I’ve only worn high heels 3 times in the past 4 years — twice for a wedding and once for a charity event — so it was easy for me to get rid of almost all my high heels recently. Lately I’ve been paring down my shoe collection even more to only keep the shoes that I truly wear regularly. I loved when Kristin shared how she pared down her shoe wardrobe to 11 pairs of shoes. But since I live in a walking city with four seasons, I also included a couple of cold weather options. Considering that I dress casually most of the time, I came up with my 15 shoe essentials. 15 still sounds like a lot to me, but I guess it’s easy to hold onto shoes because they always fit!


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1) Workout Sneakers – Preferably in a fun color to make working out more fun! I haven’t worked out since Charlie was born, but I’m hoping to start again soon!

2) Wedge Sneakers – You might love them or hate them (Brandy wrote a post about them here), but I love to have a heel on when I’m going out since I’m short. There’s no way I can wear regular heels with how much walking you have to do in New York, but wedge sneakers are so comfortable. I have no problem taking public transportation and wearing them all night out.

3) Walking Sneakers – Brandy wrote a great post on how to wear sneakers stylishly, and it definitely made me step up my sneaker game. I debated between these black and burgundy New Balance, but black won out in the end since it’s more versatile. My Converse just weren’t comfortable for my wider foot, otherwise you really can’t go wrong with classic chucks!

4) Flip Flops – If it’s warm enough, I’m usually in flip flops. My good old Havianas have lasted me forever!

5) Leopard Flats – I love leopard flats! They really feel like a neutral that goes with everything and you don’t have to spend a lot on them… these are from Target!

6) Colorful Flats – Bright, colorful flats are a great way to spice up an otherwise neutral outfit.

7) Oxfords – I love the casual, cool, tomboy look of oxfords and how you can dress them up or down. You could also opt for moccasins instead.

8) Black Pumps – I find that black pumps are a necessity in my closet (even if I rarely wear them) for special events or work functions, and they go great with my little black dress.

9) Gold Strappy Heels – These are also an essential neutral in my book when I wear cocktail dresses to events or weddings.

10) Strappy Sandals – I love strappy sandals because they can dress up a summer outfit when flip flops are just too casual.

11) Brown Knee High Boots – A classic wardrobe staple that can be dressed up or dressed down.

12) Ankle Boots – I find ankle boots to more versatile than regular boots because they can be worn year round. Sometimes I have trouble with boots being too narrow in the foot, but this pair from Sam Edelman fit perfectly.

13) Uggs – Love them or hate them, for me Uggs are an absolute mom essential! We have cold weather 6 months out of the year, and doing school drop-offs in Uggs not only keeps my feet warm and comfy, I don’t have to worry about putting on socks. One less step in the mornings makes a big difference!

14) Wellies – I often wear wellies when there’s snow outside because they’re so fast to slip on. I have a pair of knee-high Hunters, but I think for my next pair I’ll go with a mid-calf height as that is probably more comfortable for petite people.

15) Snow Boots – I’ve lived in New York for 10 years without snow boots, but this crazy winter showed me that when you need snow boots, you really can’t live without them. The streets get so slushy that it’s impossible to walk anywhere without getting your feet soaked.

So these are my 15 mom shoe essentials. I haven’t pared down to 15 yet (I still have some more boots and ballet flats), but I’m getting there. What are your mom shoe essentials?