The only shoes I need

Tieks patent leather ballet flats in Sapphire Blue ($195).
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Tieks in any way.

YES. I HAVE ONLY ONE PAIR. ONE PAIR OF FOOTWEAR. No sandals, no flip-flops, no heels, no boots, what have you.

So how in the world do I survive with only one pair of footwear?

1. I don't exercise much. Okay, actually, I don't exercise at all unless you count running after kids. So I don't need a dedicated pair of athletic shoes.
2. I can do casual hiking in these (up to moderate trails). Tried and tested.
3. I can clean them with baby wipes because the outside is glossy patent leather.
4. I can wear these in light rain. Again because of the glossy patent leather. I don't kick up a fuss if I get the occasional water stain on the inside of my shoes.
5. I take them off and walk around barefoot at the beach or near swimming pools.
6. I can wear these to fancy restaurants, weddings, conferences, work, etc. because they look awesome. Random strangers compliment me on these shoes all the time.
7. I don't care if people notice me wearing the same pair of shoes all the time. Successful people wear the same thing all the time. Think Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs.

Have I been tempted to buy these in more colors?

Of course! I have been guilty of owning these shoes in multiple colors at a time! But what I've discovered is that I tend to gravitate towards a favorite color. Instead of agonizing over what shoes to wear each day, it's simple now. JUST WEAR MY ONLY PAIR OF FOOTWEAR. Problem solved.

So do I just wear the same pair of footwear forever?

Nothing lasts forever, not even diamonds. With daily scuffing, dashing, mud/rain splashes, kids trampling on my shoes, a pair lasts me about a year on average, until the light blue outer sole starts to break or becomes visible from the inside. And that's when I purchase a new pair, usually in a different color from the last.

But $200 for a pair of shoes sounds kind of crazy for the average person.

Effectively, I spend about $200 on ONE PAIR of footwear A YEAR, which is fantastic given that the average woman will own over 270 pairs of shoes in her lifetime. And mind you, this is footwear that gets worn to its death. Folks with those Instagram-worthy shoe closets probably don't even wear each pair of shoes more than once!