What's With Women's Shoe Designers?

I think I've hit my limit for shoes - at least for the next 6 months or so. I know it's not just me who has an excess of shoes and I know it's not all my fault. I regularly watch "House Hunters" on TV where people are looking to buy a new house and inevitably the real estate agent says "is this closet big enough" and the snarly response by the husband is "maybe for her shoes!". How funny can that line be - when it's said in just about every show? You can tell that this is one reality show that isn't scripted or if it is, the writers have severe memory problems. ("I've got a good idea, after you close your wife in the closet, mention that the closet might just hold her shoes. I'll bet you'll get a good chuckle over that line".)

But the show has educated me in the ways of most women - and shoes. And I don't think we are to blame for our shoe problems. Think about it. Most men have no more than 4 pairs of shoes; dress shoes, casual shoes, sneakers and sandals. Why is that? Because their shoes don't change from decade to decade. I've been with men when their shoes finally wore out and they couldn't re-sole or re-heel them anymore. They go to the shoe store and ask for the same style of shoe - and they still have it! How interesting it is to buy more shoes that look just like the rest in your closet?

Womens shoes are a different matter. Designers tweak the styles constantly. We buy a nice pair of black, low-heeled shoes and the next week we see a nice pair of black, low-heeled shoes with cool patent leather piping running across the toe. Then we find some lower heeled black shoes to wear with our slacks. Just as we're leaving the shoe store, we see some very stylish black high-heeled shoes with a peek-a-boo toe and an ankle strap. This continues with our brown shoes, tan shoes, red shoes, navy shoes, etc. When summer comes, the array of sandals takes up half of the shoe department and none look alike. We can't just have one pair of sandals.

OK, so I don't necessarily fall into the "stylish" shoe category. I can have just as many shoes as the next woman but mine fall into the description of funky and comfortable. If I can get funky and comfortable in the same shoe, I'm in heaven. Unfortunately, I have a closet full of funky - not comfortable shoes, and comfortable - not funky shoes.

Why are there so many celebrities designing womens shoes and not mens shoes? My guess is that most men don't think about their feet once they are in a shoe. You don't see men say to other men "Hey, I like your shoes. They are like mine, but in brown. I think I might get another pair. Cool". Their whole shoe budget - for their life is probably $200 and they get change back. There's no money to make in men's shoes.

I think that women are being pushed into buying more shoes not just by designers but by other women. You know that when you're out in public, women look you up and down - and especially check out your shoes. It's a competition as to who has the best shoes. I still haven't figured out why most women do this but it's a fact.

I once had the heel on my shoe break at the airport and I didn't have another pair with me. I was on my way to give a presentation in Oklahoma. Quickly looking around the airport, I found 2 pairs of shoes in my size that I could buy. One was a pair of the University of Texas basketball shoes and one was a pair of Crocs. I was wearing a black suit and had no choice but to go with the Crocs - the blue Crocs. I felt there was a spotlight on my feet the rest of the day. This is when I noticed that women look at other women's shoes. I saw more women almost snap their necks in a vertical whip lash when they casually looked from my suit to my shoes and then abruptly flicked their neck up to look at my face. You could see how shocking my lack of shoe-outfit coordination was to them. I think they had to see if I was hunched over and drooling because that would be the only explanation for my lack of style.

I wish that some day I could be vindicated by having Posh Spice or Katie Holmes photographed in yellow Crocs and a business suit. Comfort and style - what a concept. Maybe if they made women's shoes with that in mind, we wouldn't have to buy so many different pairs - or maybe not.