Display or wear? A sociological study of the shoe addict

Just as one might hesitate to display a painting for fear of damaging it in daylight, some fashionistas are reluctant to scuff a sole or heel worth hundreds (thousands?!) of euros on a sidewalk or a subway platform. This is obviously not the case for everyone, and so we have always seen paintings on walls and beauties on feet.

There are therefore several schools of thought: those who reserve their shoes for special occasions, and those who chase after the bus in Jimmy Choo, for the sheer joy of wearing their precious footwear every day of their lives.

The former prioritize display: a library filled with heels or a Carrie Bradshaw-esque closet with shoes on shelves will be enough to make them happy: the shiny ones on top, the glittery ones in the middle, the pink ones, the Louboutins. Their pleasure lies in contemplation and the satisfaction of owning highly coveted models. A special occasion for each pair will suffice to justify such a purchase. If they were to wear them, they would have first made sure that the reception floor was carpeted, or that they would be dropped off at the terrace of the meeting point so that the walked ground would be limited to the path between the table and the counter.

The second type believes shoes are made to be worn. They justify their investment by envisioning wearing the pair with everything. They feel compelled to wear their precious purchase to work, out in the evening, and perhaps even from one to the other. These are the women you'll spot, red soles on their feet, on a subway platform. The most daring will be on a bike. Who has seen them? These are also the women you'll encounter in office hallways, heels clicking, receiving compliments all day long!

Both the first and second types will, in any case, agree on considering emergency ballet flats, a car ride in the passenger seat, or a scooter. The main point being: exposing one's shoes to the world, yes, but in their best light and ours. Preserving our shoes while also preserving our precious arch to last until the end of the night remains the major challenge of any outing with our beautiful shoes, exceptional or not 😊.