In recent years, buying shoes has become more of a hobby than something done out of necessity. For junior Sammi Cocke, collecting shoes is a fun way for her to express her personal style, and she has an impressive collection of over 200 pairs. Cocke began expanding her shoe closet during freshman year with her mother, and since they wear the same size, their combined shopping has helped them to build their closet quickly. 

While Cocke began her collection with the classic white Air Force Ones, her taste has changed as she has done more research. She explained, “I like the [Nike] Dunks-the ones I am wearing right now. They’re pretty nice.” She continued, “I just wear like slides too. Slides and Dunks [are my favorite] I guess.”

Despite having such a large collection, Cocke shared that she is still missing a basic that she would like to add. She shared, “The one shoe that I haven’t been able to get, that I’ve been wanting for a while, are the Panda Dunks-just the black and white ones. But, every time they drop, we’re just never able to get them because people buy them so fast. Even if you wait until right when they’re released, you just can’t get them.” As of right now, the Panda Dunks are the only pair that Cocke has wanted and not been able to get a hold of. 

Purchasing shoes may be something fun that Cocke shares with her mother, but it also allows her to elevate her style and ensure that her outfits match entirely. She elaborated, “I like to have good outfits, so I like to color coordinate.” 

For those who are interested in building their shoe collection, Cocke advised, “Just start small. Save your money if you work, just save up your paychecks and buy whatever shoes you like.” One of Cocke’s favorite places to shop online is the Nike SNKRS app, which has been a valuable resource for her in gaining access to exclusive releases and building a shoe collection seemingly rivaled by none.