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WHO SAID THE FOLLOWING -- a man or a woman?:
"I love shoes. I rarely wear the same pair twice in one week."
It would make sense to guess a woman, since Consumer Reports recently found that U.S. women own, on average, 19 pairs of shoes.
But such a guess would be wrong.
That quote was from Milwaukeean Winston Sharpe, 36, who's not shy about professing his adulation for shoes.
Men may not follow in the footsteps of the women who rush to be the first at Saturday shoe sales or gush at the sight of a handsome Mary Jane. But a number of guys are as keen on shoes as female footwear fanatics.
"I like all my shoes," said David Schaefer, 45, when asked about his relationship with footwear. The Milwaukee artist sported a pair of boots by Mark Nason, a popular footwear brand that sells for $200 to $500, as he chatted about the 20 pairs of shoes in his closet.
"People notice my shoes all the time, and that makes me feel good about buying them," Schaefer said.
Men's footwear sales brought in $16.9 billion, or 44% of all footwear purchases in the past year, according to the market research firm NPD Group.
And while women's shoes consistently outsold men's shoes by about $5 billion in each of the last two years, NPD reported, the combined increase in men's footwear sales from each of those years was slightly higher than that of footwear for women.
Women love their shoes
No question, this is a woman's world when it comes to shoes, said Kate Blake, who co-owns (shoo) boutique in the Third Ward with her brother, Pat.
"Just look at my store," she said, referring to five tables of women's shoes and three smaller tables of men's items in her space. "Women have a love affair with shoes, and the market caters to that."
But a fair share of men can't resist a smooth boot, a polished wingtip or a funky slip-on.
"I will walk over . . . to the far end of the neighborhood just so I can walk by (shoo)," said Chris Van Meter, who lives near the artsy footwear boutique. "I peer in the window and go in far too often these days."
Van Meter, 49, said he is almost embarrassed to admit that he owns about 12 pairs of shoes.
It's a small number when compared with the 30 or more pairs that 15% of U.S. women own, but it's four times the number Van Meter owned prior to two years ago.
"I've gotten by on three pair most of my life," said Van Meter, a sales engineer. "A pair of high tops (sneakers) for the winter, a low-cut pair for the summer and a pair of work shoes."
So what changed Van Meter's shoe portfolio? A pair of handmade leather shoes he tried on during a Chicago shopping trip.
"I thought, 'Holy cow, there is a difference,' " he recalled.
There was also a time when he wouldn't pay more than $50 for a pair of shoes. Last week, he spent $420 on one pair of boots.
"They are grayish black leather and have all kinds of details on them as well," Van Meter said. "They work for fashion and for work as well."
All about choices
Like women, men with shoe passion enjoy the idea of having choices for their feet.
"I just like to have a pair of shoes that will match any outfit I choose to wear," said Thomas Conway, 29, the owner of 35 to 40 pairsof shoes.
Still, there are differences between male and female shoe lovers.
While many women tend to favor the look of a shoe above all else, even the most style-conscious of men weigh fit, comfort, style and purpose when selecting shoes.
"For women, shoes are accessories, but men are more practical," Blake said.
Men tend to buy one pair at a time and gravitate toward black and brown shoes with combined uses. No matter how much a man might love a pair of shoes, he's going to make sure they serve a need and a purpose in his wardrobe.
"My dad always said you'll wear your shoes down if you wear them too much, so you should have several pairs at all times," Sharpe said.
Men also don't usually spend a lot of time with the shoe-buying process. There's no oohing-and-aahing over a shoe or over-analyzing as they try them on.
"Guys, very quietly with their arms folded, scope shoes out and kind of soak it all in very methodically," said Pat Blake of (shoo). "There is even a breed of gentlemen who doesn't try on shoes -- just ask for a size, buy it and they're on their way."
Meanwhile, a woman who arrived well before the same guy will still be in the store trying on shoes, walking around in them, taking them on and off again and asking for others to try as well.
But the efficient shoe-buying style of men doesn't mean they don't care what others think of their shoes.
"For them it's about comfort first, but sex appeal is an important second," Blake said. "They are more likely to buy the shoes if a woman tells them it looks good."
Natalya Gruenewald, who works at Sweet Kicks shoe boutique on N. Franklin Place, agreed:
"They know (women) look at your butt, and then we look at your shoes."
WHO SAID THE FOLLOWING -- a man or a woman?:
"I love shoes. I rarely wear the same pair twice in one week."
It would make sense to guess a woman, since Consumer Reports recently found that U.S. women own, on average, 19 pairs of shoes.
But such a guess would be wrong.
That quote was from Milwaukeean Winston Sharpe, 36, who's not shy about professing his adulation for shoes.
Men may not follow in the footsteps of the women who rush to be the first at Saturday shoe sales or gush at the sight of a handsome Mary Jane. But a number of guys are as keen on shoes as female footwear fanatics.
"I like all my shoes," said David Schaefer, 45, when asked about his relationship with footwear. The Milwaukee artist sported a pair of boots by Mark Nason, a popular footwear brand that sells for $200 to $500, as he chatted about the 20 pairs of shoes in his closet.
"People notice my shoes all the time, and that makes me feel good about buying them," Schaefer said.
Men's footwear sales brought in $16.9 billion, or 44% of all footwear purchases in the past year, according to the market research firm NPD Group.
And while women's shoes consistently outsold men's shoes by about $5 billion in each of the last two years, NPD reported, the combined increase in men's footwear sales from each of those years was slightly higher than that of footwear for women.
Women love their shoes
No question, this is a woman's world when it comes to shoes, said Kate Blake, who co-owns (shoo) boutique in the Third Ward with her brother, Pat.
"Just look at my store," she said, referring to five tables of women's shoes and three smaller tables of men's items in her space. "Women have a love affair with shoes, and the market caters to that."
But a fair share of men can't resist a smooth boot, a polished wingtip or a funky slip-on.
"I will walk over . . . to the far end of the neighborhood just so I can walk by (shoo)," said Chris Van Meter, who lives near the artsy footwear boutique. "I peer in the window and go in far too often these days."
Van Meter, 49, said he is almost embarrassed to admit that he owns about 12 pairs of shoes.
It's a small number when compared with the 30 or more pairs that 15% of U.S. women own, but it's four times the number Van Meter owned prior to two years ago.
"I've gotten by on three pair most of my life," said Van Meter, a sales engineer. "A pair of high tops (sneakers) for the winter, a low-cut pair for the summer and a pair of work shoes."
So what changed Van Meter's shoe portfolio? A pair of handmade leather shoes he tried on during a Chicago shopping trip.
"I thought, 'Holy cow, there is a difference,' " he recalled.
There was also a time when he wouldn't pay more than $50 for a pair of shoes. Last week, he spent $420 on one pair of boots.
"They are grayish black leather and have all kinds of details on them as well," Van Meter said. "They work for fashion and for work as well."
All about choices
Like women, men with shoe passion enjoy the idea of having choices for their feet.
"I just like to have a pair of shoes that will match any outfit I choose to wear," said Thomas Conway, 29, the owner of 35 to 40 pairsof shoes.
Still, there are differences between male and female shoe lovers.
While many women tend to favor the look of a shoe above all else, even the most style-conscious of men weigh fit, comfort, style and purpose when selecting shoes.
"For women, shoes are accessories, but men are more practical," Blake said.
Men tend to buy one pair at a time and gravitate toward black and brown shoes with combined uses. No matter how much a man might love a pair of shoes, he's going to make sure they serve a need and a purpose in his wardrobe.
"My dad always said you'll wear your shoes down if you wear them too much, so you should have several pairs at all times," Sharpe said.
Men also don't usually spend a lot of time with the shoe-buying process. There's no oohing-and-aahing over a shoe or over-analyzing as they try them on.
"Guys, very quietly with their arms folded, scope shoes out and kind of soak it all in very methodically," said Pat Blake of (shoo). "There is even a breed of gentlemen who doesn't try on shoes -- just ask for a size, buy it and they're on their way."
Meanwhile, a woman who arrived well before the same guy will still be in the store trying on shoes, walking around in them, taking them on and off again and asking for others to try as well.
But the efficient shoe-buying style of men doesn't mean they don't care what others think of their shoes.
"For them it's about comfort first, but sex appeal is an important second," Blake said. "They are more likely to buy the shoes if a woman tells them it looks good."
Natalya Gruenewald, who works at Sweet Kicks shoe boutique on N. Franklin Place, agreed:
"They know (women) look at your butt, and then we look at your shoes."
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