The Soul of Your Soles: Why Women Love Shoes
Oxfords, Docs,
Converse, crocs.
Peep toes, pumps,
Mary Janes, clogs.
Jellies, Wellies,
Combats, Chucks.
Manolos, Maddens,
Sandals, stilettos.
Kitten heels, mules,
Birks and wedges.
A new study reveals that our soles are the window to our souls; these tongues do tell.
The research finds that you can judge 90 percent of a stranger's personality just by the shoes the person is wearing. In the study, a range of detailed demographic traits, including age, income, political affiliation, and emotional stability, were guessed from the wearer's shoes. As the researchers explained in the Journal of Research in Personality, "Shoes serve a practical purpose, and also serve as nonverbal cues with symbolic messages. People tend to pay attention to the shoes they and others wear." According to the study, my shoes would reveal me as extroverted, aggressive, and conscientious, but not calm or agreeable. Hmmm. Maybe so.
At any rate, I was surprised to learn recently that a study conducted last year found that the average American woman owns 17 pairs of shoes.
17 pairs.
That's all?
I'm not exactly Imelda Marcos, but if you consider my various roles—professor, stall mucker, runner, rider, and regular person—then multiply that by four seasons, well, you do the math: I need a lot of different foot coverings. Even so, I have far more than I need—and yet still have a wandering eye. I can't even try to rationalize it. But still, I am curious about why something that so clearly serves an essential function (barefoot advocates notwithstanding), pleases so much through such variety in its forms.
It's not all pleasure, though. We shoe lovers apparently withstand a fair amount of pain for our shoe obsession: that same study from last year showed that 59 percent of American women surveyed have gotten blisters from their shoes, and 46 percent have experienced foot pain from them; 35 percent have had an evening ruined by uncomfortable footwear; and 24 percent of have fallen because of their shoes.
Theories to explain such inexplicable love for shoes abound. The same study above says that some women go shoe shopping to cheer themselves up. Perhaps that's true for some, but I'll happily shop for shoes in any mood. Another explanation the study offers is that "no matter how much weight you gain, you can always fit into your shoes. They're friends through thick and thin." Maybe. Some experts say buying new shoes stimulates an area of the brain's prefrontal cortex termed the collecting spot, and according to Suzanne Ferriss, PhD, editor of Footnotes: On Shoes, "Shoes are a collector's item, whether women realize they perceive them that way or not." Another sees shoe savvy as a way to boost one's career. A new book by Rachelle Bergstein, Women From the Ankle Down: The Story of Shoes and How They Define Us, postulates that shoe styles and sales reflect the economic times: sky-high platform heels became popular when the economy collapsed, and at the recession's height, when most retail sales were in decline, the sales of shoes—a more meager form of luxury—thrived. Within most of Christian culture (happily for me), shoes, for the most part, dance under the radar of the modesty wars, which are pretty narrowly focused on the three Bs (bust, belly, and butt).
Auditing America's Political Integrity
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Chaussures homme
Good job, this article is very fun
Lauren
Ann, "...my critiques were 1) we are to not judge people by what they wear and think we know their characteristics through their shoes 2) We are to be more concerned with reflecting Jesus than ourselves. 3) We should not be obsessed with what we wear." 1) There is a big difference between judging (condemning) someone for the shoes they wear and noticing, appreciating, or commenting (to one's self or out loud) about how much you like someone's shoes (clothes/appearance/etc). I don't think the author was suggesting, in any way, that we condemn people whose shoes we don't like. However, just like you can tell much about a person by her house, dog, clothes, book choices, and car, you can also learn about who she is through her shoes. That doesn't mean you are judging her. We all observe. God gave us eyes. He gave us taste buds. He gave us taste. I think developing your sense of taste is important (especially as a Christian). If I see someone with shoes I like, I usually tell her. These "surface" comments often lead to deeper conversations and can even be the start of friendships. Dr. Prior's shoes, for example, were one of the reasons I chose to take her class. Shallow on my part? Maybe. But my relationship with her ended up becoming one of the least non-judgemental, encouraging, sharpening Christian relationships I have ever had. She has corrected my perspective on the church, christians, the world, and myself in a consistently biblical way. I think you are reading this article the way you want to read it rather than the way the author meant it to be read. Your 2nd and 3rd point only further my suspicion that you have misinterpreted this article. Nowhere does Dr. Prior suggest that we shouldn't reflect Jesus; isn't that exactly what she is arguing about her shoe-wearing? I also disagree with your 3rd point only because I believe what we wear is important. The way I dress in the classroom is deliberately different from how I dress at home because, like it or not, your clothing choices do reflect your personality. I hope you take my tone here to be sincere and not condemning. I am not attacking you. I am simply trying to discuss my point of view in contrast to yours. Have a great day.
Susie Klein
Flip-flops for as much of the year as possible. And here in California that's a big chunk of the year!
Thoephile
@ Tim Hi Tim, You do realize there are 1088 chapters of the Bible not written by a Pharisee convert raised in the oral(Talmudic)law, right? Jesus Himself dictated 7 New Testament letters written down by John,(Revelation 2 & 3) to the churches. In 2 of them He rebukes the doctine of "All things are lawful", like eating things sacrificed to idols, if no ones watching/offended, (regardless of what the Pharisee said in Corinthians 8). To those two churches He identifies Himself as "He who has the sharp sword with two edges"(ready to fight), and: "the Son of God with the eyes of flaming fire(no condemnation? those eyes don't sound happy) and feet of fine brass"(ready to kick some...). Go ahead and ignore over 90% of the Bible there Tim, make Paul the ultimate authority on all that is God's, but can you deny the "in your face" parallels concerning the 111 votes for fornication by the Episcopal council this week, with Christ's 111 words of rebuke given Thyatira, and the message of Revelation 2:20? When it comes to the gospel of Christ, Who's the authority there Tim....Paul, or Christ?
Milena petrova
Hi, Recently I came across some great articles on your site. The other day, I was discussing (http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2012/07/the-soul-of-your-soles-why-wom.html ) with my colleagues and they suggested I submit an article of my own. Your site is just perfect for what I have written! Would it be ok to submit the article? It is free of charge, of course! Let me know what you think Contact me at milenapetrova70@gmail.com Regards, Milena Petrova
KAREN SWALLOW PRIOR
@Barbara, thanks for the kind words. :) You (and other comments) raise good questions that would be excellent fodder for a future post. A blog post's short nature really allow focus on one point. I wanted to explore the love of shoes here. So many other important issues raised here are very worthy of further examination. Stay tuned to the Her.meneutics blog!
barbara
Let there be no confusion--Her.Meneutics is, by far, the best thing CT offers: consistently thoughtful, well-written posts that are less divisive and polemical than every other blog and article you'll find on CT (go ladies!). See the (mostly) congenial and honest conversation above for proof. Women need to stick together! Not pull apart. My concern is with consumerism, how it encourages us to ignore harder questions: where did my product come from? who made it? under what conditions? I don't think god wants us to wear sack clothes, because I'm not sure he/she cares. Unless, of course, that sack cloth was produced in unfair working conditions. Right? Doesn't god care about the injustices done unto the least of these?
Beth Hancock
I'm surprised that shoes haven't made it into the modesty discussions. If you wear heels over 3 inch high, your rear end gets tilted in a way that indicates sexual readiness. Animals in heat assume this pelvic tilt on purpose. Men aren't consciously aware of why women in high heels are arousing but they still react. High heels draw men's eyes to the pelvis.
Ann
At the end of the day KSP like I said before - it is nit picking and yours is the least I have had concerns with lately out of the ones I have. I'm glad you took some points into consideration at least - whether they were right or wrong of me. I highly doubt personally you would be the type of lady to wear shoes in church and show them off and be like "all about me" with them etc. But even if we did as Tim said there is no condemnation. I can be "all about me" with some of my hand bags! I was just pointing out what I believed to be coming across wrong biblical ideas (in my opinion). I appreciate you are open to discussion on them. It did cross my mind should I honey coat my opinions or not and opted not to. I think being polite and nice is not ALWAYS (though it is sometimes) the honest way to go as then the comments can get left on the wayside. If we can't discuss such things such as a small individual article on the world wide web and varying opinions - what is going to happen when Jesus calls the whole church to more holiness?
Tim
All I want to wear this time of year is a pair of flip-flops. It's 106 here today! Tim P.S. Jesus doesn't condemn you for the clothes - including shoes - you want to wear, because in him there is no condemnation, ever, at all, none whatsoever. (Romans 8:1.) Wear your shoes. Or don't. It's for freedom you've been set free, and that includes your tootsies! (Galatians 5:1.)
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