I was organizing my shoe collection the other day (which really isn’t that large by many standards – I think I own maybe 20 – 30 pairs) when I realized something – when it comes to shoes, I am fiercely brand loyal.  The majority of my shoes fit into about 3 – 5 brands – I very rarely purchase shoes outside of those brands.

My Dansko Collection

With clothing, with accessories, I’ve never really been a brand loyalist.  There are plenty of brands that I love, but I don’t buy exclusively from them.  I own plenty of articles of clothing (that I’ve thrifted) from brands I had never heard of.  I have tons of jewelry that is thrifted or second-hand with no brand names attached.  So why is it that with shoes, I almost always buy from the same brands every time?

My Fluevog Collection

I think there’s several different factors at play here.  One is the difference in how I shop for clothes vs. shoes.  The majority of my clothing shopping is done at thrift stores, consignment stores and other second-hand stores.  I do go to the mall occasionally and I do by some clothing on eBay and online, but the majority of my clothes are second-hand.  Generally, when thrifting, I looks first for patterns, shapes and fabrics that I like and find interesting.  I look at the brand afterwards.  There are certain brands that I will go for if I find them – whenever I see J Crew, Anthro or Boden at a thrift store, I will almost always snatch them up.  But usually, I tend to go with whatever I find that looks good on.  This ends up being a lot of LOFT, Gap, Old Navy, Target, etc.  But I don’t really see it as brand loyalty, because I’m not seeking out those brands – I just happen to like a lot of what they offer.

My Keen Collection

In contrast, I buy my shoes almost exclusively on eBay or online.  I don’t really like buying shoes in retail stores, because they often seem to be overpriced, and I don’t like feeling pressured by sales staff to buy.  As I’ve been doing more and more online shoe shopping, I’ve learned which brands always work for me.  I know what sizes generally fit me in those brands.  I know what heel heights I like, and which I don’t.  I know what kind of straps will be painful, and which will be comfortable.  And I’m patient.  If a price is too high, I will watch and wait until it goes down, or I find a better deal.

This isn’t to say that every shoe I’ve ever bought from my favorite brands has been perfect.  I’ve had some that didn’t work out.  But the majority of the time, I know what works for me.

So I’m curious: are any of you like this?  Fiercely loyal when it comes to your shoe brands, but much more lax when it comes to everything else?