How many pairs of shoes does a woman really need?

Ah, shoes....how I love them!  My husband doesn't understand my love of shoes or how I consider them a form of art.  Nothing expresses quite how I'm feeling at any given time like the shoes I put on my feet.  Some women collect shoes and others only own a few pair.  For those collectors among us (my hand is waving at you from my large closet filled with shoe boxes), it's hard to imagine only having 5 pairs of shoes and wearing those same pair all the time.  For the more simplistic among us, owning more than 5 pairs of shoes seems a terrible waste of money and limited closet space.  You must follow your own inclinations and budget (amid possible husband eye-rolling) as to how many pairs of shoes you choose to own; however I believe there are certain shoes that every woman should have in her closet.  My list is by no means exhaustive, but I think it'll carry most women through each season in relative style.

For fall/winter, a woman should have a nice pair of black shoes.  These could be worn with jeans as well as dresses.  For the heel-inclined among us, a classic pair of black pumps is perfect.  I'm not talking about the high platform heels that you can't wobble around in for more than a few hours. I'm talking about a classic 3-inch pair of plain or patent black heels that you could wear all day comfortably.  If you can't or won't wear heels, then a nice pair of black flats that go with anything.  You can change up the color, if need be, if your wardrobe skews mostly brown or navy.  But black shoes can be worn with any shade of gray, black, white and if you wear animal prints, you can even wear your black shoes with brown (just wear a brown leopard print belt to pull the 2 colors together).  For fall/winter, I also think you should invest in a nice pair of boots.  For ladies who live up North, they may be a necessity and for those of us in the South, they're more of a fashion statement.  Still, there's nothing better when the weather is cold and rainy, snowy or miserable than a pair of boots.  Nice boots are typically an investment piece and real leather boots will run you at least $100 on sale.  Save up and buy a pair in classic black or cognac brown that can be worn year after year.  For those ladies who think they can't wear boots because their calves won't fit (again, I'm waving over here), you can buy Extended Calf boots but they are usually more expensive and harder to find; still for an investment piece it's worth the time and money to find a pair.

For spring/summer, if you're limited in what you want or can afford, buy a pair of nude shoes.  Whether wedges, pumps, flats or espadrilles - nude shoes go with everything and every color.  I have several dresses in my summer wardrobe that would require a special color shoe and it's hard to justify buying another pair of shoes to wear with just one dress. For those times, I just slip on my nude patent wedges and everything looks great.  Just make sure when buying nude shoes that you buy a color that goes well with your skin tone.  Nude shades range a very large color spectrum.  I had to look specifically for a pair that had pink undertones.  The idea is to get the shoe to blend in with your legs, thereby elongating them and eliminating the need for "matchy matchy" shoes to go with your clothes.  Also for spring/summer, a woman needs a pair of sandals for wearing with skirts, shorts, jeans and dresses.  Choose a color and heel height that goes with a majority of your summer wardrobe. Sandals might need to be replaced every year due to wear and smell (summer heat = foot sweat) so you can afford to be cheaper with your sandal purchases if you plan to re-purchase for the following year.

Finally, every woman should have a pair of tennis shoes.  I personally don't care for tennis shoes, but do wear them occasionally.  And it's nice to have a pair for when I get asked to do things like go on a hike, mow the grass, and practice soccer with my son.  I may not wear them often, but when I have to, they're there.  Some women love tennies and wear them every day. Those would be worth spending more money for comfort, fit and longevitiy. I don't spend much money on my tennies because I don't wear them often. 

So, there are my must-have shoes for every woman.  Personally, since I love shoes so much, I have multiple shoes in multiple colors in each of these categories.  But I've been collecting shoes for quite some time and some shoes have been with me for many, many years.  Take a look at your closet and before you buy any more shoes, know what you already have and what you really need.  Then you'll have a better idea of what to be looking for as summer shoes go on sale and fall/winter specials are offered in stores.  Next week, we may take a look at how shoes can alter your apperance....you might be surprised!