They were meeting for the first time. It was a blind date, her friend had set up. She was tensed and fidgety. Before looking at his face, his Jhony Bravo like smile and physique she looked at his shoes. They said “Woodland” with a tree like woodland logo, the ranger make of those shoes made her contemplate he might be adventurous. They looked at each other with unmitigated expressions and she said in a soft tone “You like travelling?” He smiled and said 27 states, 8 countries…I love to travel. Relaxed, she could now converse for an hour about travel, food, traveling agents and the like. And then with a wry smile and a virtual tap on her shoulder, she wondered – “What a guess ;)”
Noticing and observing the shoes of people when you come face to face seems to be just a stupid and a peculiar rather a strange habit but it definitely makes you understand the “type” of person he/she is. Not trying to be judgmental here but it really helps. Shoes teach us a lot…read through what I write and you will understand how we can categorize and fathom people on the basis of their shoes.
To my dear (angrezi phoruner phriends) foreigner friends I mean – The word for slippers in Hindi is “Chappal”. That’s how we address shoes in India. But as a girl in her twenties I have explored, been obsessed with and collected a lot of shoes …a few I know of are -
Stiletto Heels, Kitten Heels, Cone Heels, Bellies, Prism Heels, Pumps, Spool Heels, Wedges, Sling backs, Flats, Sneakers (low top/ High Top), Clogs, Espadrilles, Marie Jane Shoes, Ballet Flats, Mules, Boots, Platform Heels, Athletic/ sports/ running/track/tennis/walking/gyming shoes, Beach shoes, Monk straps, Wingtip shoes, Galoshes, Pointes, Sandals, Slides, Mukluks, Flip Flops, Moccasins, Cleats, Kamiks, gladiators, Tap shoes, Saddle shoes, Open Toes Shoes, Indian Variety - Kolapuris, Canvas Shoes, Punjabi jutti, Beeded with glitter and flowers and fruits and colorful candy etc., Morris, Oshos, khussa shoes, gliders, Juttis etc (phewwww)
You can accurately judge a person just by looking at their shoes, psychologists say. Researchers at the University of Kansas found that people were able to correctly judge a stranger's age, gender, income, political affiliation, emotional and other important personality traits just by looking at the person's shoes. Lead researcher Omri Gillath found that by examining the style, cost, color of condition of the shoe, participants were able to guess about 90 percent of the of the owner's personal characteristics.
So I am certainly NOT wrong here. But what if the person is wearing some one else’s shoes? Wouldn’t that be a little unfair? The whole concept on one hand sounds too judgmental, but on the other hand, people do wear shoes that reveal their personality, whether they intend to or not.
Expensive shoes belong to high earners (predictable). Flashy and colorful footwear belonged to extroverts and shoes that were not new but appeared to be spotless belonged to conscientious types.
While some of the clues like the ones already described were obvious, other clues are more surprising.
Practical and functional shoes generally belong to agreeable people (I have always seen my Mom and Grandmother in DR Scholl’s). Ankle boots fit with more aggressive personalities and uncomfortable looking shoes were worn by calm personalities.
Shoes serve a practical purpose, and also serve as nonverbal cues with symbolic messages. Quite a lot of people tend to pay attention to the shoes they and others wear. "Shoes have great variety of styles, brands, looks, and functions. Because of this variety, shoes can carry individual difference information, but do they? I suggest the answer is yes and so does researchers.
However, psychologists noted that rarely some people will purposely choose shoes just to convey a certain public image that is different from their real personality. So there, I rest my case my lord.
According to me, shoes can be related to human lives, in a psychological way. The size of the shoe remains the same after a certain age, like the inner you, the beautiful girl/ handsome boy in you, the child in you, the flirt in you. The innocence that remains in you throughout your life, whereas the make, color, brand, taste, comfort and appearance changes. If the shoe does not fit, we do not change the foot. A shoe that is too large is apt to trip one, and when too small, to pinch the feet. The silliest thing is to get expensive baby shoes, because as the baby grows the shoe is doomed to be wasted, and if you still linger upon them, it gives blisters (shoe bites). The same situation when you have a high ego, if you still have it, it will give you blisters (bites that leave a deep mark). I have a cousin who is in school, his shoes are worn out, every now and then and my aunt happily says – “these are the days when he would play and grow tall and handsome”. So she gets him shoes from the most expensive brands so that the playful lad could concentrate on his football sessions comfortably. We go to the cobbler with high hopes to get our dearest shoe repaired; the sole can be changed but what about the soul if it were us? Stress disrupts human thinking? I say uncomfortable shoes disrupt human thinking. Ever walked in uncomfortable shoes and then walked on wet grass with bare foot? The feeling is just so incredible. That can be related to an unhappy relationship and then liberation…weeeeee…freedom! Or a nice holiday for a week after concluding your targets at work! Or that pebble in your shoe that irritates you and makes your life miserable, you cannot achieve anything until you shake it off from your shoe and take a deep sigh of relief.
Cinderella wouldn’t find her perfect prince if she hadn’t lost one shoe, not trying to make a point here, to carelessly leave or forget one shoe anywhere (preferably men’s locker room), but it was the shoe in the end, that made her a popular fairy tale heroine. (Really?)
Heard of passion for walking barefoot? Late Mr. Hussain (the Picasso of India) walked barefoot throughout his life, he never wore shoes! Now he wasn’t insane, he wasn’t poor (at all), the abstract paintings had bottomless capacity to make uninterrupted moolah, he was efficacious and tremendously artistic and imaginative…I mean the Richie’s who drive long luxurious cars, live in castles but still crave to earn a 'Hussain' on that exceptional wall. What was the reason for wearing no shoes then? ...He loved the feel of soil. I find that (unhygienic yes) but truly incredible. That’s innocent love…true love I say. Sticking to what feels good which brings that smile to your face.
Shoes teach us a lot, the cheap ones like the negative people the villains in your life who criticize and let you down have to be disposed and the expensive ones (family, friends and peers) have to be worn with extreme care.
Gawking at my shoe stand right now and thinking of accomplishing some more, I would say, it should be never so much about the shoes, but the person wearing them.
