Like a lot of women, I have a thing for shoes. But strange as it may sound, I think I inherited this particular obsession from my father.

Growing up in WWII he did not have any shoes, so he developed a fetish in later life. My parents would, and I believe they still do, fly down to Lisbon for the weekend to buy shoes. Shoes are cheaper in Portugal.

Ever few weeks my father, a rather conservative man with 15+ pair of shoes — can you imagine? — will line up his collection and he will clean and polish them all. I never did pick up that part of his habit.

There are 30+ pairs of shoes in my closet right now. A few years ago, I threw out a lot of older ones, but kept enough so as not to make me nervous. I’ve stopped buying new pairs regularly, mainly because most of my money goes on computer stuff and music. But lately I’ve felt the old itch coming back.

If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s bare feet. I wear shoes most of the time. The practice that has people taking their shoes off the minute they step into their house is evil and should be outlawed.

Clunky shoes have always taken my fancy more than elegant footwear. Boots, shoes with impossibly thick soles (’creepers’), Timberlands. For a long time, I wouldn’t wear anything but black ones. I bought the odd pair of Docs, though never those classic boots. I’ve got lots of tennis shoes and runners (or sneakers, or whatever you call them in your country).

The last couple of years flat feet and heel spur have forced me to wear runners to relieve the pain. I ran out of ‘dress’ shoes. The ones I have don’t fit anymore. Like your nose, your feet keep growing.

I went out in search of a pair of classic penny loafers. They’re preppy (… yes, I do have polo shirts and chinos too.), they’re boring, but they’re terribly comfortable. Then there’s the unisex factor. Appeals to my gender confused self. I drove my mother insane choosing ‘boys’ shoes from the day I was old enough to have an opinion. The sight of a pair of good suede brogues makes me all tingly inside. But even I have to admit they look severe on women.

I’ve never been able to work out what I am, preppy or alternative, posh or common, Dutch or Indonesian, bitch or butch. Maybe that makes me middle-class incarnate.

It’s hard to find penny loafers for women in this country. I suppose they’re not in vogue. The girls are all wearing these impossibly pointy boots. Shoes like that weren’t made for walking. A friend of a friend fell down the stairs wearing them. She broke her hip. Most of the time these trendy ‘girly’ shoes don’t fit me anyway. They’re too narrow.

Cycling all over Amsterdam I ended up on P.C. Hooftstraat (beyond nouveau riche) where I bought the final pair of Sebago penny loafers (rubber soles instead of leather, unfortunately) in my size in town.

They fit like a glove and I can wear them going out for dinner and not look like a complete knacker.

Talk about ones you have on, or the ones you covet. Tell me about your shoes.