The
sole that controls your soul
You see a pair of comfy sandals or a chic pair of heels through
a window of a shoe shop. Do you think of the pressing budget, sigh
and walk away or does your ‘Imedla Marcos voice’ get
the better of you? Find out what Ishani Ranasinghe has to say about
the obsession with shoes.
“Heels
make your legs feel good and flats makes you feel good,” an
interesting thought shared by a friend. Ah shoes… we all do
love them don’t we?
I remember reading about a man who was arrested for stealing shoes.
He didn’t really make money out of it, he just collected them.
Most of us are obsessed with shoes although not to the extent of
stealing them. But shoes have become an important accessory, especially
for women. As for the available choices? You have to admit, it’s
just amazing…. Stilettos, wedge heels, platforms… the
list just goes on.
Personality
marker:
Shoes say a lot about people, or so they say. The kind
of shoes people wear put them instantly in a social class by the
style or by the brand name of the shoes they wear. I would say this
is not a very fair way of judging people, but apparently most often
it turns out to be true. Are you preppy, grungy, or trendy? People
are aware that the shoes on their feet reflect these characteristics
and they choose shoes based on how they want to be perceived. The
average woman has twelve pairs of shoes in her closet; the average
man, six. Men tend to have one pair of shoes for every occasion.
Women use shoes as accessories
Shoes
are a summary of the total package of a person. They have become
an important article of clothing to have and be identified by. If
your shoes are dirty and worn out you are more likely to be a more
laidback person who doesn’t care much about what other think.
If your shoes are always clean and laced up tightly, you might find
what others think about you to be important. They help you out in
so many ways from looking stylish to protecting your feet from the
world.
Evolution:
Shoes have definitely evolved over time. The caveman used
to wear nothing on their feet and that was in a time when there
were no paved roads or sidewalks. The ground was all natural resources
and probably didn’t feel pleasant on the soles of their feet.
Of course, they probably were used to walking around bare foot,
and they most likely formed giant-sized calluses on the bottoms
of their feet making it easier to shrug off the pain from rocks.
Since
early times people have wanted beauty in their lives and have needed
to express their individuality and, for these reasons, shoes of
different styles and materials were created. It seems that over
time people’s feet have become more and more “sensitive”
and we’ve become spoiled and now demand comfortable shoes
for all occasions.
Art
form?
Shoes are definitely addictive. Considered as symbols
of sexuality and powerful femininity, a shoe that has grace, surprise
and is a bitwhimsy can exist in an abstract sense, almost like a
work of art.
Shoes have also now become unisex. You see men and woman everywhere
wearing the same style shoes. It’s almost overwhelming.
Crazy!
How much do people love their shoes? I can safely say
very much. Speaking to one shoe fanatic it dawned how much shoes
meant to them. She got all excited; her eyes were twinkling she
started going on and on about shoes. I had the same reaction more
or less from who ever I asked about shoes. Is it affordable and
comfortable? Do they fit my personality? How often will I wear them?
These are some of the questions many people ask when buying a pair
of shoes. Numerous people said they look at the overall “look”
of a shoe and then they go from there to comfort and price. Some
even admitted to buying shoes that look cool even though they are
uncomfortable and they wore the shoes a handful of times. They buy
on impulse because they like how they look under the fluorescent
lights and then take them home only to find out they are hideous!
Possessive?
Another interesting thing is, people with the shoe craze
aren’t known to throw away shoes. “I form a bond with
my shoes and miss them when I try and throw them away. I will put
them in the trash for a couple weeks, kind of like a holding period
to see if I can live without them because just as soon as I throw
them away I have an urge to wear them,” says Sonali a true
shoe fanatic.
While
most people don’t really like to admit that they are shoe
fanatics there are people who admit it readily. Why do they think
so? Most think why they have a craze is because they are hooked
on styles and shoes as accessories. “I need to buy the shoe
and the comfort of having another style to choose from is just amazing,”
says Nilu adding that she likes being able to ask herself if she
wants wear tennis, or boots, flip-flops or high heels.
“I
would have much more shoes if I had more money,” says Lakshini
explaining that she would indulge herself much worse.
Having
a craze for shoes or anything else is addictive and there may be
no “real” way to control the insanity, other than perhaps…
self-restraint. Don’t get reeled in by the latest styles and
gimmicks. Stand on your on two feet and ‘Just Say No’
to the latest shoe sale prices! |
