The Expression of Shoes

I don't know about you, but my relationship with shoes didn't really start until I was well into my 30's.  Before that time, I chose practical, comfortable shoes that could be worn with just about anything I wore.  My closet consisted of the standard black, tan, white dress shoes with a couple of flip flops and sneakers.  I didn't dare to buy anything too trendy or uncomfortable.   It seemed to me, at the time, that it was a waste of money to buy a shoe in a bright color.

Well, that mind set has changed, drastically! 
While I don't pay $000-0000 for each pair of shoes, I do spend a fair amount on them.   When I first met my bff, she never paid for shoes.  She was in the same place I was in my earlier years.  One day, on our way back from Vegas we went to the Outlet Mall and I introduced her to a few shoe stores.  I told her, we spend so much time in our shoes, why shouldn't we buy a pair that will last and be comfortable?   Spending $100-$150 on a good pair of shoes is definitely worth the money!  She kind of looked at me skeptically, but decided to go with it.  That day, she bought the cutest, most comfortable pair of shoes.   A few weeks later she told me, I am NEVER going to buy another pair of shoes from Payless! These are so comfortable!!!  This was about 10 years ago.  Today, she is addicted to zappos and wears the most outrageous hooker shoes.  They are fabulous!!  Some of the shoes I have in my closet have been there more than 7-8 years.  Why?  Because they are of good quality and  I still wear them! 

There are many articles on the history of shoes out there.  Surprisingly, it wasn't until the 1950's that open toed shoes came on the scene in the United States.  That wasn't that long ago!  Prior to mass production of shoes in the early 1900s, shoes were custom made and served a function.  They protected the feet and kept them clean.

The timeline of the shoe is very interesting.  Humans have been wearing protection on their feet since the beginning of time. This site provides a great historical timeline with images of the kinds of shoes that have been worn in different cultures. http://headoverheelshistory.com/index.html. The availability of money and materials to create textiles has always been a factor. This site reminds us of the state of the country at the time and the reason fashions were as they were. Very interesting. 

The standard left and right shoe is a fairly new product but has exploded in style.   I found an excellent site that shows the many kinds of shoes people wear.  Raymond Holbert has managed to capture an awesome collection of shoes.  Check it out:  http://www.memorybanque.com/shoefoot.html.  He has managed to get quite a few interesting men's shoes as well!   The picture above is one I captured of a an older gentleman riding the Passport in Long Beach back in October.   His shoes caught my eye so I HAD to snap a pic!

We have all heard of Imelda Marcos and her collection of more than 3000 shoes.  Sadly, she was unable to take more than 1200 of these shoes with her when we was exiled from the Phillipines and now, many have been destroyed in storage.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2207353/Imelda-Marcos-legendary-3-000-plus-shoe-collection-destroyed-termites-floods-neglect.html.  What a terrible tragedy! 

Women generally have a great number of shoes in their closet.  I think we are drawn to the beauty of the shoe.  Our shoes tell so much about us and our mood of the day.   Not only are they fashionable, they are a form of self expression.   A study was published in August 2012 where 63 students participated in viewing photos of shoes and were then asked to answer questions about the wearer's perceived age, gender, political affiliation and personality traits.  Apparently, we are exposing our souls by what we put on our feet!  http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/10266/20120612/shoes-personality-traits-characteristics.htm

It is interesting to me how many men pay attention to our shoes.  I have a friend I work with who analyzes my mood then looks immediately to my feet to see if his assessment is correct.  It has gotten to the point now that he can predict what kind of shoes I'm wearing by the mood I am showing.  It's scary!   He always seems to know when there are zippers or buckles on my shoes. 

In fact, I met a lover because of the shoes I was wearing.  He noticed my shoes and commented on them.  Our appreciation for shoes wasn't our only interest, but it was a great start to a wonderful relationship!  Today, we still exchange photos of shoes we admire.  

The other day I was standing in line at the bank and a gentleman in his early 50's commented on my boots.  He said, Great boots!  I thanked him and then he went on to state that he loves women's boots.  He felt that women should have lots and lots of shoes and boots.   He loved the way they look. 

“What do women want? Shoes!”―Mimi Pond

Now I'm not sure if a foot fettish extends to a shoe fettish and vice versa.  I know foot fetishes are very common and I imagine a decoration around the foot is very appealing.  But I'm not sure if a shoe fetish extends the other way to a foot fetish.  Shoes in themselves are very sexy and because they can be related to our personality it may just be the look of the shoe that is attractive rather than the fact that the shoe is on a foot.   I did a little research on foot fetishes, but there really isn't alot out there.  Surprising since there are so many people with that fetish.  I'll see what I can dig up for a future entry. 

In the meantime, check out your closet.  Are you wearing all those shoes?   Maybe you don't have enough.  There are always sales in the department stores.  You can get a great shoe for a reasonable price.   It isn't necessary to buy Carrie's $650 shoe.   Let your personality show, express yourself and enjoy your shoes!  They are an extension of you!  Oh and don't forget to get a pedicure.  If you're showing off your shoes, make sure your feet are beautiful.