What were your most significant footwear purchases, in retrospect?

[St1X]

35-40 pairs? That’s awesome. Once you get started it really takes off? After I bought my first pair of quality shoes, it just took off for me where I wanted more. I’m not up to 35-40 but you’ve inspired me to keep growing my collection. How many pair do most guys on here have??

No, it doesn't takes off after a first pair.
For me it took off due to COVID work from home mandate. My social life was gone and I started entertaining myself with shopping. That's why I bought so many shoes in just two years. Don't draw an inspiration from this and proceed with your purchases wisely!

 

[coloRLOw]

10 years ago, i have my first goodyear shoe, AE strand

still wear them occasionally, though the vamp has some cracks now. maybe it's time to say goodbye.
by the way, the original color is walnut.

then in 2014, i had my first true high end shoe, santoni norvegese

so happy when receive it , and never achieve a same excitement in the day that followed

 

[hmlarsson]

Undoubtedly it has to be my first pair of goodyear welted shoes that I bought almost 13 years go. Church's Balmoral from Herring Shoes for just £195. I remember when I was unboxing them, I was thinking that they felt very heavy with a great quality feeling. Still using them today (pic taken today). Excellent suede quality.

After my first purchase of quality shoes it quickly escaleted. Now I have 50+ pairs.
Found two (crappy) pics of some of the shoe collection.

A few pics of some of my favorites:

Carmina Chukka 905 Hatch Grain Shell Cordovan

Herring Exmoor

Tricker's Monkey Boot Burnt Orange Cordovan

Enzo Bonafè 1968MOD Spectator

Enzo Bonafè Jumper Boots Oak Museum Grain

Grenson Stanley Canvas

Vass Budapester Green Museum Calf.

Enzo Bonafè 3973 Spectator Boot

Antonio Meccariello Tribune Mondo Nero Red

 

[bicycleradical]

My first pair of Goodyear welted shoes was a pair of AE Strands. The second was a pair of AE Hopkinsons. Those two pairs of shoes made me appreciate the look and feel of quality leather shoes and I still have both pairs.

 

[Sirguywhosmiles]

I like my quality footwear, but I get most of my enjoyment from them by looking at them on the shelves of my closet. The most significant decision I ever made with regards to my feet was buying my first pair of Clarks desert boots about 13 years ago. I was about to leave on a long overland trip across Europe and Asia, and I needed a single pair of shoes that could be worn at 45C in the middle of a searing desert but also sub zero 15,000 feet up a mountain (driving, not climbing). I wanted shoes that looked good, but they couldn't be too expensive as I'd be putting them through the wringer every day.

Clarks desert boots were the obvious and correct choice. I still have three pairs, and I'll be wearing one of them today at an icy -25C (Bushacres, because the crepe soles of the desert boots proper don't respond well to these inhuman temperatures).

I realise this was an old post, but I am wondering if they were suede or beeswax desert boots?
I'd imagine suede would be more comfortable in the heat but you have the experience!

 

[acconrad]

eg chelseas for sure

 

[migo]

First was when I joined this forum and worked up the courage to buy my first pair of (used) AE Brogues. Must have been 2008, as I recall the money I paid for them as a poor college student was...painful. I've acquired a few more pairs of AEs over the years, but the Summer Walk's I was able to walk into the LP outlet and buy at less than half price - that's probably my second most significant purchase if only because you can't even imagine that happening today LOL

 

[Son Of Saphir]

- My first purchase of real dress shoes in 1986, a Florsheim burgundy captoe oxford.
Beautiful shoes and started it all.
Have a photo somewhere.
After that nice dress shoes were worn everyday.

- My purchase of R.M.Williams bushman boot in 1988.
They made better quality back then with bevelled waists etc.
Remember thinking it was the best shoe in the world, and it made me only want quality from then on.

- My purchase of some stunning Moreschi loafers in 1997, most beautiful shoes me ever saw.
My first $500 shoe, very very expensive at the time, but it set the standard into high priced shoes.
It was a game changer, and after that me met a man, and after getting educated me only bought the more upmarket shoes.
That Moreschi lead the way into the nicer shoes.
Very difficult to find good shoes in my country at the time.

- My purchase of Vass budapester in 2008.
It changed everything and had me realise the advantages of handmade.

- My purchase of Lattanzi quarter brogue derby in 2019.
It made me realise there is nowhere else to go, nothing more to aspire to.
A swag of Lattanzi purchases ended a great 37 year career of shoe collecting.
Had one of the great makers in England make shoes for me, but Lattanzi wins the prize as the best.


Have owned numerous John Lobb, Santoni, Edward Greens, Church's and too many others to list here, but those above were the milestone shoes that changed everything.
5 shoes in all were the game changers out of a collection in the triple figures.

 

[Clouseau]

^With your avatar I was more expecting you were a hobo wearing pierced shoes 😂.

My most significant purchase were humble 3 eyelets Dr Martens shoes in 1980. Why so significant ? Because I am still wearing that style of casual shoes today (only quality Made in England ones and without the hideous yellow stitching), I find them very comfy and versatile.

Otherwise among my favorite/significant footwear, I had several pairs of JM Weston (« Golf » and 180), and several pairs of Church’s brogues and loafers, still have a couple.

 

[Keyser_Söze]

First pair of Allen Edmonds Fifth Avenue in Oxblood (which for some odd reason they discontinued). Allen Edmonds Oxblood is extremely underrated. It was the first shoes that made me realize how important shining your shoes is.

Alden Indy's. My first boots and the most comfortable boots I own and I own quite a few these days. Also the most complimented which actually annoys me because I have so much cooler boots.

Crockett & Jones Whiskey shell Dundees. Not my first shell cordovan pair of boots but definitely the ones that made me fall in love with shell.

 

[Son Of Saphir]

^With your avatar I was more expecting you were a hobo wearing pierced shoes 😂.

Me used to be like a caveman and speak the caveman language,
but the english much much better now.

Here is the shoe that changed it all, the gateway shoe, the most cherished shoe of all my collection.
It brought an intense high when it was bought.
The intense high lasted 3 months.
Would look at it every night in amazement.
It was a result of a 19 year dream,
the high fronted black loafer.
Buttery soft leather,
well built shoes.



Does this shoe provide the best ride? No, not by a long shot.

Is it the best quality? No.

But it provides the best memories and appreciation of any shoe, and nothing can put a price on that.