 Carew Footwear says the average person in the U.S. has seven to eight pairs of shoes at any time. Free tennis with more. Their breakdown is two pair for outdoor, two for dress, at least two pair of sandals, and maybe a pair or two of boots. And no surprise, women choose fashion over function. Men, the opposite. There's a lot of superstitions involving shoes. Never give us a gift, never put them on the table, and never put the left one on first. All considered bad luck.