Capsule footwear collection

[Cloudwire]

What would be (or is in) your ideal capsule footwear collection for wearing in the UK?

Here's mine:
Waterproof walking-type boots: I have Clarks Korik Rock in black. Great for trips to the park, but not smart enough for work

Trainers: I have Vans old skool low tops in black and white, and Vans classic in white. These are good for dry weather, but get dirty quickly and look scruffy.

Loafers: I have some lovely black leather ones that I picked up from TK Maxx years ago but they are not quite comfortable enough to wear all day

Sandals: I have some Tevas, but looking out for some more classic tan or brown leather ones.

Smartish boots: I have black leather Chelsea boots and some lace up ankle boots. These are great, if a tad dull!

I have plenty of other shoes and boots but these seems to be my most worn. However I still find myself frequently struggling to find footwear that will work with my outfit and be comfortable. What am I missing?

Good post! Watching with interest.

Running trainers (outdoors)
Running trainers (treadmill / gym)
Waterproof walking shoes

Navy trainers (NB 327)
Black trainers (NB327)

Black flat sandals
Navy flat sandals

Black ankle boots
Navy ankle boots

Silver platform sandals
Black platform sandals

Black pointed flats

I would add a smart pair of strappy sandals for dressing up, and a pair of plain or silver havaianas or similar. I also like knee boots for work when it’s cold

It has to fit your lifestyle and the terrains you tend to walk on and the sort of colour palette that you dress in
I have knee length brown leather boots, flat, waterproof
black leather ankle boots flat that I can walk in for miles they look smart and simple very plain nice with dresses or jeans and waterproof
navy, black and tan sandals that I can walk for hours in
house slippers that double up as shower/poolside slippers as they are made of washable rubber
When I worked in an office I has black leather shoes as I only ever wore black bottoms or black tights there until it was too hot we were allowed sandals.
I don't go to any glamourous events anymore nor do I wear heals or go on night outs so what I have works for me.

Some great ideas here, thanks everyone. I don't have much need to exercising trainers or going out shoes at the moment!

I certainly need to think about what my lifestyle dictates. In reality a significant amount of my time is spent chasing a toddler in muddy environments, but I like footwear to look fairly smart, and also quite like at least acknowledging current trends if not following them slavishly.

Maybe I just need duplicates of similar styles so I can have a pair to get scruffy and one to keep for smarter occasions?

Caveat this with I have far, faaaaar too many shoes to claim to have any moral authority on a capsule wardrobe. That said, if I had a stab (and this is based on my lifestyle so may not suit yours) it helps to think of them in categories.

Practical but unattractive shoes (aka shoes for specific purposes and/or weather conditions) -
hiking boots and/or wellies
sports/proper trainers
Havaianas

practical but attractive (eg shoes that I can wear to work, when I’m going to be on my feet. Every shoe on this list has been worn on days when I’ve walked >30,000 steps) -
brogues/monk strap shoes
biker boots with a proper Dainite sole
flat gold leather slip ons
’fashion’ trainer

unpractical but attractive (eg shoes for fun, for parties and because life is too short)
summer heel - Espadrille
winter heel - platform purple and gold suede
heeled/impractical boot - interesting colour/material/pattern/embellishments

The category to put the most money into (unless you are a serious hiker etc) is category two.

Pretty shoes/category 3 are going to be worn so infrequently that there’s no point. I will spend what some consider an obscene amount on shoes but I’d never buy Jimmy Choo, louboutin etc.

If I’m going to pay for craftsmanship (and I'm dubious how much craft goes into the average designer stiletto) then it’s going on something that will make the shoe last and keep it comfy. Keep an eye on loakes, cheaneys, barkers etc. Especially in the sales (and outlet shops if you’re anywhere near Northampton/look on the brand websites). Make sure they fit and make sure you look after them. When the leather soles wear I tend do get them redone with rubber to make them more practical for my lifestyle. I think shoes are one of the few areas of clothing where you still get what you pay for if you chose carefully. I used to love Clark’s brogues but wore them out each winter. My cheaneys ones were x3 the price of Clark’s (in the sale) but are still going strong nearly 5 years after buying them. I appreciate I’m lucky to be able to buy the expensive pair up front though.

I've been trying to curate a capsule footwear (and clothing) wardrobe! I've narrowed my list down to:

White trainers
Black trainers
Workout/gym trainers
Black boots
Warm winter boots
"smart" shoes
Sandals
Hiking shoes/boots

This is interesting, I’ve never thought about a shoe capsule wardrobe before. Mine can be grouped into:

Running trainers
Everyday trainers (get worn 90% of the time for most of the year)
Smart shoes for daytime
Smart shoes for evening
Summer sandals
Casual ankle boots
Smart ankle boots
Casual long boots
Smart long boots

I do a capsule wardrobe and switch it over seasonally- for this winter I've got out:

-Black patent lace-up zara loafers with a chunky sole

-Black leather biker boots

-Dark Brown leather lace up boots for when I feel like dressing like a librarian

Some Black adidas retropy trainers with a cream sole, and a White and black pair of NB's

That covers all bases for me, and then I've a pair of wellies in the shed and a pair of old comfy Nike trainers for dog walking.

In summer that all goes away (bar dog walking trainers) and I get out my sandals - one tan leather pair, one black leather pair, a pair of sliders, one pair of low heeled sandals for if I'm forced to go somewhere nice and want to wear a dress.