From sneakers to high heels, boots to flipflops, the average American owns 19 pairs of shoes, according to Time Magazine. For some, shoes are a part of their outfit that is given little thought. For others, shoes can be a fashion statement.

Sophomore Naya Tadavarthy takes shoes seriously. “Your shoes are an essential part of your outfit,” Tadavarthy said.

Freshman Adelia Bergner agrees: “I like shoes that help me express myself,” Bergner said. “Shoes are a great way to do that because they can pull an outfit together.”

Other students are less inclined to give footwear a starring role in their ensemble. “Usually I look for shoes that are comfortable and that I can wear with a lot of different things, so I don’t have to change my outfit based on my shoes,” senior Nina Zietlow said.

Tadavarthy said she has been known to go for fashion over comfort at times when picking out footwear. “I match my shoes to my outfit by style and color. The colors can’t clash, and if you’re wearing a skirt, you’re not going to want to wear snow boots,” she said.

Many students feel loyalty towards certain brands of shoes. Zietlow favors Doc Martens and Converse because of their comfort and ability to go with anything. “Those two are go to’s for me,” she said.

Bergner and sophomore Sylvie Schifsky like Converse as well. “I also like combat boots and Hunters a lot,” Schifsky said.

Sophomore Emma Hills has assembled an impressive collection of her favorite brand of shoes, Toms. Her collection began one day in Nordstom, and she now owns eight pairs. “I wear them so often because they’re so comfortable,” Hills said.

Sophomore Eli Striker likes the design of Nikes, but not the price. “I try to buy them at closeout sales because they’re so expensive,” Striker said.

Freshman Koji Gutzmann chooses his shoes based on how cool the individual style is as opposed to the brand. “My shoes are reflective; they change colors,” he said.

Whether shoes are the last thing on someone’s mind when they get dressed in the morning or the first, everyone wears them, and therefore, what we choose to wear says something about us whether we are conscious of it or not.