Rating All of the Shoes in My Closet

I don't think of myself as a "shoe person." I know some people definitely more obsessed with shoes than me, but I have accumulated a bunch over the years, as I've been the same shoe size since I was about 14. Here is a list of all the shoes currently in my closet, and what I think of them. If you can spot the three pairs of kid's shoes I own as a young adult, you win an imaginary golden ticket.

Sneakers

1. Trusty scalloped-edge white sneakers

9/10

I got these from H&M in 2020. I had been wanting white sneakers, and after my job in the mall one day making a pit stop at my highly frequented, favorite store, I found these in the clearance section and they were exactly my size.

They've been with me everywhere. Dressed up, dressed down. Across the country and back.

They were my favorite sneakers for a good two years, until they finally started to look significantly dingy after being used so much. The only point off is because I shouldn't really want to wear them anymore—they're so beat up, and I now have a replacement pair of white sneakers.

Otherwise, one of my favorite pairs of shoes ever.

2. "Back at it [for the first time] with the white Vans"

10/10

These are my newer, sparkling-ish white sneakers that Sam bought me for my birthday. I tried these shoes on right before we got married, on a shopping trip with my mom, and contemplated getting them for our honeymoon, but I decided against it. I told Sam about these white platform Vans that I loved, and he surprised me with them for my birthday later in the year.

3. True functional sneakers (Asics)

7/10

You can't beat a pair of legitimately functional and well-made sneakers. These were bought at a Dick's Sporting Goods. They're a kid's shoe (less expensive without sacrificing quality). They've got good arches and solid tread. I hate the colors, but they're undeniably good shoes.

Highlight Appearances: Drive up Mt. Washington, hiking at Castle Crags State Park in CA

4. Almost functional sneakers (Unknown Brand)

5/10

College-freshman me bought these in the boy's section at Target. I was looking for a pair of sneakers that were functional but still trendy-looking, or at least not as kid-ish as the fluorescent blue and pink of my Asics. Funnily enough, I found these shoes in the kids' section that were on sale for literally $8, and I couldn't pass up that deal. They are no where near the quality of my Asics. I've worn them a bunch, because I prefer the color scheme, but they don't match up when it comes to tread and structure. These are pretty thin and just barely have tread. I wish the color scheme outweighed the function, as far as points go, but it just can't.

Heels

1. Strappy Beige Block Heels (A New Day)

9/10

I went looking at a few different stores for shoes to wear to my friend's wedding in April of 2022 and finally landed on these, which I found at Target. As you will see, many of my heels are closed-toe, but I came across these and actually liked them. While I still don't love that they show off my toes, they're one of the the only pairs of open-toed heels I don't hate on myself. They've also got a bit of a square toe which is pretty trendy right now, if I've gathered correctly. I have a feeling that the square-toe fad will fade in the next couple of years, but I appreciate that these are subtle and seem like they will reach beyond the fleeting fad lifespan.

Highlight appearance: College graduation, bridal shower

2. Strappy clog-like block heels (Forever 21)

6/10

Sometime in high school, my life-long best-friend, Evangeline, brought these out one day when I was at her house. She was going to get rid of them—she said they were cute but not her size. They were cute. "Well what size are they?" I asked. We both looked. 5.5. OH MY. They were actually my size. That never happened with hand-me-down shoes from my friends; they were always a larger size than me. "I'll take 'em!" I happily volunteered. I don't wear them often, but when I do, I enjoy it. Points off because they aren't closed-toe and sometimes the soles are a little slippery.

Highlight appearance: My cousin's wedding in Key West

3. Closed-toe beige block heels (Lulu's)

7/10

I originally bought these for a wedding I was in, and ended up wearing them for, not one, but two weddings as a bridesmaid. They're one of my favorite pair of shoes I own, style-wise—just so pretty to look at. To wear, however, they hurt. Admittedly, I have a pretty weak tolerance for heels, and being that these are tallest pair of heels I own, they hurt me the most.

Highlight appearances: Two separate weddings as a bridesmaid

4. Closed-toe black block heels (A New Day)

9/10

I don't really have a story about these, and I'm having trouble remembering for what reason I bought them. But these are one of my favorite pairs of shoes. They aren't too high, they have a softly pointed closed-toe, and the cute little strap. My only qualm with the strap is that walking up or down a set of stairs sometimes feels like my ankle is being grabbed with every step. But it's not so much of a bother that I hate wearing them. I love how cute and classic they are. I hope I have these for a long time.

Highlight appearance: Engagement photos

5. Closed-toe white block heels (Dream Pairs)

10/10

My wedding shoes! I was having a lot of trouble finding shoes to wear for our wedding day. It seemed like what I wanted was too specific to find and get within a couple weeks:

- white

- closed toe (you know how I feel about open-toe)

- block heel (because of the grass for our outdoor ceremony/reception)

- not too high (I didn't want to be uncomfortable on my wedding day).

Every option I found was either not quite right, out of stock, or would take too long to arrive. But somehow, a family friend found these on Amazon. They came in about a week before the day-of, and I was nervous that they sounded too good to be true, that there would still be something wrong with them. But when I opened the box, I immediately thought "They're perfect!" They were exactly what I was picturing. They were just the right height—I wore them for the entirety of the ceremony and reception. Of course, my feet hurt a little by the end of the night (I slipped them off in the car), but they were my wedding shoes and I am proud to say that I wore those things for my whole wedding without being in miserable, aching pain.

Highlight Appearance: Well, ya know.

6. Dusty rose/beige pumps (Life Stride)

8/10

There's nothing super dazzling about these, but they're another pair of cute and classic looking shoes. The color does a lot for me. They're technically a blushy-pink, but from far away they kinda just look like a nudey-beige. These pair well with a range of color schemes and make me feel really put-together. Their height always looks shorter in pictures than they feel in real life, but they're still nice-looking. The more I talk about them the more I realize how much I appreciate owning these.

Highlight appearance: Senior prom

7. Red pumps (Comfort Plus)

7/10

I got these from Payless when I was a freshman in high school for my first school dance. They're fairly comfortable in the grand scheme of heels. Out of style? Maybe. But really, when is a simple pair of red pumps ever truly out of style? Which is why I keep them I think. It's so unlike me to wear such a statement piece as a red heel; they make me feel cool.

Highlight Appearance: High school winter semi-formal, freshman year

8. Black pumps (Naturalizer)

6/10

I haven't worn these in a while, but it's nice to know I own a pair of simple black pumps for any occasion which may warrant them. They feel like a pretty staple pair of shoes to own. However, they also feel halfway between the currently-trending block heel and a classic skinnier heel (like the red and blush ones), which puts them in a weird spot for me as far as style. It's a pretty classic look and not "ugly" by any means, but in terms of being trendy and something that I would jump to for an outfit, I wouldn't put these at the top of the list. I appreciate them for their simplicity and function.

Highlight Appearance: An easter Sunday or two

9. Strappy Wedges (Jelly Pop LA)

5/10

I don't really know what to say about these. They're a pretty basic pair of wedges, which is great. I just don't find myself reaching for them in the summertime. They're a cute pair of wedges that I wore more often a couple years ago. Maybe I should get rid of them, or maybe I'll start wearing them again. We'll see what this summer brings.

Highlight Appearances: Junior prom, high school graduation

Sandals and Flats

1. Beige ballet flats (So)

3/10

These have no support whatsoever and are mostly out of style. When I think of these, I imagine a quintessential 2010-ish outfit. I did use them a lot for church outfits in the summer over the last year or so, as they are dressier shoes that are closed-toe and relieve me from having to wear heels. They also often serve as easy slip on shoes for trips to the basement, so they've come in handy, but I'd prefer not to wear them if I don't have to.

2. Slingback flats (Time and Tru)

5/10

For my friend's wedding in June of 2021, I had bought a red, two-piece outfit from Walmart, of all places. The week of, I was frantically trying to find a beige shoe to go with it. If I wore any kind of heel, it would raise the hem of the skirt, so I wanted flats, because I liked that the skirt went all the way to the floor standing at my normal height. I found beige ballet flats (see above) earlier in the week, but I still wasn't happy with the way they looked. On a Walmart run for some toiletries, I figured I'd see what they had. Sure enough, I found these shoes for $15. I took them home, tried them with the dress, and it was a win. Wedding outfit sponsored by Walmart.

I love the front of these, but I've come to hate the back. I like to wear these with dresses or pants that reach the floor, because then you can only see the good part of them. Sometimes they make my feet look like flippers, which is not my favorite, but I go back and forth between liking them.

3. Simple black slides (Universal Thread)

7/10

These are my substitute for flip flops. After I reached an age where I wasn't a huge fan of shoes that showed off my feet too much, I leaned towards the idea of slides, that could be both casual, cute, and make me feel better about walking around in the summer. They're also just a simple, popular look, so owning them is a win-win. They're pretty cheap shoes, but I love having them as a warm weather go-to.

4. Dressier black slides with a bow (Nine West)

6/10

I found these on my quest for shoes to wear with that red outfit for my friend's wedding. I didn't like the way they looked with it, but I liked them on their own. I've used them a bunch in the summer: they're easy slides, but feel like they can swing dressy or casual.

Highlight Appearance: My bachelorette brunch outing

Boots/Booties

1. Winter boots (Totes)

6/10

These are sorta cute; very functional. More fashionable boots exist, but these have done the job. They were a step up from the pink kids' boots I previously owned. I gave points because of their functionality and fuzzy interior.

Highlight Appearances: Winter storms/slushy days from the last five-ish years

2. Click-clacky beige booties (Mossimo)

7/10

These were a hand-me-down from a family friend, and I think they're technically a smidge too big on me, but I use them a lot, although they hurt after a while. I hate how pretentious I sound in these, click-clacking away like a high school administrator walking down the hall. For such a subtle-looking shoe, they don't sound subtle. If I was wearing something meant to be flashy and it had the sound a long with it, it would make sense, but these just don't match up. Anyway, sometimes I feel posh and mature, so there's a love-hate relationship there. I really do like them.

3. Camel brown booties (Unknown Brand)

8/10

I got these at a JCPenney one day, shortly after coming off of a cold, so I attach the memory of this shopping trip with a major sinus headache. At least I came out with these, from which I have gotten a fair bit of use. They aren't the most high-quality shoe (truthfully how many of my shoes are?) as they are neither waterproof, nor very warm. But their redeeming qualities include being cute, comfortable, and easy to slip-on-and-go. I've worn these a lot during fall and winter, usually with some bunched-up socks to provide some insulating ankle coverage.

4. Fake Doc Martens (Sincerely Jules)

9/10

These are a favorite recent purchase from Marshall's, that I got with a Christmas gift card. They're a cute but practical pair of shoes. I've been needing a casual/cute but water-resistant shoe for rainy days and just any outfit that goes. They were pretty cheap, both because they were on clearance and they are, in fact, kid's shoes (girl's size 4). Hence the sparkly soles. I can't tell if I've added or removed points for the sparkles, but I'm pretty sure they're positive points. I was matching shoes with one of the 6-year-old students at my job the other day, and I was way more excited about it than she was.

5. Beige laced wedge booties (Bongo)

8/10

I love looking at these shoes. I loved them when I got them in high school, and I still look at them and think, "Wow, what a cute shoe to wear in the fall." Sometimes I don't like them on me, but, other times, I'll throw them on and remember why I love them. There's just something about them that keeps me coming back. Technically these may be one of those trends that got left behind somewhere in 2015, but I think these are timeless.

Highlight Appearance: High school senior pictures

6. Black laced wedge booties (Bongo)

6/10

I got these at the same time as the beige ones—same shoe, two different colors. I don't love the black as much as I do the beige, but I used to wear these all the time.

7. Tall Camel Brown Boots (American Eagle)

7/10

t was These sorta come with a story. Every so often, I tend to get hooked on one pair of my shoes and wear them for everything, everywhere. If they're comfortable, casual, and work for many situations, I (at least in the past) would wear that single pair of shoes everyday, as mentioned with my white sneakers. I'd like to think I've outgrown this, or at least have a couple, staple pair of shoes that I can alternate, now. When I was in high school though, I had a pair of brown, camel-colored boots that I wore for almost everything. They were comfortable, warmer than an ankle-baring shoe for the cold months of school, and felt stylish. They were also great when it was that time of the month and had to use the bathroom—I would just slip a pad into my boot and march on discreetly down the hall.

I would switch it up when the seasons changed and it became too hot for the boots, but whenever the cool weather came back, so did they. After a while, they were pretty beat up, so my mom and I went to Payless to find a replacement pair. We found these, which were similar but slightly updated, with the subtle zipper on the back and darker shade of brown. And thus, I was granted a few more years of faithfully wearing the brown boots.

Again, not a well-made pair of shoes—they were from Payless, after all. They weren't functionally warm, and parts of the cheap coating wore off pretty quickly, but like many of my other shoes, they got a lot of wear. I haven't worn them much as of late, because I think they've somewhat gone out of style, but there are certain outfits with which I'll still wear them, and so, they remain in my closet after all this time.