The Imelda Marcos Shoe Fetish Association

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When automobiles become a thing of the past a good pair of shoes will stand you in good stead when you have to walk.

To become a Bronze member in good standing of the IMSFA one has to have at least 100 pairs of shoes to their name. 250 pairs would be even better and qualify for a Silver membership, 500 pairs would qualify for a Gold membership and 1000 pairs would qualify for Platinum and as such would entitle one to the sobriquet of the truly obsessed.

I am proud to announce that I have reached the Silver membership plateau. In my assorted collection I have Alan McAfee, Churches, David Peal, Testoni, Mauri, Santoni, Pierre Cardin, Ferragamo, Bally, Magli, Tods, Hogan, Zegna, Armani, Mephisto, Gravitini, Gucci, Louboutin, Burberry, Dolce Gabbana, Prada, RL Polo, Johnston Murphy, Cole Haan, Allen Edmonds, Florsheim vtg, Hannover, Paul Smith, David Eden, Belvedere, Mezlan, Nason, Footjoy, Red Wing, Vasquez, A Solo, Montrail, Dr Marten UK, and Diesel among a whole host of other more non descript brands.

I also have John Lobb, JM Weston, Alden, Magnanni, Lucchese, among others in sizes other than ones own.

What I do not have are St Crispins, Berutti, John Lobb, Edward Green, Tom Ford, JM Westons and Aldens among a select list in my own size. Especially sought after are those in Crocodile.

BTW anyone who sports a brand that is made in China other than an athletic shoe is instantaneously stripped of membership in the IMSFA. After all Chinee goods are of inferior quality suited only for people of non discriminating taste and of low quality.

[ckelly78z]

I guess I must be like Imelda Marcos' bastard step son. I have maybe a grand total of 10 or 12 pairs of tennis shoes, work boots, cowboy boots, mud boots, black dress shoes, docksiders, house slippers, and water shoes, and it drives me nuts how much room they take up in my closet.

I've never been a clothes horse, or a fashionitsa, and get by just fine with that amount. I can't imagine thinking of the wasted money sitting in your collection.

[5String43]

Jeeze, I thought I was bad. I've got Crockett and Jones, Allen Edmunds, Cole-Hahn, Ecco, Church's, Johnston & Murphy, Mezlan, Bragano, Mario Bruni, Tony Lama. And yes, there's a crocodile pair as well as a patent leather pair, for a total of 16 pair of leather shoes of reasonable quality. Now that I am retired, of course, most of them remain in the closet, cossetted by their dust covers.

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Originally Posted by ckelly78z

I guess I must be like Imelda Marcos' bastard step son. I have maybe a grand total of 10 or 12 pairs of tennis shoes, work boots, cowboy boots, mud boots, black dress shoes, docksiders, house slippers, and water shoes, and it drives me nuts how much room they take up in my closet.

I've never been a clothes horse, or a fashionitsa, and get by just fine with that amount. I can't imagine thinking of the wasted money sitting in your collection.

I can assure you that I have not wasted 10 cents on a pair of shoes.

[dennis in se pa]

Did I end up in the Gentlemen's Quarterly Forum by mistake? Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[JavaBrewer]

I have a grand total of 3 pairs of shoes, Dr Martens for work, some sort of shiny black dress shoes, and Nike running shoes. I have 2 pair of flip flops (old/dirty and new/clean) and a couple pair of Vibram five fingers.

I have not clothe shopped for a long long time. No wonder I look like crap.

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Saint Crispin's - genuine hand made shoes

http://www.johnlobbltd.co.uk/main/main.htm

http://www.jmweston.fr/les-collections/chaussures?emblematique=2221

Total elegance

[stuartj]

Must say Tabs, I agree with you on this- although I don't aspire to join the Imelda Marcos Club. Good shoes, like a good watches, are the mark of a gentleman. I own several pairs of handmade shoes. In the scheme of things, they aren't expensive because they last and wear well.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

I have a grand total of 3 pairs of shoes, Dr Martens for work, some sort of shiny black dress shoes, and Nike running shoes. I have 2 pair of flip flops (old/dirty and new/clean) and a couple pair of Vibram five fingers.

I have not clothe shopped for a long long time. No wonder I look like crap.

That is about like me. I have ONE only 1 pair of shiny black dress shoes. I got married in them 23 years ago. I have one pair of brown "nice" shoes for the rare occasions I have to get dressed up in Dockers and a shirt with buttons. (YUCK)

I have a pair of hiking/snow/ice waterproof shoes for the crappy winter weather.

I have one clean pair of my daily wear white walking shoes and a couple pairs of the same shoe style that are the yard mowing working in the yard shoes.

I have one pair of old work boots that I have had for almost 40 years.

That is it except for a pair of flip flops that get little use.

I own 3 or 4 ties but I have not worn a tie in over 10 years. Never gonna wear a tie again. I guess I can throw out the ties.

I have about 8 pairs of shorts and likely 50 t-shirts. That is my daily wear, work or play.

[ckelly78z]

I haven't worn a tie for any reason for the last 20 years since I quit the collection dept at the bank. I haven't worn a watch since that job either, and quite frankly, my wife has worn my wedding ring since I got it caught/pinched/twisted a couple time at my previous job, and we had to have it rebuilt twice.

I think this speaks alot of lifestyle, and that retirement thread in how some people will do just fine with $1,000,000, and others will spend it looking and feeling good.

[tabs]

Last count I had 650 mens ties. One hundred and five of them are Zenga alone. I have over 50 Armani's, 20 Brioni and 20 Stefano Ricci. 15 Hermes, 15 Gucci, 10 Versace, 7 RL Purple Labels, 4 Vuittons. It is easier to say what I don't have and that is a Kitton and NO CHINEE...

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

I haven't worn a tie for any reason for the last 20 years since I quit the collection dept at the bank. I haven't worn a watch since that job either, and quite frankly, my wife has worn my wedding ring since I got it caught/pinched/twisted a couple time at my previous job, and we had to have it rebuilt twice.

I think this speaks alot of lifestyle, and that retirement thread in how some people will do just fine with $1,000,000, and others will spend it looking and feeling good.

Well- I would never drop the money on big brands. But- if youre not a brand slag, (like Tabs) there are options. I have several pairs from PV HandMade (not chinese), the quality is excellent, for not a lot more than a store bought shoe.

www.parvous.com/pvhandmade

[GH85Carrera]

I am just happy that I have long ago gotten past the point where I care one teeny tiny bit what other people think about me or my clothes. It is about the same level of concern as what the the citizens of Benin think of the people in Nauru.

[tabs]

Most people that I see in this town dress like shyte. Men in suits wearing scuffed up shoes. It is pitiful, that a guy can not even shine his own shoes. Unfortunately that is what America has become a nation of bums.

At one time (when i was a kid) men would wear a sport coat, tie, slacks and nice dress shoes to breakfast let alone to lunch or dinner. The women all dressed to the nines....Now...flip flops, shorts and a worn out tee shirt is de rigueur.

There is an old saying that predates that movie btw, that you can tell what a man is all about by 3 things his wife, house and SHOES.. So if you wear a pair of cheap scuffed up Chinee shoes well then we know who you are... a loser..

[JavaBrewer]

Guess I am both a freak and a loser...

[SeanPizzle]

For someone worried and incessantly preaching about the end-of-times/financial meltdown, you sure have a lot of wealth tied up in shoes. Shouldn't you convert some of that to silver bullion, MRE's and .22LR?

[tabs]

Originally Posted by stuartj

Well- I would never drop the money on big brands. But- if youre not a brand slag, (like Tabs) there are options. I have several pairs from PV HandMade (not chinese), the quality is excellent, for not a lot more than a store bought shoe.

www.parvous.com/pvhandmade

Have you ever felt the wool in a Brioni sport coat vs an AX Armani....let alone a Stafford? Can you say Porsche vs Yugo.

It is about quality and not so much about brands. It so happens that design, quality material and construction go hand in hand with branding. With some brands there is an exorbitant premium for having that label stitched on the inside. Tom Ford comes readily to mind. Brioni is another. It is hard to justify 6K for a suit.

My Granny always wanted value for her money so she bought quality goods, My Daddy followed suit and for a long while I didn't care one way or the other. Then after Sndy passed I started getting out more, lost weight and as part and parcel of it all I started to dress nicely. It is a simple pleasure where you can use what you spend your money on. Now women hold the door open for me.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by tabs

At one time (when i was a kid) men would wear a sport coat, tie, slacks and nice dress shoes to breakfast let alone to lunch or dinner. The women all dressed to the nines....Now...flip flops, shorts and a worn out tee shirt is de rigueur.

At one time a man would never leave the house without a hat. I am glad that is not the normal thing anymore.

When I was a little kid we flew to Hawaii for my dad's new job in the Air Force. My dad had to be in uniform and my mother was in heels, hat & long gloves and formal dress. And that was for riding in a USAF C-54 cargo ship converted to carry passengers. Un-pressurized propeller driven slow all day trip.

Get dressed up and enjoy yourself. I will stick to shorts and t-shirt and be comfortable.

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

I have several pairs of brake shoes, some new unopened, in original boxes.

[aigel]

Haha. I can join on the running shoe side, but only because I like to mix them up and also buy bulk if I have a model that works well. I don't want to get caught in next year's new model that doesn't fit as well.

Other than that I am glad I live in the US where I can wear what I want. I gladly look at everyone else in flip flops in return. I do buy quality clothing but it is jeans & t-shirts / flannel shirt for me. Dressing up is complete BS to me and I prefer working at small companies where I don't feel like I am in a costume all day for work. There was a lot of social control and pressure to keep certain "standards" in earlier generations. You guys go ahead and enjoy dressing up but don't glorify those days or criticize anyone for wearing what they want.

G