Why are feet so important??

[Marco Polo]

Lately I've become conscious about a (very strange) phenomenon of human interaction. When two people meet each other in real life, they almost invariably look at each other's feet. That seems to be one of the first parts of the person we pay attention to. Or maybe I'm just imagining this? lol

If I'm right, here's a word of advice -- keep your shoes polished. It may have a big impact on your life.

[Joely]

I've never noticed that, I thought perhaps it was something to do with being uncertain about meeting the other person's gaze. Maybe we make some kind of judgement about people based on their shoe type. It's definitely a good excuse to spend more on great shoes

[sheffy4]

I've read that you can tell what kind of person you're dealing with my looking at their shoes. I think this is probably true.
For instance, think about the opinions you would form about the following people:
You see a man wearing a nice suit.... with white sneakers.
You see a girl wearing jeans....with red stiletto heels

I feel like I get an idea of a person's lifestyle by looking at their shoes.

[Angela]

Body Language 101: feets don't lie.

The direction of the feet shows the direction of the attention and intention. If someone is talking directly to you but her feet are pointed away from you, her attention/intention lies elsewhere. If her toes are headed straight for you, she's right there with you in a big way.

I read somewhere that many people size up the desirability of a member of the opposite sex, as well as class status, by looking at their shoes.

Feet! I love feet. Especially little baby feet. But all feet are magnificent.

[Trezker]

I never care about what people have on their feet. I don't care much about appearance at all unless the appearance is extreme in some way.

If I could I'd never have anything on my feet. If I don't leave my home I don't. And during summer I don't put on socks as long as I can get away with just slippers. Air is my feets best friend.

[Lola]

Originally Posted by Angela

I read somewhere that many people size up the desirability of a member of the opposite sex, as well as class status, by looking at their shoes.

I size up the desirability of a member of the opposite sex by how well he can massage my feet!

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Lola

I size up the desirability of a member of the opposite sex by how well he can massage my feet!

lol Exactly what I wanted to write, Lola

I never noticed the looking at the feet thing, but I must admit that when I meet someone I don't notice much.

Oh damn, I have no chance then, with my sneakers...

[Jcs]

What's wrong with a pair of sneakers ?!

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Lola

I size up the desirability of a member of the opposite sex by how well he can massage my feet!

That's for the guys who make it through the first cut, though, isn't it? I am picturing you at a cocktail party: "Hello, so nice to meet you; please massage my feet!"

[Joely]

Originally Posted by Angela

That's for the guys who make it through the first cut, though, isn't it? I am picturing you at a cocktail party: "Hello, so nice to meet you; please massage my feet!"

That was giving me interesting mental pictures too!

[Spartan]

Sounds like someone has a foot fetish; or should I say some people!?

[Lola]

Originally Posted by Angela

That's for the guys who make it through the first cut, though, isn't it? I am picturing you at a cocktail party: "Hello, so nice to meet you; please massage my feet!"

It's just my little twist on interesting conversation starters!

Seriously, you're right. After the first cut.

[Jcs]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Sounds like someone has a foot fetish; or should I say some people!?

True and most of them seem to be ladies . I do look at a person's shoes but feet don't really interest me .

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Marco Polo

When two people meet each other in real life, they almost invariably look at each other's feet.

I don't do that. I never know what others wear on their feet. When I'm standing talking to someone who doesn't seem engaged, I may sometimes look at their feet to see if they are wanting to go away or not, but that's about it.

That seems to be one of the first parts of the person we pay attention to. Or maybe I'm just imagining this? lol

You're imagining things

[JOHNSHED]

I Like To Walk In My Feet

[JoeGoldfarb]

i am really begining to like this board. for my entire life i never met anyone who understands the message that lie in feet -- until i arive here!

here is the deal.
when i meet a possible new friend or mate, once we become confortable in converstation i ask them if they like their feet. their answers reveals their level of self-esteem, which in turn determines if i want to continue talking to them.

[Trezker]

I like my feet a lot. Just a little problem with the nail on my right big toenail.
But I don't have much self esteem, never had. Well, it's mostly the confidence part that's missing though... Maybe that part is shown in that toenail...

Do you think my toenail will fix itself if I work on my confidence?

[Marco Polo]

Originally Posted by Angela

Body Language 101: feets don't lie.

The direction of the feet shows the direction of the attention and intention.

Perhaps there's an evolutionary explanation for that? By looking at someone's feet we can tell if they're going to run away, which ties into the whole fight or flight concept.

Originally Posted by Spartan

Sounds like someone has a foot fetish; or should I say some people!?

No, that's sick. Please don't go there.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Marco Polo

Perhaps there's an evolutionary explanation for that? By looking at someone's feet we can tell if they're going to run away, which ties into the whole fight or flight concept.

To be honest, I don't think humans have evolved a behavioural tendency of looking at people’s feet. Even the body language of feet is questionable, since a lot of people stand with their feet in a quarter past twelve position, for example; not because their attention lies elsewhere, but because they are comfortable like this.

Originally Posted by Marco Polo

No, that's sick. Please don't go there.

I don't have a problem with it. In fact most people have some fetish or other, and a foot fetish is hardly 'sick' compared to some that are out there.

[Marco Polo]

Originally Posted by Spartan

To be honest, I don't think humans have evolved a behavioural tendency of looking at people’s feet. Even the body language of feet is questionable, since a lot of people stand with their feet in a quarter past twelve position, for example; not because their attention lies elsewhere, but because they are comfortable like this.

No, it probably isn't an innate tendency, when I come to think about it. But to claim that feet don't convey body language, now that's just silly. The position and movement of feet can speak volumes -- a person with his feet wide apart (in a 'confident' pose) is very different from someone who crosses their feet. Further, the quarter past twelve position sends a different message than standing with both feet at 90 degrees relative to onlookers. Whether the person is comfortable or not is less relevant than how the body language is perceived (I don't want to overdramatize the importance of feet here, but honestly they're quite important).

I don't have a problem with it. In fact most people have some fetish or other, and a foot fetish is hardly 'sick' compared to some that are out there.

If we're going to talk about the relativity of 'sickness', this discussion may take a horrifying turn. But in any case, feet just aren't a personal preference of mine (not in that way). No offence to the toe-suckers or anything.

[Lallymac]

Before xmas I would have said 'Who notices feet?'

I'm not big on shoes like some woman. When it comes to purchasing shoes praticality usually wins out. My oldest sister is 'Imelda Marcos' in the shoe department. She can't go past a shoe shop in the same way that bookshops call my name and lure me in. She has a whole room for her shoes and handbags. If I need shoes for a special occasion she always has the perfect set.

Just before xmas I helped her move some furniture into an apartment she was selling and she gave a pair of sandals as a thank you present. They are really unusual and I have to admit, it was love at first sight. They're very simple flat sandals. They have a slim silvery bronze strap across the foot with two thin plaits that criss cross over it. But in place of the toe strap is a big flatish, cut glass, bronze gem stone like a big button that sits between the big and second toe.

Since I've been wearing them, I've been taking extra care of my nails, french polishing them regularly.

The fascinating things with them is that men notice them. I've had men in stores admire them. Mechanics when I had my car fixed, crowded around to get a closer look and men have stopped me in the street to say, 'I really like your shoes.' How weird! They're not high heels. So what is it?

Lallymac

[Joely]

I'm starting to wonder if there's something to this. I'm slightly paranoid about my feet - I used to be a ballet dancer and the wear and tear has made them less than perfect to look at, not to mention two years of running every other day.

On the other hand, a while ago I was walking home in a pair of Jimmy Choo boots when a guy actually drove up and stopped me to ask where I got them, because they were beautiful and he had a female friend who was looking for a pair. I said, "They're Jimmy Choos."

To which he replied, "Wow, I've never actually seen somebody wearing a pair of real Jimmy Choos." Then he added. "Can I feel them?"

I was so taken aback I had to stop and think what I should say to that. I don't think in all my life I've ever had somebody ask to feel my boots. He wasn't even being particularly lewd about it, it was an open request. In the end I said no, he could go to Selfridges and feel the boots on display. Weird.

[SonoranBob]

Originally Posted by Angela

Body Language 101: feets don't lie.

The direction of the feet shows the direction of the attention and intention. If someone is talking directly to you but her feet are pointed away from you, her attention/intention lies elsewhere. If her toes are headed straight for you, she's right there with you in a big way.

I read somewhere that many people size up the desirability of a member of the opposite sex, as well as class status, by looking at their shoes.

Feet! I love feet. Especially little baby feet. But all feet are magnificent.

Huh. Could have fooled me. I'm pigeon toed. All three of my brothers are/were, too (one has died). I have a picture of us all standing in a row some thirty years ago, with all our toes pointed out. It's our normal stance, 100% of the time, and I'd like to think we're capable of giving attention. Indeed ... could one not imagine that it denotes openness? Perhaps what you say is true, all things being equal -- but it's probably not quite that simple.

One other reason people look at shoes is that they are uncomfortable with eye contact, at least at first. Some people don't know what to do with their eyes. Mostly a lack of self-confidence thing, I'd imagine. I had a little bit of that when I was younger, especially with people who were wont to look at me very directly and piercingly -- and with women, who I was afraid to seem too forward with until I got a feel for that kind of thing.

--Bob