WOMEN AND SHOES

Are you lumping all women into one shoe-crazed group? Not so. And shame on you.

Better duck as a flurry of shoes come flying at your head.

It's more than shoes. The whole "observation of appearance" thing is freaky. If I get a haircut none of my buddies will even notice, but every woman I see will notice and even my 4yr old daughter will immediately say "daddy, you got a haircut".

The last time I bought a new belt (something I do only about every twenty years), none of my guy friends noticed, but every woman I know said, "nice belt". I didn't even think belt's counted as fashion, I thought they were just to hold my pants up.

Never mind the NSA checking my Emails, I think every woman in my life knows all of my habits and my entire wardrobe even if they've never even seen my closet.

This fashion over-awareness often times divides along gender lines. Women, generally speaking, are acutely aware of what is going on top-to-bottom in their environment...shockingly to me, even in an office space.

Women on the avg, I've casually observed, have at least 2 times this and often 3 times that amount. Then sometimes have handbags to match 3 color groups.

Shoes to a man are to keep your feet warm and protected from the elements. Men often have no more than 6-8 pair at most and often times that includes sneakers (except those in media or related industries). We'll exclude golf shoes from the count, however.

As a photographer I do pay attention to clothing items...and wives, ex-wives and g/fs all commented on my awareness of when things changed and if something was out-of-whack style-wise. However, I didn't study this consciously or look at fashion mags (not work for any). I did look at the models on TV and it sort of sunk in what they thought coordinated with what.

Shoes and shoe fashions perplex me. I can't see how and why women walk in them nor find them attractive. Why anyone would walk on stilts or weapons like that still shocks me.

A man needs one black belt and one brown belt, one pair of black dress shoes and one pair of brown dress shoes, and then sneakers or running shoes--one pair! Even then, i'd say he's fashion obsessed . . .

I am not sure what it is...but shoes is lovely. I am no where near Imelda in the shoe department...but I will say there are some that make my heart go pitter pat....but mostly I like bare feets.

I've seen high heels I think are pretty as a kind of sculpture on a shelf. Wear them? No way.

If anyone doesn't believe Satan doesn't exist, all they need do is look at all the ways in which he has cursed women:
Shoe styles that are not only laughable, but painful,
Panty hose,
Clothing that zips or buttons in the back.
3000 or more colors of lipstick, face powder, hair dye, etc.
Facial cremes and facial creams,
Soaps that make husbands smell like wimps.
Perfumes for this and perfumes for that,
Hats resembling every conceivable specie of bird and beast

And all we guys have to contend with is that damnable necktie.

Yeah, bare feets is the best . . .

ok, from the other side of the fence.

I only buy shoes that are flexible enough to make it feel as close to being bare foot as possible.

I think 95% of the shoes women where, including sandles and casual shoes, look ridiculous.

I take that back...100% of heels, 100% of shoes in which you can see the toes and oh, 80% of all other shoes.

I once worked in a shoe store, and one of the trade magazines said that 90% of women will not admit to their true shoe size ( ? ! ? ! ? ) and commonly buy shoes that are from one half, to one and a half shoe sizes too small.ss

I used to buy my shoes by mail from Mason Shoes. That was when they cared enough to produce my slightly unusual shoe size. Now they have gone the way of the rest of them and only make the best sellers. I have to buy a half size larger to get shoes large enough to wear comfortably. So now I mostly wear runners shoes that I get from Academy.

I find this stereotype that women like shoe shopping quite annoying. I have some heels in a cupboard somewhere that I haven't worn for years but other than that I have a comfy pair for everyday (I work from home), a slightly dressier comfy pair for special occasions, one pair of sneakers, gumboots, slip on sandals for the garden or going to buy a paper, and sheepskin slippers. I tend to buy good quality shoes that will last a long time so I don't need to go shoe shopping more often than I really have to. There are so many things I'd rather spend my money on than shoes.
On the other hand my daughter is 4'9" - she likes heels.

it's not just appearance.

I think women are simply stronger visually. There's the old canard about men being visual but IMHO many women are much more visually oriented than most men I know. Women seem to pay more attention to visual detail than men do.

I love my shoes and yes, I have quite a few pairs. Some for working in, some for walking in, some for dancing in - depends on the outfit, the purpose, etc. They're an accessory

I think men and women are equally affected by visuals, but it's the interest in nuance and detail which is different.

Not me. In fact that's why I readily say most womens shoes are just downright weird looking.

I'll admit, I used to wear heels. Then, I got a job at a place where I probably logged in more than 3 miles a day, walking from place to place. I started wearing flats, and never looked back.

At some point in between I have sat down and tried on shoes.....expensive shoes way over my budget, just to "see". and I was aghast, and immediately took them off. How coud shoes that were hundred of dollars, in my proper size possiblt be so uncomfortable just trying them on an walking a few steps?

If someone says "you have to get used to them, you haven't worn heels for a long time...." Well, what am I supposed to get used to, wearing an apparatus on my feet that misaligns the entire length of my body; calves, thighs, pelvis, back, neck, head, arms?
Why would I want to get "used" to that? I've paid good money over the years getting those parts all in working order. Why would I deliberatly sabotage that work?

I know ehbeth likes her shoes set, so this thread is at least partially a parody, but many womens shoes do far more harm to a persons body that I'm willing to accept.

Well....

When I was younger, I loved heels. They made me taller and my legs look longer. What was amazing is that my feet didn't really hurt in them. I wore them to work, church, social events - not a problem.

Then - I had kids. My foot grew a half size with every kid. And because I was home so much and not wearing my heels as much - I think my feet spread. So when I put my heels back on - or bought a new pair and would wear them, they would hurt. But I managed to get accustomed to them again when I was working in the office. Now though - I die at church just for two hours when I have my high heeled boots on. Good gravy they kill.
But as Billy Crystal says - "It's better to look marvelous than feel marvelous"...



phth. All about comfort these days -mostly.
Personally - I like flip flops. I love that they are easy to put on and I can take them off easily. But the key there is PEDICURE. You cannot have chipped paint on your toenails and scaly feet if you are going to wear them. Otherwise get a good pair of tennis shoes and stick with them.