THE WEIRDER, THE BETTER!
YOU South Africa|11 November 2021
Her 500 pairs of shoes take up a whole room in her house – and she’s adding more quirky footwear all the time
CARLA COETZEE
THE WEIRDER, THE BETTER!
DECISIONS, decisions. Will today be Cinderella or Snow White? Buzz Lightyear or Star Wars? Or perhaps Beauty and the Beast? These are the daily dilemmas that keep Kari Walbert on her toes.

Because when it comes to shoes, this special-needs teacher is in a heel lot of trouble – there are just so many beauties she could choose to wear.

Kari owns about 500 pairs of footwear, each one lovingly catalogued on her Pinterest page according to colour combinations.

“Otherwise I forget which shoes I own,” she tells us from her home in Eaton, Penn sylvania in the US.

YOU tracked the 44-year-old down after pictures of her quirky footwear collection started popping up on the internet – and here she is, chatting to us from the other side of the world, showing us around her collection of feathers and flowers, teacups and toecaps.

Shoes are her sole passion, the thing that gets her heart flip-flopping with joy and her toes tapping with delight – a veritable feat for the feet.

Think Alice in Wonderland and Hello Kitty, unicorn heels and wedges decorated with hot-rod racing car flames.

And when she feels in the mood for an island holiday, she slips into a pair that look like Hawaiian dancers.

“I love collecting shoes. But it’s not just about how many I own or the brands – it’s a case of the weirder, the better,” she says.

So much fancy footwear takes proper organising so Kari keeps all the shoes in their original boxes to save space.

“I take a picture of the pair and paste it on the outside of the box so I can easily find it,” she explains.

This story is from the 11 November 2021 edition of YOU South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the 11 November 2021 edition of YOU South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM YOU SOUTH AFRICAView All
IT'S ALL ABOUT FAMILY
YOU South Africa

IT'S ALL ABOUT FAMILY

Lynn and Kairo Forbes invite us into their home as they prepare for their second Christmas without AKA

time-read
3 mins  |
19 December 2024
DENZEL'S DECADE OF SOBRIETY
YOU South Africa

DENZEL'S DECADE OF SOBRIETY

Expensive wine was his weakness but these days the legendary Hollywood actor is all about clean living

time-read
5 mins  |
19 December 2024
WE DID IT FOR YOU, DAD
YOU South Africa

WE DID IT FOR YOU, DAD

It was a dream come true for Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse when they ran out together for the Boks – but it was bittersweet too

time-read
5 mins  |
19 December 2024
HIP-HOPPING ALONG!
YOU South Africa

HIP-HOPPING ALONG!

Moo Deng, the adorable pygmy hippo, is about to become an even bigger star thanks to a catchy new song released in her honour

time-read
4 mins  |
19 December 2024
IAM NO DIFFERENT
YOU South Africa

IAM NO DIFFERENT

Despite being born without legs, Kanya Sesser truimphs at anything she sets her mind to

time-read
5 mins  |
19 December 2024
OUR WONDERFUL, WEIRD WORLD
YOU South Africa

OUR WONDERFUL, WEIRD WORLD

Bizarre and beautiful spots exist off the well-worn tourist paths that criss-cross our precious planet

time-read
3 mins  |
19 December 2024
GOD'S INFLUENCER
YOU South Africa

GOD'S INFLUENCER

After Carlo Acutis died at age 15, he was credited with performing miracles. Now the Italian is about to be canonised as the Catholic Church's first millennial saint. But what did the seemingly ordinary teenager do that was so special?

time-read
10+ mins  |
19 December 2024
RUCK ON!
YOU South Africa

RUCK ON!

Rucking walking with a weighted rucksack - has gained popularity once again for its ability to improve your heart health, increase your strength and burn kilojoules fast

time-read
4 mins  |
19 December 2024
MY KIDNEY FOR MY SON
YOU South Africa

MY KIDNEY FOR MY SON

This Cape Town mom is determined to lose 50kg so she can give her boy the gift of life

time-read
2 mins  |
19 December 2024
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
YOU South Africa

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

She's been deaf since she.was a baby but now Chermelle ;s slowly startmg to hear thanks to a Cochlear Implant

time-read
5 mins  |
19 December 2024