I’ve always had a shoe situation going on… Even before Carrie Bradshaw I had over 100 pairs of shoes in my New York City apartment, storing them in my kitchen cabinets because of course I wasn’t cooking in my apartment! I needed to shoe storage. I think I even had some shoes in the oven lol. I think shoes are profoundly less interesting now than they once were. It would take nothing for me to go to the Barney’s shoe department (Chelsea) and fall desperately in love with some shoe that I could wear with anything, transform any outfit. when I wore it, I felt a special thing in my heart. I have no idea if this is like false correlation… But I think the euro changed everything. In the Italian and Spanish markets there was an incredible amount of diversity. Lots of small producers. they make really beautiful special shoes. At affordable price points. Many of those folks went out of business when converted to the euro. Due to all the structural problems those economies have, without currency evaluation, the shoe makers were not able to survive. I wonder if that’s why shoes are no longer singing to me. The only happy counter to this is the evolution of sneakers. Which, while I hear you on the devastating impact on the environment, it has been absolutely wonderful for my feet to be able to wear sneakers with so many outfits and really enjoy them. And please can Prada stop making shoes with her freaking logo on them. Ugh! Oh and yes, I subversively enjoy a skin sandwich because I am rebellious at heart 🙈
I agree. Shoes are definitely no longer as interesting as they once were. The early 2000s were detrimental for a lot of small shoe manufacturers as fast fashion really took over. I lived in Italy in the late 90s and early 00s, and mass-produced, impersonal, cheap shoes (and clothes) were everywhere, not to mention the counterfeit goods being sold at every street corner. No wonder small producers couldn't survive.
I am not sure if I can ever look at a pair of sneakers the same way after I read about their decomposition rate. The comfort is undeniable though! And yes: I'm all for abolishing that stupid Prada logo, and I always support a little (or a big) rebellion!
The Tibi style classes have made me even more hesitant about shoes - I'm constantly second-guessing myself! Are heels dated? How about ankle boots? I need both big and slim and in different colours. They can be so expensive and end up getting trashed fairly easily. Or they're uncomfortable. So I'm gripped with indecision when shopping. I've wasted a lot of money on "going out" shoes, shoes no one sees as they're under a restaurant table or shoes I can't wear to restaurants because of the snow. Summer shoes are the absolute worst. I need something to elevate fairly casual outfits but that can be worn all day. Not an easy task. Sneakers are an option but since I'm so in love with denim, even in summer, I look like a slob. I'll stop babbling now!
So I am not the only one whose head was spinning with the Tibi Style Class' shoe discussions! It's not easy to keep up and differentiate between what someone else says you should like, what you actually like, and what you might need for your own life. I try to keep in mind, always, that as informative and interesting as the style classes have been, they are still selling products (which is fine). But you need to keep your wits about you and not succumb to the pressure to keep buying stuff. Easier said than done though!
So true! Tibi is ultimately a business, so it’s up to the consumer to make wise decisions. I just don’t have the lifestyle (or the climate) to justify owning too many pairs of shoes. I know they’re extremely important and can easily ruin an outfit, but I get far more satisfaction from investing in shirts and pants - I don’t fret about wear and tear as much. I had a pair of The Row pumps, which I rarely wore. They still got scuffed at the toe area - the leather was completely damaged. What a terrible “investment!”
Oh yeah, the wear and tear with shoes is so painful. It's unavoidable though. I wonder if we could benefit from thinking over that whole idea that shoes must look impeccable. If a leather jacket looks much better when it looks lived in, why don't we think the same way when it comes to shoes?
I hope you find the derbies of your dreams! It is interesting that you’re more assured and focused about your footwear choices than in the rest of your wardrobe; it made me wonder if I too, have some sub-segments of my wardrobe that I can take the cue from -- unswayed by trends and the need for something new.
I think it’s a good thing that I have wide, large feet because it’s not easy to find shoes that fit comfortably. So it’s much easier to exercise restraint even when I am bored by my shoes. It also explains why shoes are the easiest thing for me to hit the 100-wears mark -- a pair of Arizonas I bought last April have clocked 78 wears while my Bostons have clocked 110 wears since late-2011. It feels encouraging when I see these stats and it stops me from buying stuff I know will achieve “the look” but I know I’ll never wear because everyday needs dictate my choices.
Good shoes are definitely not easy to find! I, too, have challenging feet. They're long and narrow, and my left foot is a whole size bigger than my right. Sadly that didn't stop me from buying a lot of ill-fitting, cheap shoes when I was younger and when my shopping addiction was at its worst. Since my foot health has become more of a pressing issue, it has been a lot easier to say no to discomfort and to only buy what I can actually wear. It's a blessing in disguise!
I'm also trying to see if there might be other segments in my wardrobe that I respond to in the same way as I do to shoes. I'm thinking handbags might be another category. Interestingly enough, I also like my handbags to be as unnoticeable as possible.
So good to hear I wasn't the only one sent crazy by the style class. At one point I thought I needed to totally reinvent my shoe game. I purchased a few very expensive (for me)pairs and then was too precious about them. Much like you I've found a good cobbler.
I now call the style classes "Tibi home shopping network " and remind myself that I won't be naked anything soon.
I have along way to go with my over consumption but people such as yourself help me on my journey. Thank you for sharing you thoughts.
It requires guts to follow your own path when it comes to style, especially in the age of social media. I have learned so much from Style Class, but it has also prompted and re-awakened a lot of my old insecurities regarding my personal quest for style. I am sure that is not the intention, but there it is, anyway. I, too, have to keep reminding myself that I don't need these things that are shown in style class, that I can enjoy the theory parts and I can leave the shopping to others.
Shoes... The shoes are the smallest segment of my wardrobe. I have 27 pairs in rotation (including boots, gym and gardening shoes) and 5 pairs on the chopping block (still evaluating). Shoes have never been a major point of attraction to me, although I do understand how they can affect an outfit. The advice that I've found useful is not to wear white shoes with a white top, or black with a black top. Was that the sandwich thing? I could never tell. But this advice made a lot of sense to me and now I almost never break that rule. It just looks and feels wrong if I do.
Otherwise, yes, my shoe collection is good and I make it work hard. Most wears in my wardrobe are my black Birkenstock Bostons. I just bought a pair of Arizona chunky that I cannot wait to wear in summer! Rarely do I get so excited about a pair of shoes. I even bought it retail and full price!
Ooh I like the chunky Arizonas! You'll get a ton of wear out of them, I'm sure.
The skin sandwich thing is to wear, for example, skinny jeans with ankle boots so that there's a sliver of skin showing between the hem of the jeans and the top of the boots. But I suppose matching one's top with one's shoes is a type of sandwich, too. Amy advises against both, and I can sort of see why, in both cases. Having said that... I recently saw a picture of an older man wearing a brown shirt and jacket with navy trousers and brown brogues, and matching the shirt and jacket with the brogues looked incredibly sophisticated.
I have a pair of Trippen sandals from years ago (maybe 2009?) and you know, after watching one Style Class about shoes (this was when Dione was still there), I was thinking long and hard whether my Trippens fell under the dreaded "shoes that were made and worn by elves" category. Thank god I didn't get rid of them!
And thank you for joining the readership! I hope you stick around! <3
I’ve always had a shoe situation going on… Even before Carrie Bradshaw I had over 100 pairs of shoes in my New York City apartment, storing them in my kitchen cabinets because of course I wasn’t cooking in my apartment! I needed to shoe storage. I think I even had some shoes in the oven lol. I think shoes are profoundly less interesting now than they once were. It would take nothing for me to go to the Barney’s shoe department (Chelsea) and fall desperately in love with some shoe that I could wear with anything, transform any outfit. when I wore it, I felt a special thing in my heart. I have no idea if this is like false correlation… But I think the euro changed everything. In the Italian and Spanish markets there was an incredible amount of diversity. Lots of small producers. they make really beautiful special shoes. At affordable price points. Many of those folks went out of business when converted to the euro. Due to all the structural problems those economies have, without currency evaluation, the shoe makers were not able to survive. I wonder if that’s why shoes are no longer singing to me. The only happy counter to this is the evolution of sneakers. Which, while I hear you on the devastating impact on the environment, it has been absolutely wonderful for my feet to be able to wear sneakers with so many outfits and really enjoy them. And please can Prada stop making shoes with her freaking logo on them. Ugh! Oh and yes, I subversively enjoy a skin sandwich because I am rebellious at heart 🙈
I agree. Shoes are definitely no longer as interesting as they once were. The early 2000s were detrimental for a lot of small shoe manufacturers as fast fashion really took over. I lived in Italy in the late 90s and early 00s, and mass-produced, impersonal, cheap shoes (and clothes) were everywhere, not to mention the counterfeit goods being sold at every street corner. No wonder small producers couldn't survive.
I am not sure if I can ever look at a pair of sneakers the same way after I read about their decomposition rate. The comfort is undeniable though! And yes: I'm all for abolishing that stupid Prada logo, and I always support a little (or a big) rebellion!
The Tibi style classes have made me even more hesitant about shoes - I'm constantly second-guessing myself! Are heels dated? How about ankle boots? I need both big and slim and in different colours. They can be so expensive and end up getting trashed fairly easily. Or they're uncomfortable. So I'm gripped with indecision when shopping. I've wasted a lot of money on "going out" shoes, shoes no one sees as they're under a restaurant table or shoes I can't wear to restaurants because of the snow. Summer shoes are the absolute worst. I need something to elevate fairly casual outfits but that can be worn all day. Not an easy task. Sneakers are an option but since I'm so in love with denim, even in summer, I look like a slob. I'll stop babbling now!
So I am not the only one whose head was spinning with the Tibi Style Class' shoe discussions! It's not easy to keep up and differentiate between what someone else says you should like, what you actually like, and what you might need for your own life. I try to keep in mind, always, that as informative and interesting as the style classes have been, they are still selling products (which is fine). But you need to keep your wits about you and not succumb to the pressure to keep buying stuff. Easier said than done though!
So true! Tibi is ultimately a business, so it’s up to the consumer to make wise decisions. I just don’t have the lifestyle (or the climate) to justify owning too many pairs of shoes. I know they’re extremely important and can easily ruin an outfit, but I get far more satisfaction from investing in shirts and pants - I don’t fret about wear and tear as much. I had a pair of The Row pumps, which I rarely wore. They still got scuffed at the toe area - the leather was completely damaged. What a terrible “investment!”
Oh yeah, the wear and tear with shoes is so painful. It's unavoidable though. I wonder if we could benefit from thinking over that whole idea that shoes must look impeccable. If a leather jacket looks much better when it looks lived in, why don't we think the same way when it comes to shoes?
I hope you find the derbies of your dreams! It is interesting that you’re more assured and focused about your footwear choices than in the rest of your wardrobe; it made me wonder if I too, have some sub-segments of my wardrobe that I can take the cue from -- unswayed by trends and the need for something new.
I think it’s a good thing that I have wide, large feet because it’s not easy to find shoes that fit comfortably. So it’s much easier to exercise restraint even when I am bored by my shoes. It also explains why shoes are the easiest thing for me to hit the 100-wears mark -- a pair of Arizonas I bought last April have clocked 78 wears while my Bostons have clocked 110 wears since late-2011. It feels encouraging when I see these stats and it stops me from buying stuff I know will achieve “the look” but I know I’ll never wear because everyday needs dictate my choices.
Good shoes are definitely not easy to find! I, too, have challenging feet. They're long and narrow, and my left foot is a whole size bigger than my right. Sadly that didn't stop me from buying a lot of ill-fitting, cheap shoes when I was younger and when my shopping addiction was at its worst. Since my foot health has become more of a pressing issue, it has been a lot easier to say no to discomfort and to only buy what I can actually wear. It's a blessing in disguise!
I'm also trying to see if there might be other segments in my wardrobe that I respond to in the same way as I do to shoes. I'm thinking handbags might be another category. Interestingly enough, I also like my handbags to be as unnoticeable as possible.
So good to hear I wasn't the only one sent crazy by the style class. At one point I thought I needed to totally reinvent my shoe game. I purchased a few very expensive (for me)pairs and then was too precious about them. Much like you I've found a good cobbler.
I now call the style classes "Tibi home shopping network " and remind myself that I won't be naked anything soon.
I have along way to go with my over consumption but people such as yourself help me on my journey. Thank you for sharing you thoughts.
Thank you for reading! <3
It requires guts to follow your own path when it comes to style, especially in the age of social media. I have learned so much from Style Class, but it has also prompted and re-awakened a lot of my old insecurities regarding my personal quest for style. I am sure that is not the intention, but there it is, anyway. I, too, have to keep reminding myself that I don't need these things that are shown in style class, that I can enjoy the theory parts and I can leave the shopping to others.
Shoes... The shoes are the smallest segment of my wardrobe. I have 27 pairs in rotation (including boots, gym and gardening shoes) and 5 pairs on the chopping block (still evaluating). Shoes have never been a major point of attraction to me, although I do understand how they can affect an outfit. The advice that I've found useful is not to wear white shoes with a white top, or black with a black top. Was that the sandwich thing? I could never tell. But this advice made a lot of sense to me and now I almost never break that rule. It just looks and feels wrong if I do.
Otherwise, yes, my shoe collection is good and I make it work hard. Most wears in my wardrobe are my black Birkenstock Bostons. I just bought a pair of Arizona chunky that I cannot wait to wear in summer! Rarely do I get so excited about a pair of shoes. I even bought it retail and full price!
Ooh I like the chunky Arizonas! You'll get a ton of wear out of them, I'm sure.
The skin sandwich thing is to wear, for example, skinny jeans with ankle boots so that there's a sliver of skin showing between the hem of the jeans and the top of the boots. But I suppose matching one's top with one's shoes is a type of sandwich, too. Amy advises against both, and I can sort of see why, in both cases. Having said that... I recently saw a picture of an older man wearing a brown shirt and jacket with navy trousers and brown brogues, and matching the shirt and jacket with the brogues looked incredibly sophisticated.
I have a pair of Trippen sandals from years ago (maybe 2009?) and you know, after watching one Style Class about shoes (this was when Dione was still there), I was thinking long and hard whether my Trippens fell under the dreaded "shoes that were made and worn by elves" category. Thank god I didn't get rid of them!
And thank you for joining the readership! I hope you stick around! <3