I thought I’d confess some of my shoe-buying sins in a “confessions of a shoeaholic” post for your Sunday entertainment. Regular readers of the blog may have noticed I have a bit of a thing about shoes. The image above isn’t, however, a photo montage of all my shoes.
It’s some of my shoes. Hello, my name’s Catherine and I’m a shoeaholic.
Embarrassingly, these are just some of the shoes I have in my wardrobe, the spare room’s wardrobe, in (seasonal) storage, on the bedroom floor, on top of bookcases, by the front door, by the back door, on shelves, on more shelves, under the bed… I was wondering how many I have because in the last two weeks I’ve bought another three pairs. I don’t know how it happened, they just somehow appeared [cough] in my online basket and now they’ve turned up on the doorstep. I get so many deliveries at home I know the Hermes delivery lady by her first name and she notices when I change my nail polish.
I have an unfortunate habit of going online when there’s a sale on, or when I’ve seen a discount code, or when there’s a new trend in shoes and I convince myself that I need purple brogues because, well – I don’t have any brogues in purple. I have white ones, black ones, black and white ones, coral ones, blue ones, cream ones, pink ones, white and silver ones, orange and beige ones. And red ones. But no purple, so therefore I need some, right?
In my latest spree I bought one pair of bronze Mary Jane-style heels, one pair of flat grey mules and one pair of white lace block heels with a pointed toe – I have them in pink and they’re so nice in pink; it makes sense to get a pair I love so much in another colourway. (Not the first time.)
I’ve dreamt of having amazing shelving to display all my shoes, but our house is just too small to build it anywhere. I also sometimes wonder how much they’re all worth; I certainly don’t buy Louboutins or any other designer shoes, but I rarely buy very cheap shoes. Basically I love shoes and have a very understanding and easygoing husband – a lethal combination for a shoeaholic.
64 pairs of shoes from my shoe collection [read: addiction].
Stare too long and you’ll make yourself sick
Luckily though – and quite surprisingly – I’m pretty good with my money. I learnt the hard way that racking up huge debts to feed an addiction to shopping isn’t very clever, or very wise: I spent most of my 20s in debt and it took me till well into my 30s to pay it all off.
I now pay credit card bills off in full each month and somehow know instinctively without checking my bank balance if I have to be a little more frugal at any give time. Knowing when you’ve reached a monthly spend limit you’ve set yourself would be helpful for shopaholics – a tool like Barclaycard’s text alerts giving you bespoke notifications would come in handy (something I could have done with all those years ago).
I’m hoping there’s an alert that tells me “You have reached this month’s shoe buying limit. Just one new pair of shoes this month, Mrs. Summers, not four”.
Are you good with your money, a shopaholic/shoeaholic, or a mixture of the two (like me)? Do tell me I’m not the only one out there…
P.S. Like this post? You might also enjoy How the High Street Could Serve the Mature Woman Better.
Linking up to: Let It Shine, Brilliant Blog Posts, Friday’s Fab Favourites, Sunday Funday
Disclosure: Thank you to Barclaycard for partnering with me on this post (click here for my full disclosure). All content is original, however, and opinions are my own and 100% honest.
I also have a bit of a footwear "problem," dearest Catherine; although you certainly have me beat when it comes to colours…and who am I kidding, when it comes to sheer numbers, too!! But shoes are kind of like art that you can wear, don't you think?? And art is ALWAYS a worthwhile investment!! XOXO
http://www.StyleIsMyPudding.blogspot.com
Oh yes, shoes are definitely an investment, Monika…!!!! =cough=
Another plus for being in your 40's, having your debt under control, I'm desperately trying to pay mine off. You're a girl after my own heart when I put comes to shoes, I have i designer ones either though I oust after Louboutins
Lauren
livinginaboxx | bloglovin
I thought I'd want something like Jimmy Choos, Lauren, until I had to wear them at a photo shoot – they were the most uncomfortable shoes I've ever tried on!!!! I'm happy to stick to my mid-range shoes :))
Oh yes, this is so me…. I bought five pairs in April. …
When I gave away one pair of dark blue gorgeous lizzard pumps by Michael Kors (they just didn't fit and I knew it when I kept them…) to my neighbour I could only find one shoe. And while she watched I had to go through allllll my shoes, shelves, boxes, closets ets.. embarrassing myself. Until I found the missing shoe right behind me on the cupboard.
I have never been in debt more than three months but I have emptied a savings account these past three blogging years. That money was meant for a new car. Solved by asking my husband to help out haha. He had had a very good business year and didn't have to work very hard for it either. It was the first time I asked him for (money) help in 26 years. And for the rest I have always carried my weight. Not too bad?
Greetje
OMG I love that story of you searching for the other shoe, Greetje… Sounds like me with everything I'm every looking for!! And yes you sound like you are good with your money! I really am so good now, though it couldn't be more different to how I used to be. Learnt the hard way :((
Ahh shoes. Your collection is lovely.
When I look at the ridiculous heels I have accumulated I can only think that they must be the sensible woman's downfall! I recently did an edit and was very proud of myself for being super disciplined. The do I wear them/do I love them/am I likely to wear them again questions resulted in a collection just under 100 pairs now. To be fair some of those are more than 20 years old, i.e. heels that have only been worn a handful of times, riding boots, brogues (do they ever wear out?). My daughter would LOVE to get her feet into the collection, sadly she is one size too small……….
And we shan't talk about the handbags.
Hehe it's frustrating when you're a different shoe size to someone who has great taste in shoes, sweetie – I feel your daughter's pain! Seems a lot of us are editing our collections severely, though I don't know if I have the discipline… I should try though :))
Ooooh! I have to just look and salivate at these shoes.Some i can wear, as I love the brogues and lower heels for me, some alas are too high, but you have a great collection! I tend to have a things for bags as I call them art on my arm, instead of my feet, there are still so many low heel and flats that are lovely too! I have a monthly budget I stick to and buy alot on Poshmark and Ebay. I also try to sell items and use that money too. Great post!
Hope to see you again tomorrow at my Turning Heads Tuesday Linkup!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Aww thanks Jess! I'm definitely not a heels-only or flats-only girl – I'll wear anything and everything, I love them all :))
Great post, Catherine. Our house is small as well and I have to be fierce in editing my wardrobe so I can get closet doors closed. But sometimes you just have to keep certain items. Like shoes that you still love and will probably wear again. Last year when block-heeled sandals made an entrance in the fashion mags, I had a wonderful pair from the 90's that I hauled out and wore all summer. Then I could stop lusting after a pair and spend my money on something else. I pay my credit card bills off at the end of every month as well. Imagine the money we are saving in interest. Enough to but at least one new pair of shoes:)
That was how I got myself into too much debt, Susan – too much spending, not enough paying off so too much interest being charged! So glad you liked the post, thank you xx
One can never have enough shoes but you are absolutely right to keep a sensible head financially! Too many women are not financially independent after all. (I know you are not, clever girl) Maybe you could built an extension on your house to accommodate your collection?
Oh if only we have the space to build an extension, Irmin – sadly we don't! The house already has what would be classed as an extension, plus I'd only fill it with rubbish…!!!!
You can never have too many
Haha agreed, Nicolette!
Loving all your shoes. They are gorgeous. I love shoes too. I just got a lovely pair of white sandals from New Look which were very reasonable (£17) but will be great through the summer for nights and lunches out. I think that you can get some really nice shoes without having to pay designer prices. I would probably be happy to pay more for a good designer handbag than shoes. Lorraine x
Thanks Lorraine! One of my favourite pairs of heels is from New Look – they were reduced down to £11 and look like they're worth 10 times that!!
Big shoe lover as well! I used to have close to 100 pairs, but am now down to 26. Love them all and I am able to see all of them in my tiny bedroom. It works for me ;-). Just wrote about wanting what the others have: http://theyogasticshoppingplanner.blogspot.dk/2015/06/in-need-of-new.html
Wow Mette I couldn't possibly imagine going from so many to so few… how on EARTH did you decide what went and what you kept? I don't know that I'd have the ability to do that…!!!! Kudos to you, sweetie! x
Haha – luckily you don't have to :-). I actually got rid of more than half my wardrobe in one go, including shoes. I kept the ones I loved and let the rest go – you know, the ones that were worn out, or not fit for walking 100 m ;-).
Imagine that I also collect handbags, more than 50 dresses…lipsticks, but those don't require as much space…oh and nailpolishes, about 30 hats, scarfs, bras, belts…need to think about my "aholisms"
You have quite a collection of beautiful shoes. Perfect article!
Wow that's a lot of "aholisms", Martina!! Thanks hun, so glad you liked the post :)))
There is a pair of mid-wedges in black with a little side strap….LOVE THOSE. Makes me want to pause the slideshow and stare.
Hehe all the shoes are in the main picture, Kristin – tiny but you'll see them there! xx
I am a shopaholic with a major weakness for shoes too! I bought 5 pairs last month and probably have 200+ pair of shoes. I do need to go through and donate shoes that I no longer love since I am out of space too.
You do have an amazing collection of shoes!
Alice
http://www.happinessatmidlife.com
Hope to see you Thursday for TBT Fashion link up.
I think your shoe collection even surpasses mine, Alice – I think the last time I counted I had about 120+. 200 is so impressive!!!!!!!! xx
I do love shoes also (my rationale is if I gain 5 pounds they still fit), but I have gotten better at keeping the same number in the closet. When I buy a new pair, I get rid of an old pair—hard, but practical! (That and I can borrow from my mother)….you just need a shoe swap friend who lives nearby! jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Yes to the thing about shoes always fitting, Jodie!! I tried the same "one in, one out" rule, but I soon forgot after taking too long to decide what had to go…! Unfortunately nearly everyone I know has different size feet to me – there are so many girls in my family but none have the same shoe size strangely!! x
Yeah, Ditto….And I don't have the excuse of a blog to justify them. Bad girls 😛
Mine look like yours ! Colourful, quirky and , frankly, essential . Shoes never fail to make me smile. Bravo to your collection . X
No one needs a blog to justify buying shoes, sweetie!! (hehe 😉 And hmm sounds like you're as naughty as me! x
What a collection of shoes , Beautiful ❤️
Hehe thank you Anne xx