All About Shoes and Feet
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Shoes and Feet - They Mean So Much To Us
Our feet are important to us. Just look around you; at shops full of shoes, pictures of shoes and feet, publicity on TV for footwear and foot care. See how often feet and shoes feature in films. You'd be surprised once you take notice.
We spend a great deal of time and money on our feet, shoes, stockings and socks. We take pride in our feet. Throughout history and across the world people have decorated their feet with patterns, tattoos and foot, toe and ankle jewellery. Feet play a part in every culture and feature in stories, legends, films, dance, drama and pictures through time and space.
Unfortunately our life style and age begin to tell on our feet and I'm afraid to say that very often we get the feet we deserve, (at least I have), but don't despair, it's never too late to improve matters and make your way towards beautiful feet.
My credentials: I'm not a foot expert, but as a lover of shoes in my youth, an artist, art historian and the wife of a podiatrist, I have long been used to taking a keen interest in feet, foot health and footwear, which is where this article on 'Everything About Feet' first came from. If you have anything to add, please leave a message in the comments box and I'll include it in this article.
One note of caution, people with certain conditions, diabetes for example, should be very careful about foot and leg treatments and footwear. Always consult your health professional.
Other articles on shoes and feet that might interest you
Lolita Shoes - Classic, Gothic and Sweet Tokyo Fashion
Latest in Shoes - Shoes in the News
Beautiful Feet
The history of the shoe
Since then a few inventions have pushed on the developement of the shoe, such as the last, shoe making machines, shoe laces and rubber heels. Shoes today have come a long way since neolithic times, but I'm not so sure that they are better for our feet!
The shoe illustrated, by Mme Cleta, dates from 1905
(Image courtesy of Creative Commons - Mme Cleta1905)
Designer shoes and the shoe market and industry
(Image of Manolo Blahnik shoes on Whitney Port's feet at the 2009 w:Tribeca Film Festival. Courtesty of David Shankbone, Creative Commons)
Shoes in the News
Get the latest news on shoes as it happens. 'Shoes in the News'
The Royal Wedding Shoes
Catherine Middleton stepped out in custom-made shoes by Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton and her design team, creator of that wonderful wedding dress. The wedding shoes that Catherine wore for her walk down the aisle at Westminster Abbey were made with "ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework," according to the Royal Web site. You can see a picture of the shoes here Catherine Middleton's wedding shoes
The child bridesmaids The Bridesmaids' shoes were designed and made by Devon-based Rainbow Club. They are the classic Mary Jane style, made from satin with a Swarovski crystal buckle. Devon-based Rainbow Club have been designing, making and colouring handmade wedding shoes since the mid-1980s.
Did you know that Edward Rayne made the shoes that the present Queen of England was married In? They were entirely hand made by skilled craftsmen and were beige pink sling backs with a medium heel and a bit of a platform. A replica pair of shoes was worn when Alan rayne's mother was married.
Queen Victoria's wedding shoes Picture courtesy of Northampton Museum
Dianas Wedding Shoes in Auction
Princess Diana's spare pair of wedding shoes - November 29th 2011
They were made at the same time as those worn on the big day and were identical in every way. The shoes were still 'Cinderella slippers', though not made from glass. Flat, because Diana was taller than Charles, they have the initials C and D and a heart inscribed on the soles, have ivory satin insoles, were top-stitched with a lattice design and sprinkled with 542 individually hand knotted mother of pearl sequins and 134 seed-pearl beads. The heart-shaped tabs piped in gold kidskin, applied with sequins and edged in pearl beads and Nottingham lace. Mr Shilton charged a handsome £6621.25 for them but was never paid, (the rich eh?).
Feet and shoes in stories, film and song
Shoes of one sort or another are rich in legend and feature strongly in folklore worldwide. These stories have been passed down through the ages and are still very much part of our culture. We all know the story of the Seven League Boots, the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, Mercury's Winged Sandals, Puss in Boots, Cinderella and so many others.
The magical dancing Red Shoes seemed to have a particularly strong role in our collective subconcious. Who doesn't feel the power of the image of the red ballet shoes?
Shoes feature prominently on TV too. Sex and the City are a fairly shoe-obsessed lot and Red Shoe Diaries began with the shoe! Can you think of any others?
(Image of Glass slippers courtesy of Dartington Crystal, Creative Commons)
Feet and Films
Movies love lovely feet
Kate Bush "Shoedance" (The Red Shoes 1994 Dance Mix)
Red Shoes
Kate Bush
Red Shoes
Amazon Price: $2.64 (as of 06/03/2012)![]()
I love the haunting sound of Kate Bush, and her exploration of the magical and mythical in life.
Gorgeous shoes on the stage
Dance Shoes
Dance shoes are amonst the most beautiful shoes. How many little girls dream of becoming ballerinas and have posters and pictures of ballet shoes on their walls? Ballroom dancing is becoming more fashionable and these shoes are glamorous as well as functional.
(Image courtesy of Lambtron, Creative Commons)
Shoes the Musical
Songs include 'A brief history of shoes'. Hear more in the interview with Richard Thomas, (who explains what an 'extreme heel' is), and shoe designer Emma Hope on Womans Hour, BBC Radio 4
The shoe in art
Over the centuries shoes have featured in still lives, portraits and portrayals of everyday life and continue to fascinate the artist to the present day.
Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci drew shoes designed to enable a person to walk on water?
(Image by Van Eyck, courtesy of Creative Commons)
Beautiful photographs of the shoe
The Devil Wears Prada Poster
The psychology of the shoe and shoe fetish

As a child I was always so delighted when I was bought nice, new shoes, that I kept them under my bed and could hardly stop myself from having a peak to check that they were still there. As adults, many women, and perhaps men, take great delight in choosing and wearing shoes. Imelda R. Marcos, the Filipino politician and wife of the 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, is often remembered for her symbols of extravagance and it was her collection of 2700 pairs of shoes that has captured popular attention. Clearly, love of shoes is high on our cultural adjenda, but for some they have additional meaning and the line is crossed into Shoe fetishism.
To delve further into the psychology of shoes, we could look to Freud who saw stiletto-style pumps as some sort of phallic symbol, and by wearing them women can mitigate their inevitable "penis envy". Shoes clearly signal power, and certainly have something to do with sexuality.
Shoe fetishism, also known as retifism, after Nicolas-Edme Rétif, a French novelist, is, like foot fetishism, an erotic interested in shoes.
(Image courtesy Jean-Philippe Mondon, Creative commons)
The shoe lover's shopping list
Feet and ritual
Image, Painting of Jesus Washing Peter's Feet by Ford Madox Brown Source Wehwalt Creative Commons
Lucky shoes
Shoes and superstition
There are many superstitions attached to shoes, and the link between shoes and good luck is strong. It is said to bring a traveller luck if you throw a shoe after them as they set off on their journey, shoes are tied behind the wedding car and we all know about putting horse shoes on the house to bring good luck.
In Tudor times in England people carefully placed their shoes upside down at night to prevent the pixies using them.
Our dog, Molly, tried her best to negate my efforts to make our house a luckier house. See just how she did it: Naughty Dog Stories from Les Trois Chenes
A whole lot more about shoes, ritual and custom
Sports shoes
There are specialised shoes for all sorts of sports, running, cycling, riding ... The list is endless - and so are the shoes specially adapted to them.
(Image courtesy of Cactus26, Creative Commons)
Children's shoes
Of course we all know the pressure that is put onto children at an early age to wear fashionable shoes rather than sensible ones, so what is a good parent to do?
(Image courtesy of Dimitri Neyt, Creative Commons)
Happy feet are healthy feet
- Athlete's foot: Fungal infections in between your toes
- Fungal infections in the nails which will appear yellow and rough
- Plantar warts, otherwise known as verrucas
If you answer 'yes' to any of these questions, you should see your doctor who will be able to prescribe medication that will quickly, easily and efficiently deal with the problem. Do remember that all three of these conditions are highly contagious, and you risk passing them onto those around you.
- Thickened, hard skin
- Corns
- Bunions
If you answer yes to any of these then see your podiatrist (chiropodist) who will be able to help.
(Image courtesy of Creative Commons - Kajaste)
Shoes for healthy feet
Did you know that shoe manufacturers make shoes half a centimeter larger than the man's foot but half a centimeter smaller for women's shoes? For me this shows that foot binding, albeit in a milder form than the original, is still alive and kicking today. Fight against this if you want to keep your feet, legs and back healthy. Make sure that you can spread your toes inside your shoes, choose materials and styles that let your feet breath, wear high heels only for the occasional night out and don't actually walk in them! Go barefoot where possible.
As for excercise shoes, they are selling well but the jury is still out as to weather they are effective.
(Image courtesy of Lorenz Kerscher, Creative Commons)
The Final Word
It's clear from this brief resumé that, myths, erotic overtones, big business and sexual politics are all mixed up in our perceptions of our feet and footwear. Rise above it. Treat your feet sweet and put your best foot forward!
Comfortable Shoes
Treat your feet good!
- Comfortable sandals for walking
- those feet were made for walking ...
- The most comfortable shoes in the world
- That's saying something
Wide Fitting Shoes
And shoes for bunions
What to do?
Get you feet measured, Clarks Shoes are famous for this, and buy suitably wide shoes with a nice, high toe box. Wear flat shoes made from good materials. Here are a few that I've found on the internet and high street in the UK.

Clarks Women's UN.BLOCK Slip-On Loafer,Brown Leather,11 M US


More Shoes in Wide Fittings
Treat your feet sweet
More Information for Those With Wide Feet
Help is at 'hand'
- Shoes for Wide Feet
- Find shoes in wide fittings
What about Slippers?
I forgot all about them!
- Cool Slippers
- Have a laugh at these wonderfully wacky slippers
10 Top Tips to keep your feet healthy
- Keep your feet clean. Wash your feet frequently to avoid a fungal infection. Applying medicated foot powders will help to avoid athletes foot
- Keep them dry, especially between the toes! Wearing cotton socks will help to keep feet dry by absorbing moisture from your feet.
- Remove hard skin at least once a week.
- To deal with smelly feet use anti-perspirant and refreshing foot sprays.
- Only ever cut your toe nails straight across to avoid in growing nails.
- Buy correct fitting shoes.
- Keep shoes fresh. Alternate your footwear.
- If possible wear shoes that will let your feet breath - either a sandal or leather shoes.
- Keep your implements clean. Dirty tools and towels can harbour germs and cause infections.
- Treat your feet. Massage for relaxation and to get the blood circulation going.
(Image D Sharon Pruitt Creative Commons)
Give yourself a pedicure
A home pedicure is easy to do and will clean your feet thoroughly, remove hard skin, tidy nails and cuticles, moisturise the skin, beautify your feet, keep your feet healthy and relax you. Easy steps to neat feet!Here's how .... Beautiful Feet
Image courtesy of Creative Commons Phantomkain
How to exfoliate the feet
Treat your feet - because they're worth it
Treat your feet to a massage
Are foot massages good for the health? These are the benefits claimed for the foot massage:- Reduced tension or pain
- Alleviation of various ailments
- Improved blood circulation
- Relaxation and stress reduction
Try one yourself and see if you agree with the received wisdom. If you can't get a talented friend or a professional masseur/masseuse to give you a foot massage, you can buy an electric foot massager for home use.
Image courtesy of Lubyanka Creative Commons
How to give a foot massage
Massage those feet
Reflexology - are feet the key to your body's good health?
What is reflexology?"Reflexology is the practice of applying pressure to the feet and hands utilizing specific thumb, finger and hand techniques. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands with a premise that such work effects a physical change in the body." Reflexology Reasearch
Does reflexology really work? Many people think it does but doctors and podiatrists have yet to be convinced. This diagram, though, clearly shows the areas of the feet that relate to various parts of the body and give a good idea of the thinking behind the practice.
(Image courtesy of Apangshusaha, Creative commons)
The Secrets of Healthy Feet
Add your foot health lenses here
Cure Smelly Feet | Cure for Smelly Shoes and Socks
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Ways To Cure For Eczema On Feet
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Morton's Neuroma : A Pain in the Foot
A Morton's Neuroma is such a pain in the foot let more...0 points
Do You Have Flat Feet?
If you suffer from flat feet. help is really on th more...0 points
Plantar Fasciitis Slippers
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Plantar Fasciitis Shoes
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One Day Without Shoes
April 10th 2012 is One Day Without Shoes day
Read more about thos remarkable movement:
Decorated feet
Foot tattoos are a very different matter. There are many good reasons why it is a bad idea to get your feet tattooed. But people still do it. Here are some of the reasons why you should, and why you shouldn't: The Bad and the Beautiful
(Image courtesy of Nvvchar, creative commons)
The psychology of feet and foot fetishes
Freud considered foot binding as a form of fetishism and Casanova, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Thomas Hardy, amongst many others, were all considered to be attracted to the foot.
Foot fetishism has been defined as a sexual interest in the feet and/or footwear.
(Image Martin van Maele - La Comtesse au fouet, Creative commons)
La Comtesse au Fouet
By Pierre Dumarchey
la comtesse au fouet
Amazon Price: $17.53 (as of 06/04/2012)![]()
Martin van Maële (1863 - 1926) was born Maurice François Alfred Martin van Miële) was a French illustrator now best known for his work in the field of erotic literature.
Worshippers of the foot
Lovers of feet
One big, funny foot song
'Those pedal extremities really are obnoxious!'
Your Feet's Too Big
Amazon Price: $0.89 (as of 06/04/2012)![]()
Your Feets Too Big was one of the songs that all our family loved when I was a child and it still makes me laugh out loud today. Cheer yourself, (or somebody else), up with this all time favourite classic.
The foot in art
A good example is the sculpture illustrated, Pan pulling a thorn from the foot of a satyr. It is a Roman copy from the 1st-2nd centuries, itself a copy of a Hellenistic original of the middle 1st century BC. Now in the Louvre. It looks to me for all the world as if Pan is tickling the satyr's foot! Tickling the feet crops up as part of the fetishism around feet.
(Image, the Louvre, Creative Commons)
Aled Jones sings 'How Beautiful Are The Feet' from Handel's Messiah
Jennifer Aniston feet
Angelina Jolie Feet
The most beautiful feet
Who has the most beautiful feet

Jennifer Aniston
MzLiz_dot_Biz says:
The photos of Jennifer's seem to be just a tiny bit more attractive. I do love your lens about the love of shoes and pampering feet. Oooooo.... that feels sooo nice! Thanks for the good feelings.
nursecraft says:
Well, the video for Angelina is closed down, but I think Jennifer has a hot little foot shown off in this pic. But, all said and done-I have the most beautiful feet in the world! And I love your lens! View my new "My Shoe Story" lens if you wish.
Angelina Jolie
poddys says:
Hard to say, I never looked as far down as their feet, but if the rest of their bodies is anything to go by, I would have to say Angelina Jolie.
SuperZoe says:
I say Angelina but I think Jennifer's are very pretty as well and she has such great legs!
LadyEnglish says:
Hard to choose, but in the end I'd go for Angelina. What do you think and why?
Angels Feet
Picture of an angels feet from Highgate Cemetery, London

There are so many powerful statues of angels in highgate cemetery, many with beautifully carved feet. Feet of stone rather than feet of clay!
Feet and shoes feature in our use of language
For better of worse, that started me thinking about all the other references to shoes and feet in the English language. One of the most obvious is using the foot as a unit of measurement. I still think in yards, feet and inches, although I'm not too bad at meters and centimeters.
What about Cockney rhyming slang? Plates of meat - feet. Other sayings that I came to mind are: feet of clay, pull your socks up, put your best foot forward, knock the socks off, put a sock in it, bless its little cotton socks, to dip you toe in the water, digg your heels in, kick the bucket, put your foot in your mouth .... I'm sure I'll think of many more. Do you have any ideas?
Find out more about shoes and feet
More articles about shoes and feet
- Foot Massager
- How to choose a foot massager
- The best electric foot massagers
- Best buy foot massagers
- The Bad and the Beautiful
- Foot Tattoos
- Reflexology reasearch
- More about Reflexology
- Manolo
- Designer shoes
- Paruolo Designer Shoes
- More designer shoes
- Ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz
- Magical ruby red shoes
- Holiday accommodation in S W France
- Bed and Breakfast, holiday cottage and painting holidays in Limousin, France
- BBC Radio 4 Womans Hour - How to have Beautiful Feet
- Woman's Hour tackles foot beauty
- Flat Wedding Shoes for Your Wedding
- Beautiful, comfortable shoes for your big day.
- Best Fitness Running Shoes
- Choose fitness running shoes here
- How to do a pedicure at home
- Lovely foot tips
Other articles by the same author
- A Vacation in France for Fitness and Health
- Now that you have lovely feet, show them off with a healthy break in the 'Lake District' of south west France
- Romantic Weddings in Limousin, France
- Run-away wedding? There is nowhere more romantic than a French Chateau!
- An Index of Articles by Les Trois Chenes
- All articles written by me under the name of our B & B Les Trois Chenes
Please leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you
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MzLiz_dot_Biz
Apr 21, 2012 @ 3:47 am | delete
- Here in California it's a year around ritual of having our feet buffed up with a bi-monthly pampering pedi. adorned with pretty sandals or even foot jewelry. Our feet are on display year around and need to look their best. Thanks for the great lens.
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craftycrow
Apr 11, 2012 @ 9:57 am | delete
- This is a very cool lens.
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Mar 11, 2012 @ 3:48 pm | delete
- Great use of pictures on this lens. I love the one especially of the ballet shoes. I'm not a dancer myself (except alone in front of the mirror!), but I've always loved the look of ballet shoes.
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LadyEnglish Mar 19, 2012 @ 5:47 am | delete
- I love the look of them too but JaguarJulie's story, (below), would put me off wearing them for ballet, (if i ever thought of doing such a thing!). My son shows no inclination to take up dancing so I'm ok on that one at least.
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JaguarJulie Mar 11, 2012 @ 2:13 pm | delete
- Gosh, I can remember my grandma saying at the end of day, "oh my, my poor feet!" And I echo that sentiment. As a young gal, I tried ballet ... and the toe shoes didn't like me. Then came high heels. Yikes! Now, with three foot surgeries behind me, my fancy shoes are a thing of the past. Protect those little footsies!
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by LadyEnglish
I'm a creative soul that loves art, colour, beauty and health.
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