FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2014

What your shoes say about you

Shoes make the woman. A quick glance at what a woman has worn on her feet will tell you loud and clear more things about her than her words might.

Shoes make the woman. A quick glance at what a woman has worn on her feet will tell you loud and clear more things about her than her words might.  

In Summary

  • It's true, shoes make the woman. A quick glance at what a woman has worn on her feet will tell you loud and clear more things about her than her words might.
By Joan Thatiah
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Whoever invented the saying, you should not judge a book by its cover, may have been wrong- at least where shoes and women are concerned.

It's true, shoes make the woman. A quick glance at what a woman has worn on her feet will tell you loud and clear more things about her than her words might.

They may be the last item of clothing that a woman throws on sometimes unwittingly but her shoes are the ones that speak loudest about her.

From looking at her shoes, one can tell not only a woman's personality strengths and weaknesses but also her age and income and where she is likely to be spotted after hours. What message are your shoes sending to the world? Joan Thatiah posed this question to a bunch of guys and took down their views. Let's hear from the men what messages you may be sending with various shoe styles.

The guys
Peter Nderi, 25, owns Fashion Sport, a shoe shop

Peter is crazy about all things footwear and he believes that shoes make a strong visual statement.

Kevin Osido, 31, programme manager at an NGO

He believes that the condition of a woman's shoes speaks volumes about the type of a partner she is. How she takes care of them is how she will take care of you.

Chris Kinyua, 31, marketer

Chris pays attention to other people's shoes because despite what one might say, their shoes tell the true story in regard to their economic and social status as well as their values.

Reuben Willies, 27, director of Sanaa Casting Agency

As a man working in the world of fashion and beauty Reuben is used to sizing up women by their shoes.

Look 1. Colourful sneakers

Satmag: What is your first opinion about a woman in these shoes?

Peter: A tomboy kind of woman who might not take life very seriously.

Kevin: This is a playful, sociable and an outdoorsy type of girl. She might be a deejay or a rapper.

Chris: She is healthy, athletic and carefree. This is the girl you will find drinking beer from a bottle and getting along with the boys.

Reuben: She is fun, easygoing, youthful and adventurous.

Satmag: Would you date her?

Peter: Sure, she seems fun to be with.

Kevin: No, she seems too playful.

Chris: No, she looks like a fun person to be around but she may be too playful.

Reuben: No, I prefer more feminine ladies.

Satmag: Would you take her home to meet your mother?

Peter: Yes. She looks like she is not afraid to get her hands dirty, so she would make a good wife.

Kevin: I would but with a bit of hesitancy.

Chris: No, she seems like she is always on the move and would get bored being in one place for too long.

Reuben: No, we wouldn't get that far.

Satmag: Would you give her a job?

Peter: No. She doesn't look serious.

Kevin: No, she might not take it seriously.

Chris: No, she seems too adventurous, like someone who might hate restrictions.

Reuben: No. She doesn't look like someone I would trust enough to send to a client.

Look 2. Loafers

Satmag: What is your first opinion about a woman in these shoes?

Peter: She is old-fashioned and rigid.

Kevin: She likes fashion but she is conservative and moderate, the kind that will easily agree to compromise.

Chris: She is probably older and boring.

Reuben: She is a laid-back older woman, probably one who is not fashion-conscious.

Satmag: Would you date her?

Peter: Yes. She is practical and functional and low-maintenance.

Kevin: Yes, she seems like the hands-on type and is likely to be agreeable.

Chris: No. She doesn't look like she has a life.

Reuben: No, she seems too frigid.

Satmag: Would you take her home to meet your mother?

Peter: Definitely.

Kevin: Anytime.

Chris: She would need to liven up a bit.

Reuben: No, I can't imagine anybody I would date in these shoes.

Satmag: Would you hire her?

Peter: Yes. She seems grounded and professional.

Kevin: She would work well to bring in some old-fashioned stability to the organisation.

Chris: Yes. She seems focused.

Reuben: Yes, but she doesn't seem to care much about image so I wouldn't give her a position that requires her to interact with clients.

Look 3. Knee length boots

Satmag: What is your first opinion about a woman in these shoes?

Peter: This is an attention seeker who would fit well in a career in entertainment. She will be the first person on the dance floor in a club.

Kevin: She is sexy, young and easygoing. She likes partying and has a carefree attitude.

Chris: A fearless, independent working woman who knows exactly what she wants.

Reuben: An expensive, very confident woman who loves being the centre of attention.

Satmag: Would you date her?

Peter: No. She likes having fun too much.

Kevin: Yes. She is carefree and doesn't seem like the clingy type.

Chris: Yes. She knows exactly what she wants and is exciting and daring.

Reuben: I wouldn't. Her shoes are giving off an overt sexual message. A woman ought to be more tamed.

Satmag: Would you take her home to meet your mother?

Peter: (Laughs) No.

Kevin: No, she seems like she might exit a relationship anytime. Also, I feel like I would take a longer time to get to know this woman.

Chris: No. She looks too liberal, the kind that smokes openly.

Reuben: If she wears this often she is a wild heart, not the marrying kind.

Satmag: Would you hire her?

Peter: Yes, she looks like she isn't afraid to stand out. She is the kind of person who doesn't want to mix with the crowd because she knows her strengths.

Kevin: No. She seems problematic. She might have issues settling down and doing teamwork. She gives an attitude of knowing it all; she isn't open to learning new things.

Chris: No, she is classy, I will give her that, but she may be too expensive to hire.

Reuben: In my field yes, but strictly to engage with and train the models, not a management position.

Look 4. Colourful flats

Satmag: What is your first opinion about a woman in these shoes?

Peter: This is a woman who is feminine and fragile and most probably a daddy's girl.

Kevin: She is an open person, what you see is what you get.

Chris: She is trendy, simple and realistic.

Reuben: I like this woman. She is a down-to-earth kind of woman. She is also fragile and needs me to take care of her.

Satmag: Would you date her?

Peter: I like a woman who is bold so I am not sure that I would go down that road with her.

Kevin: Without any reservations. She is believable. She doesn't look like she is hiding anything.

Chris: Yes, she seems mature and comfortable with who she is.

Reuben: Yes, she is comfortable with herself and not big on impressions.

Satmag: Would you take her home to meet your mother?

Peter: She seems conservative, my mother would love her.

Kevin: Yes. A woman who wears this shoe on a regular basis is one who is grounded.

Chris: Definitely, I am sure they would get along.

Reuben: She is a conformist and traditional so, yes.

Satmag: Would you give her a job?

Peter: Yes, depending on the quality of those ballet shoes. If they are well taken care of, this means that she would efficiently hold a job down.

Kevin: Only as an intern. She doesn't seem very serious.

Chris: No, she seems fragile. She doesn't seem like she can handle pressure.

Reuben: Yes, she seems comfortable enough to be able to move around.

Look 5: A red pair of stilettos

Shoes make the woman. A quick glance at what a woman has worn on her feet will tell you loud and clear more things about her than her words might.

Shoes make the woman. A quick glance at what a woman has worn on her feet will tell you loud and clear more things about her than her words might.

Satmag: What is your first opinion about a woman in these shoes?

Peter: These shoes scream class. A woman wearing them is confident about who she is and is not intimidated. She is bold. If this shoe isn't worn with confidence however, she will look insecure and clumsy.

Kevin: This is a classy woman who is outgoing and easily irritated. Her colour choice shows that she can be very loving.

Chris: She is not cheap and fashion is very important to her, such that a portion of her earnings is dedicated to that.

Reuben: This woman is fun and classy. This bold choice of shoe however makes it seem like she is hiding something, some inadequacy.

Satmag: Would you date her?

Peter: Yes. This is a woman who feels good about herself and is delicate and refined.

Kevin: She looks like she knows how to enjoy herself, so yes, I would date her.

Chris: I would, everybody loves a classy woman.

Reuben: Maybe casually because she doesn't seem like she is putting her true self out there.

Satmag: Would you take her home to meet your mother?

Peter: This seems like a woman who will keep a man on his toes, not marriage material.

Kevin: No, not if she dresses like that.

Chris: She seems like someone who craves stimulation and dislikes the mundane; a long-term relationship may not be her thing.

Reuben: No, she is classy, but for a wife I would prefer someone simple.

Satmag: Would you give her a job?

Peter: Yes. She seems like a woman who knows what she wants and how to go after it. This means that she can hold down a job.

Kevin: As a marketer, yes. She seems competitive and ambitious.

Chris: Definitely, she is confident and looks like she would take the risks required in business.

Reuben: No. She seems like someone who cares too much about how she looks to pay attention to much else.