worn in rotation until they need to be resoled. In the meantime, order 5 (or 7) more. Just make sure that this order is completed before you need the first batch sent back for resoling. When batch 1 is sent back for resoling, start wearing batch 2. When you receive back batch 1, don't put them into your rotation yet. Keep them separate. Then, when batch 2 needs resoling, back out comes batch 1. Essentially, you'll wear each batch for a few years, while the other batch rests, waiting for you to return. This adds a whole additional element, the sacrifice that these shoes will be going through for you. They will be waiting unworn for you to return when they are worthy of you again. Plus, they will be aging, undisturbed, like a fine wine. Gives a bit more of a romance to them. This solves two problems. First, the resoling issue is no more. Second, with 10 (or 14) pairs, you should definitely have a better chance at making it 50 years than with just 5 (or 7). Of course, this requires buying an extra 5 (or 7) pairs. But surely, an extra 5 (or 7) shoes over the course of 50 years is hardly anything.

 

[TheFoo]

^^^ Maybe starting with five makes sense then.

 

[dopey]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

^^^ Maybe starting with five makes sense then.

Seven new ones.

• Wear your current pair now and place an order for the seven new ones.
  
• When the new ones arrive, you put the current pair aside, in reserve.
  
• Rotate the new ones, as planned.
  
• When you need to resole the seven, send them off to Alden and take the reserve pair out. This is your reserve shoe and you wear it every day during the gap period. This is important because, by wearing the same designated reserve shoe every day, you will know you are in the gap period and the integrity of the system is being maintained.
  
• When the seven return, the gap shoe goes back on reserve, resting until needed again, and the normal rotation resumes.

That's what I would do. It is very neat and orderly, and properly maintains the distinction between regular and reserve shoes.

 

[Kuro]

But if he wears the reserve shoes everyday duing the repair period (a month or two assuming factory repair?) they will wear out quicker....

 

[romafan]

I'd do 30 or so. Here's a pair of shoes purchased in 1983. They have been relatively well maintained as part of a 40ish pair collection. That's 25 years, so you're at the 50 year 1/2 life:

 

[gdl203]

Originally Posted by romafan

I'd do 30 or so. Here's a pair of shoes purchased in 1983. They have been relatively well maintained as part of a 40ish pair collection. That's 25 years, so you're at the 50 year 1/2 life:

You forgot to mention that photo was taken in 1984

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by romafan

I'd do 30 or so. Here's a pair of shoes purchased in 1983. They have been relatively well maintained as part of a 40ish pair collection. That's 25 years, so you're at the 50 year 1/2 life:
It was nice of Grimslade to let you use his office to take the picture.

 

[dopey]

Originally Posted by Kuro

But if he wears the reserve shoes everyday duing the repair period (a month or two assuming factory repair?) they will wear out quicker....

Certainly, but so what. They are reserve shoes. By design, they are not on the same schedule as the rotating seven. Not only are they worn daily for two months at a time, but they are rested for six, seven eight years as opposed to being worn once every seven days. The beauty of the system is that they are supposed to be on a different wear schedule. So they are the same, but different. Do you see?