10 Must Have's in Your Shoe Wardrobe for Women

We gals have it tough. We can have a wardrobe full of shoes and oftentimes, fall a bit short on selection. Have you ever looked in our closet, past the high heels and and boots, only to realize you don't have the right shoes for the situation? One dozen black heels, no flats. That makes going to the pier on a Saturday afternoon a little difficult. I should know, I've been there. Yes, I was the one on the San Clemente boardwalk in black stilettos, carefully walking, trying to avoid getting my heel caught between the planks. I admit, I was a little self conscious, but cursing anyway under by breath, "Why don't they make these boards closer together?"

My outfit made sense and I looked good in my fashionable jeans that needed at least a 4" heel so I would have that long-legged model look! Fashionable, yes, but was it the right costume for the day? Humm...Debatable.
So let me save all of us "self-professed fashionistas" a little time and cut to the chase. Looking great and feeling sexy doesn't always mean you must be adorned in high heels and restrictive clothing. Think about it; don't you kick off those heels once you get past the front door of your house? Hell, I usually ditch them in the car on my way there!

Take it from me, if you create a versatile shoe wardrobe that will adapt to the terrain, you will be a lot happier and not be such a slave to your looks.

A shoe wardrobe needs to have different functional themes. I will call these out in a way that makes sense: Elegant/Formal, Professional, Sexy Weekend, Contemporary/Leisure, Sporty, Athletic, and last but not least, Professional.

Elegant/Formal - (1 pair) Think of a black tie affair, cocktail party, or a wedding. These are usually a thin, strappy, high heeled sandal. These can be adorned with rhinestones and be made of metallic leather or black cloth. Silver toned leather is a great choice and looks very elegant with rhinestones. If you want to be versatile, you can skip the rhinestones and do a black snakeskin. This choice can easily be worn during the weekend for a night out on the town

Sexy Weekend - (2-3 pairs) When you think of sexy, Don't you think of open toes, or at least major "toe cleavage," and a high heel? If you are going out with the girls dancing, be sure your heels are not too high. About 3" or so. Save the 4" heels for a dinner date. As far as color, black is a must for both pairs. Take a look at your sexy weekend clothes, which I imagine are usually fun dresses or sexy pants. Choose the major color theme and choose an additional color, such as smoky grey or a bold color, such as red! If you do go with color, a strappy sandal would be more versatile. There is less shoe material, therefore the color won't shout.

Contemporary/Leisure- ( 2-pairs ) In this category, you are wearing jeans, a sundress, casual summer skirt, or cotton trousers, even shorts. If you are on a date, it is usually a daytime situation, such as a movie, museum, a trip to the outdoor mall, or beach area. What this calls mostly for is a fatter more chunky heel and thicker sole for better support and comfort when walking short distances. You could go with a closed toe, peep toe or sling back. Additionally, mules would fit in this group. You can go crazy with the colors and materials, even the height. I suggest a neutral color in a medium heel and a darker color in a higher heel. Make sure one pair shows our cute toes!

Sporty - (2-pairs) For sporty occasions, think flip flops. No heels. If you do wear a rise ( I dare not call it a "heel") check out Aerosoles brand or This would also be a pair of sneakers, such as Sketchers or Keds. If you are cringing here and think, "Not me, no way?" here is where you will be tripped up the most. Most women lack functional footwear. I can remember walking around in my "Contemporary/Leisure" wedges, when I desperately needed to wear my "Sporty's." One such occasion happened in Las Vegas. My husband needed to rescue me out of my shoes get me a pair of shoes at the Walking company. I have included their link so you can get a feel for their wonderful functional style. A definite must!
http://www.thewalkingcompany.com/?gclid=CLq_tNmqj5sCFRINDQodFy20oA

Athletic - (1 pair) For the gym or outdoor sports, like hiking, you will definitely need cross trainers. So think of foot locker for this one. If you run, than you will need the extra shock absorption feature of a running shoe. Anything goes as far as color here, but I choose a neutral and build my work out gear around them, as a true Fashionista would!

Professional - ( 2-4 pairs) In this category, I am referring to shoes you would wear with career clothes or what you would wear for a job interview. This is my least favorite category, since I was confined to this role for some time. Not only are the shoes confining, but the clothes are as well. I don't think I need to say a lot here, except in an interview or corporate casual job, you are better off with closed shoes or slingbacks with a peep toe. I'll just throw this in as well: if your shoes (or clothes) look like you can go to a club or to the beach and fit right in, second guess your choice. No guideline for quantity here, but it is nice to have 4-pairs of shoes to trade off in for a 5-day work week.

Ok, so I have given you my "expert opinion," or just sharing ideas on what has worked for me. It seems as though 10 pairs of shoes would make up a "bare bones" shoe wardrobe for a city gal. What...am I crazy? I must have done my calculations incorrectly! I have never known any woman to have less than 30 pairs! Oh well, I hope this overview has served as a guideline to do your "Shoe inventory" or at the very least, given you an excuse to go shopping!