So Many Pairs of Shoes, So Little Space

Closet Analysis: Choose the Right Tools

For those of us who have more pairs of shoes than is reasonable, this post is for you. For those like my husband, who has six pairs of shoes — a pair of Geox black leather loafers, a second pair of same style Geox caramel beige leather loafers, a pair of running shoes, a pair of leather sandals, a pair of Merril sandals, and a pair of Oxfords — don't bother reading this post.

Brian Davis, my ballet flats guru, tells me that he kept his Keds in their original boxes for years. "But as more and more pairs were added I realized I don't have enough room. My Keds are stored in the plastic tubs with no real organization method at all (embarrassing I know). I have several of these plastic tubs with Keds in them."
We've all been there, done that and many of us are still there, doing that.
He did tell me that his brand new vintage 
Keds are kept in their original boxes in a closet as are his Puma flats and sports flats and his Michael Kors flats are in a trunk in a spare rooom. The spare room and extra closets have become his shoe repositories.
Now where are his Tieks and his Tory's?
Brian tells us, "My Tory's are the most organized of all my ballet flats.  I keep them in what I refer to as "The Tory Vault."
I recognize a couple of "what looks like Tory boot boxes" at the bottom of that closet.
Even though Tieks are his newest ballet flats passion, they are the most unorganized, according to Brian. Tieks come folded in half in a tiny blue box but Brian has an issue with the presentation. "Since it drives me nuts to see them folded in half like that, I don't store them in the original box." 

Here's what they look like freshly unpacked. Yes, these cute flats came out of that little box! 

Thank you Brian for the providing the reveal through your photographs. You are braver than I!
There are so many alternatives out there to organize your shoes and I'm sure you will be able to add another idea or two to the list that follows. 

Necessary: Now, let's take a look at what tools are available out there for shoe organization:

Nice: The only advantage clear plastic shoe boxes offer over the original cardboard box is that you can more readily find what you are looking for. They still take up a lot of space but if you want to invest the money (around $2.00/box or so), the plastic shoebox is a good option —stackable, easy to label, and transparent. When you no longer need them, they can be used to store something else. Original cardboard boxes don't hold up and vary in size thereby making it difficult to stack properly. The problem is, if you are like me, you haven't kept the boxes. If you like the idea of the transparent alternative, you will also like the "heeled" shoeboxes that come in three different height sizes.

Noteworthy: Then there are all forms of . . . 

Boot Hangers and Boot Racks

Hanging Shoe Shelves

Over-the-Door-Shoe-Bags or Racks I personally don't like things hanging on my doors. Opening and closing doors with stuff on them just doesn't cut it for me. If it's a good idea for you, choose one with clear pockets making it easier to identify the shoes you want to wear.

Cubby Shoe Organizers or Shoe Cabinets Some shoe cabinets are combined shoe cabinet/storage benches or shoe ottomans that look like a piece of furniture

Under the Bed Shoe Organizers For the shoes you don't wear on a regular basis. No Thanks. I like to see what I have. 

Floor Placement Shoe Racks That's what I have right now and it serves the purpose in the space I have allotted for them. My shoes are visible, on the floor beneath my hanging clothes, and easily accessible. Those shoes I don't wear often are in cloth bags piled in a corner shelf and this is a No Thanks for me.

Tiered Shoe Shelves/Racks multiple shelves high, shoe shelves can vary in size, from 6 pairs to 48 pairs — the more shoes it accommodates, the higher the shelf. Made of wood, bamboo, plastic, or chrome-plated steel. 

 

Nicer & Noteworthy: Shoe Slots/ Shoe Space-Savers

I found this photo of the shoe slots on eBay. I love the design and can imagine my shoes organized in this way. Unfortunately, I don't have any open shelving in my closet. It just might be worth giving up some of my hanger space for a narrow shelving unit. But for now, I'll put up with my floor placement shoe rack.

If you are lucky, you may have built-in shelving in your closet. I can imagine shoe slots in the shelving on the right side of this closet. Where two pairs of shoes lay, 5 pairs could be accommodated with shoe slots. 

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

Finding shoe organizers for 6 to 12 pairs is fairly easy. If you want something for 48 pairs, the best strategy is to start your search, be patient, but you will eventually find them online.

Or if you need a guide on the side to help you de-clutter and organize, check out my latest project in collaboration with Janet Parkinson, an interior consultant, and owner of Changing Spaces by Design.

Click Here to Visit the Launch Page for

A Box a Day: A 30 Day Journal to Triumph Over Clutter 

Your Personal De-Cluttering Guide

Or

 Click Here for my page on this blog — help me out with some organic marketing.

 

 

 

Two Decades of Wearing Ballet Flats

 Brian's Passion for Ballet Flats  Timeline

Brian's passion began when he first noticed, then coveted, the white leather Ked running shoes "all" the cool girls were wearing in high school. From that moment he wanted a pair. He discovered Keds also made ballet-flats and soon he began collecting different patterns and styles. Here began close relationships with sales associates who made sure to inform him of new styles and colours. The Keds sales gal was the first of many who helped Brian out with finding the perfect ballet flat. Coinciding with his Keds discovery was the fabric Chinese-influenced brown-soled Mary Janes. The Mary Janes are long gone but the Keds have continued to be a wearable choice in his closet.

During this developing passion for ballet flats, he was not loyal to any one brand but he did begin showing a preference for particular fabrication, decoration, and comfort. Nine West, Puma, and Michael Kors progressively became favourites during this period. 

As with any collection, once you have everything you can get locally, you want, no you need to expand your collection by exploring what is available out there. When he mentioned Tory Burch to the Michael Kors sales staff, the gal who got to know him well, told him to check the next time he went back to Arizona where he vacationed every year. Brian had one of those smack yourself in the forehead kind of moments. But of course.

"And that's when my passion for Tory started — November 23rd, 2001." For seventeen years, he was loyal. How loyal? Imagine, additional pairs in every shade Tory Burch offered (in those seventeen years) between each of the base colours in this photograph.

"I still love my Tory's but in 2018, I decided to try a pair of Tieks." He actually anticipated hating them but Tieks has a free shipping and return policy within the United States and so he thought, "Why not?" He ordered a pair of the blue Tieks called Sapphire. He loved them and four days later, ordered another two pairs.

His transition from Tory to Tieks was influenced by two practical factors — the sales people at Tory Burch (with whom he developed relationships) had moved on and he already owned every pair he wanted. I imagine after awhile it becomes more of the same. I have never had the good fortune to test out that theory. Brian feels both are similar in comfort but his Tory Burch selections have a classier feel style-wise. His Tieks have become his ballet flat of choice for everyday wear. 

Relationships continued to be a part of his ballet flats experience. Tieks has an organized social media following numbering 40,000 members, male and female, from all over the world. Brian now belongs to the group and has become f2f friends with some of them. TieksMeets, when Tieks "fanatics" (that's Brian's word) and Tieks in the Wild when you see someone wearing Tieks nurture the Tieks phenomena. I know how the TITW people feel because when I'm out, carrying a Lancel bag and see someone else with one I want so much to go up to them and ask them about their Lancel. With the number of ballet flats Brian has and with spring organizing on my mind, I'll soon be talking to him about the content of his closets.

What's not to love?

Brian's Choice Re-invented

Closet Fashion Analysis:

Ballet Flats with a Conscience

Nice

Brian, my ballet flats expert has turned his allegiance from Tory Burch to Tieks – In an email last week he told me, “2 years ago I bought myself a pair of Tieks ballet flats. Today I now own 22 pairs. I still like my Torys but I'm more of a Tieks guy these days.” 

Considering the Tieks motto is “the ballet flat reinvented”, I think it an appropriate choice. For those of you following this blog, you know that I prefer subtlety when it comes to wearing “marks”. I like Tieks because their signature is the teal blue sole and vertical heel strip whereas Tory Burch emblazons her TB in almost a garish way. Now you know how I really feel.

Tieks has also endeared me to their product with Operation #SewTogether: Their ads tell us, “We’re giving a $50. Tieks Gift Card to anyone who stiches and donates 25 masks, or a $100. Tieks Gift Card for 50 or more masks.” They are distributing these masks in the Los Angeles area and as this promotion expands, I am curious if Tieks will expand their donations elsewhere. The Tieks web page for #SewTogether also keeps a running tally of how many masks have been produced. On my last visit (April 16, 2020) they have provided 260,167 lower-grade homemade masks to free up the medical-grade ones for doctors and nurses who deal directly with COVID19 patients.

Not only this but the Gavrieli Foundation maintained by Tieks provides financial resources for women entrepreneurs around the world “in the broader fight against global poverty”. Nice.

Like any other mark, Tieks has an enthusiastic following and Brian has become part of that as well, “I've met lots of great people thru the Tieks group I'm part of. A few have been real life meetings in Arizona and Calgary.”

“Women seem to love this brand,” Brian reiterates, and from the website, I can see why “. . .  and there's a handful of guys that also wear them . . ." 

Tieks . . . a perfect spring choice for anyone who has a social conscience (and an aversion to showy marks) ". . . and they come in a rainbow full of colors” . . . and they're foldable!

Photo Source: Tieks

Spring Choices: Sandals or Flats

Flip Flops and Flats: Summery Choices

Closet Content Analysis: the Best Shoes for a Carefree Summer

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Brian Davis is ready for spring and summer. If you do not know, he is my resident male ballet flats expert and he not only knows Tory Burch flats, he owns more than I can keep track of. But there are three new acquisitions in Brian's flats closet and he is definitely ready to strut.

Tory Burch Sandals and matching Polish. Photo Source: Brian Davis

First on the list for spring footwear is not so much the footwear as the foot. Get a pedicure or give yourself a pedicure. Of course it is much nicer if you book a relaxing pedicure, at least the first one of the season. I had one a couple of weeks ago and I am usually happy but this time, the little details were just off. It cost me $99.00 + taxes (the sale price for a $130.00 Thai pedicure) and I was not so impressed with this salon's interpretation of the procedure or with the technician. My goal this summer may be to experience the perfect pedicure.

Brian did the same but he was much more adventuresome than me. Sometimes, Brian does what I only think about doing - in this case, lime green polish would have been a passing thought for me. Good on you, Brian.

Of course Brian's sandal choices come from the Tory Burch collection and I have lusted after these particular sandals but had a hard time getting over the price. To me, no matter the designer, sandals should not cost that much. Brian is a diehard for Tory Burch so the price of the flip flops doesn't seem to be an issue for him. In fact he bought two pairs, red and green.

Red Tory Burch sandals. Photo Source: Brian Davis, 2017

But there is another pair of ballet flats in my favourite colours for the summer, blue and white, that Brian bought this spring.

Tory Burch blue and white logo ballet flats. Photo Source: Brian Davis, 2017

Now these would be perfect for me and I wouldn't even mind paying full retail price. 

Six Ways to Achieve the Sport Luxe Look

Sport Luxe has been defined as "fusion between fashion and fitness" (Retrieved on February 20, 2017 from Jasmine Howell's blog, RebelInsider, post dated May 13, 2016). Comfortable casual has embraced elements of sport luxe, but sport luxe is more specific than comfortable casual. Therefore sport luxe can be part of comfortable casual but comfortable casual does not have to include sport luxe. Perhaps categorizing clothing is not a necessary function for one's closet. 

However if you want to incorporate sport luxe into your closet, you may need to consider these factors.

NOTE-WORTHY

How to achieve the "sport luxe" look:

1) Fitness - You have to be fit to pull it off. Yoga leggings and contoured body-hugging t-shirts show off every muscle, along with any lumps and bumps. Camouflage may be necessary. If you have the body or the self-confidence to wear leggings outside of the gym, make sure they are thick enough to obscure the colour of your underwear. It's an unfair category; you look better in this item of sport luxe clothing when you are in great shape.

Brain's Keds Photo Source: Brian Davis

2) Flats or "flat fats" are all generated from a variety of sports, from jogging to skateboarding. Save your expensive joggers for jogging but do wear lighter weight sneakers, such as Keds. They give you the "sport luxe" look without the functional chunkiness, although there are those who like that fat shoe look. Think about proportion relative to what you are wearing and your size when you want to wear a clunkier shoe.

Photo Source: Unknown

3) In the sport luxe category, clothing items are both functional and fashionable in and out of the gym. This does require some self-judgement. Of course it is ok to wear what you are comfortable in at the gym. If you like lifting weights in a t-shirt blotched with bleach stains and oversize torn sweats; fine; but that is not the look that functions outside the gym. Sloppy and slovenly is not sport luxe.

Photo Source: ZAPYLE
8 Cool Ways to Wear a Sports Jersey

4) Balance your look. There's oversize and there's balanced oversize. Thinking you can wear your boyfriend's or husband's XXL rugby shirt when you are a size small or medium will not pull off the "luxe" part of sport luxe. An XXL football jersey with XXL sweatpants will just make you look dowdy at the least, and a puff ball at worst, in addition to being really clumsy and awkward to wear. Make sure you choose something oversized that is proportional to your size. If you are choosing a large full top, balance it with those opaque leggings or a pencil skirt. 

5) Head to toe sport-oriented clothing is overkill on the street. Minimalism is a criteria that applies to the number of sport theme items of clothing you wear at any one time. This is why you see heels with track pants or sneakers with a cotton t-shirt style dress. Take another look at the Zapyle photo - that is sport luxe minimalism.

Stacked bracelets and cuffs add luxe to comfortable casual or sport luxe looks.
Photo Source: JoyD

6) For extra luxe, add cuffs, bangles or Swarovski sparkle on your wrist while wearing sneakers and a sport brand t-shirt. Earrings are great, especially if they are big, but never those cutesy little soccer balls or sport shoes or hockey sticks - that's just "kitsch". Necklaces can be iffy so keep it simple. It is the sport-oriented item of clothing that is your statement, so don't have a big statement necklace compete with your sport luxe look.

Sport luxe is very different from wearing your team's colours and insignia on play day. Think minimalism and balance, both males and females, and you will never lose no matter what the look.

What About Pink?

Pink has been a difficult colour in my life. When I was little and had to choose a dress, I recall conscientiously staying away from pink because it had too many princess connotations and I did not want a princess persona. I was 8. I remember shunning pink when I first began my professional life, thinking that it would be considered "too feminine" or rather "too girly". I was 28. I choose yellow or white instead of either pink or blue for baby gifts. Ongoing from my 20's to my . . . not yet but probably until my 80's. However, pink is evolving in my life as simply a colour, a colour that I don't mind anymore. I still do not have many, actually just one pink item in my closet.

When I asked Brian, this blog's ballet flats expert, about pink in his flats collection, he too was hesitant, for exactly the same socio-cultural reasons.

It was 2012 when Brian wrote, 

I love pink flats but as a guy I just can't get through what it takes to wear them out in public. Maybe some guys can pull them off but I'm not one of the (yet!). I've bought lots over the years only to return them later on. Don't get me wrong they are high quality flats but not quite right for me, so - NO THANKS.

YET! has come. After four years Brian is wearing pink in public and I bought a pink sweater. Never say never. I guess that is why I chose "no thanks" as a sub-category rather than "never" since it does really mean "no thanks for the moment".

Brian now tells us,

I guess in the four years since I said, "No Thanks" about pink, my answer has obviously changed to "Yes, please". I'm not sure if I felt I had enough other coloured flats that pink was the next obvious colour to get or if it's more that I think pink is a good colour for me.

Here are a few of Brian's pink choices in and out of his closet. I won't bother showing you my pink sweater since it's just a pink sweater and not nearly as interesting as Brian's flats collection in pink.

A sampling of Brian's Pink Flats Collection Collage created by befunky.com 

Attitude: A Choice

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.

— Coco Chanel

That quote from Chanel and the next one are dedicated to all the males who wear ballet flats and who have visited this website.

Attitude is everything.

— Diane von Furstenberg

When my ballet flats expert, Brian Davis, sends me a photo of his latest purchase, my response is always the same, "there's a post there". However, even in an El Nino winter, he won't be going far in those flats.

Gold Ballet Flats. Photo Credit: Brain Davis

The boots will serve him better in the snow. 

Tory Burch boots. Photo Credit: Brian Davis

Attitude is everything and no matter what one wears, it is inspiring to see choices that exude one's individuality. For me, appropriateness is the main factor in decision making, then comes that which I feel good in. As a result I usually feel comfortable in whatever situation I am in, even if I am a little over- or under-dressed. 

Accessories, shoes particularly, are the best way to express individuality. And so I salute Brian for his individuality and his footwear choices!

Brian's Black Friday Purchases

I have written about Brian's "latest" purchases before in a September 2015 post and since we've just passed Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I thought it timely to let you know what his most recent "latest" purchases have been. I think I'll make a "buy nothing" resolution for Brian - "I will buy nothing on Black Friday except for Tory Burch flats". I think he might be able to live with that one.

Enjoying the Arizona sun in Tory Burch Minnies. Photo compliments of Brian Davis, November 2015.

For those of you who have not visited this site before, Brian is my "ballet flats" expert. The reason I emphasize ballet flats is because not only does he know a lot about them, he also wears them. After collaborating on several posts with Brian, I have realized that a male wearing ballet flats is probably more common than most would think. But why he has become the expert on this particular blog is simply that I know nothing about ballet flats and I needed someone who did. I write; Brian comments, I acknowledge and ask questions, and voila, he is the resident expert on ballet flats. 

The three pairs of Tory Burch flats are a Black Friday purchase made by Brian. The black Minnies are to replace his black patent Eddies that were just over 3 years old. Grey Minnies and a pair of Revas finish off his purchases. 

Tory Burch Minnes. Photo by Brian Davis, November, 2015.

Tory Burch grey Minnes. Photo by Brian Davis, November, 2015.

Brian's newest Revas. Photo courtesy of Brian Davis, November, 2015.

I've written about Brian and his ballet flats before:

Brian's Newest Tory Burch Purchases 
Yellow Not So Mellow
For the Love of Reva and Eddy
In a Man's Closet: Ballet Flats
Ballet Flats: Gender-Less

Brian's Newest Tory Burch Purchases

New

Thank goodness Brian keeps me posted about his latest Tory Burch purchases. These are quite special and of all the ballet flats Tory Burch has created with her signature logo, I must say, I've taken a liking to these the most.

Fango coloured TB Lowells. Photo Source: Brian D, 2015

Even better in black . . . 

Black TB Lowells. Photo Source: Brian D, 2015

Thanks Brian . . . the official ballet flats guy of this blog . . . 

Brian in his fango coloured TB Lowells. Photo Source: Brian D, 2015

Sandals - the Gladiator Style - Masculine or Feminine?

Closet Content Analysis: Sandals

Choices: Gladiator Battles

Isabeli Fontana. Photo Source: Patrick Demarchelier, Vogue, September, 2008.

What varieties of footwear are referred to as "gladiator"? For me, it is a simple sandal that essentially laces or buckles up the leg to the knee. That describes the ones that gods, goddesses and gladiators wear in the movies or the likes of Isabeli Fontana wear for fashion shoots.

Vogue writer Laird Borrelli-Persson outlined a short history of the gladiator sandal in her 2015 spring trend piece. 

My question is: Is the "caged" sandal that reaches the ankle and stops there, also referred to as gladiator? "Google images" confirms that all sandals, whether ending at the ankle or knee are known as "gladiator" sandals.

BrianD relates what happened in 2007 when he saw a post online about gladiator sandals. 

Photo Source: Brian Davis

"Oddly enough it was from a guy and he was sharing pictures of his Nine West Jobilyn gladiator sandals . . . I'm sure it's no surprise to you that I started seeking a pair for myself. The funny thing is I went to the same Nine West store where I bought my first pair of Nine West flats and it was the same sales girl that sold me this pair of gladiator sandals. Unlike regular sandals, gladiator sandals have that "caged" feeling because they are buckled up around your ankles . . . I was soooo excited when I bought those Nine West Jobilyn gladiator sandals.  They were really "in fashion" for women. Although they were pretty feminine they still had a unisex feel to them. I guess you could say I was happy how they looked on me.  The double buckle strap ensured they didn't slip off my feet (and) . . . gave them a nice look but was somewhat difficult to buckle and unbuckle . . . A lot of years had passed between getting my first pair of Glads and my first pair of Tory sandals . . . I didn't buy another pair of women's sandals till April last year. YUP, you guessed it, my Tory Burch Millers . . . Now that I am a complete Tory diehard customer I'd have to say I like my Tory sandals better than my Nine West gladiators. First, the soles are rubber or rubber like material and they have great traction and they are very thin and therefore don't look so "clunky" like most men's sandals. They are easy to slip on and off. I have the TB Millers in lots of fun colours. And lastly they have the iconic Tory logo over the top of your foot. So while the gladiators look more masculine or unisex, it is the TB Miller (or any TB sandals) that I now prefer.

Photo by Brian Davis

 When Brian wrote, "I didn't buy another pair of women's sandals till April last year", I have always thought the gladiator sandals were gender-less. I tended to avoid them because they look too bulky to be worn on my feet. As Brian has shared, he likes the thinner sole on women's shoes. Men's sandals do not need to have a heavy sole for most purposes either so the Nine West Jobilyn gladiator sandals look as "uni-sex" as any shoe I have ever studied and as far as gladiators go, these are a winner. Similar to Brian, I do prefer the TB Miller's insofar as sandals go.

Over the past year or two I have taken photos of sandals and shoes at the markets I have visited here in the south-west. This collage demonstrates a smattering of gladiators and you can decide who wins or loses the battle. They are definitely unisex since we cannot discern which are female or male feet and that is the biggest plus for the gladiator sandal.

Photos by JoyD. This collage was made using http://PhotoCollage.net