Fashion and dating gurus have been talking this week about the impact of the shoes you wear on your first meeting with someone. Some interesting opinions have been expressed above and beyond explaining the belief that well maintained and clean shoes demonstrate a care and attention that transfer into how people maintain their relationships:
- Street Shoes like Converse, Nike and Vans are fine for students and those in their early twenties, but after that suggests an immaturity that just doesn’t go with smarter wear, even if you are a fan of Doctor Who.
- White Trainers are made for athletic events and should generally stay there these days. It’s not acceptable as casual wear any more.
- Loafers are a style classic that have been with us for about sixty years and they go particularly well with sports jackets.
- Brogues are appealing and fall into the smart casual bracket so are a good choice, although they can appear to label you as a dependable introvert rather than a partygoing adventurer.
- Wedges have a cachet of confidence to them and suggest an extrovert nature if you can carry off the look.
- Flats are usually a sign of someone who is traditional and a bit of a conformist, although people wearing print flats may buck this trend.
- Thongs are a good old standby here in Australia, but many other places will see them as fit only for home and the beach – there can be an assumption in some cultures of poverty associated with them.
- Knee-high boots suggest a sexy attitude and openness to conversation, but you need to have the legs to show them off properly.
- Ankle-length boots show a sense of fun and determination that borrows street-cred and mixes it with solid fashion sense.
- Chunky platform boots are usually worn by people who are compensating for some kind of confidence issue.
- Sandals are typically worn by people who are professional and have a reasonable amount of self-confidence, although they may not necessarily be that easy to get along with.
- Stilettos are the classic ultra-feminine footwear, typically worn by people who are outgoing and enjoy new experiences.
- Two and a half inch heels are usually worn by women who are comfortable in their own skin and know what they like, hinting at a sexy and self-assured personality.
Of course these are largely sweeping generalisations, but there seems to be enough consistency in the type of personalities wearing these shoes to be able to make a snap judgement with a reasonably degree of success. Whether it’s true or not is something that you can delve into in your date…