What Your Shoes Say About You
This study is in no way shocking. University of Kansas researchers say that people can accurately judge 90 percent of a stranger's personality by looking at their shoes.
"Shoes convey a thin but useful slice of information about their wearers," the authors wrote in the new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality. "Shoes serve a practical purpose, and also serve as nonverbal cues with symbolic messages. People tend to pay attention to the shoes they and others wear."
Personality traits people could figure out include a person's general age, their gender, income, political affiliation, and other personality traits, including someone's emotional stability.
Flashy footwear was worn by extroverts. Practical shoes were worn by more agreeable people. And my favorite of all: ankle boots correlated with aggressive personalities.
Most surprising to me:
There was even a political calculation in the mix with more liberal types wearing "shabbier and less expensive" shoes.
So, what do your shoes say about you?
Footwear image via Shutterstock.
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Comments:
Apr '11
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Mr. Charlotte would agree with you, Drew. The sight of someone wearing FiveFinger "shoes" causes him to sputter helplessly in exasperation.
May '10
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
I own two pairs of shoes: sandals and boots (for when I can't wear sandals).
So far, everyone's been polite enough not to gripe when I wear my scuffed black work boots along with my suit at weddings and funerals.
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Chuck Taylors, so I'm probably an overgrown Peter-Pan who can't shake the trappings of adolescence, and intend my footwear to communicate a smug sense of ageless geek-chic cool.
Apr '12
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Shoes? *Looks down at feet.* What shoes?
Nov '10
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Mine say that PayLess is almost too ritzy for me. Maybe I'm a closet liberal.
Nov '11
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
My over-priced shabby shoes say (choose one):
A. CIPN.
B. Big Fat Lazy Stinking Slob.
C. Both A and B.
Jul '10
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
These are the shoes I work out in. The best weigth lifting shoes out there.
I also own a dress pair that retailed for $753.00. I paid less than a third. You see there are only fourteen pair in the US and they are gorgeous.
Im wearing my Black Jack Ostrich ropers today. Killer comfortable.
Goin to buy some new Keens soon. Don't know what that tells you ...
Dec '11
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Which shoes?
My wingtips? My old school adidas shells? My yacht shoes? My flip flops? My running shoes?
Jun '10
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Hint: You only need one of these.
Mar '11
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
A gentleman should always wear a great pair of shoes.
A ripped pair of jeans and a paint-stained T-shirt looks sloppy. But add a great pair of black, spit-shined loafers and it looks like a style.
Feb '12
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
The unthinking animus against toe shoes is beyond me. I'm with Boymoose: they are the best weightlifting shoes out there. I have two more pairs I wear for walking, messing around, etc. Now, I can't wear them to work most days, so I have a pair of dressy Rockports that can actually be polished up, or a pair of Justin Ropers in black, just to stay true to my heritage. (Ropers is what you wore in the Oil Bidness, at least when you were walking through the fields, if not in Phillips HQ in Bartlesville.) I have a pair of Army desert boots for hikes with a backpack, since the toe shoes are a little light in the soles for trail work while you're toting an extra 30 or 40 pounds.
Nevertheless, the toe shoes have saved my feet. I was practically crippled by fallen arches and plantar fascitis when I got my first pair, and I am much improved.
So, "poser" it ain't.
Aug '10
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Charlotte
Mr. Charlotte would agree with you, Drew. The sight of someone wearing FiveFinger "shoes" causes him to sputter helplessly in exasperation. · 1 hour ago
Eyyyy....
Mr Rattlesnake isn't a poser -- he lacks the fashion-sense necessary to be one ;-)
And he loves his FiveFingers. His feet don't hurt anymore.
As far as I'm concerned, Five Fingers are less jarring on the eye than the neon-yellow sneakers he used to wear (even with dressy clothing). As I said, no fashion sense!
Apr '11
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Midget Faded Rattlesnake Eyyyy....
Mr Rattlesnake isn't a poser -- he lacks the fashion-sense necessary to be one ;-)
And he loves his FiveFingers. His feet don't hurt anymore.
As far as I'm concerned, Five Fingers are less jarring on the eye than the neon-yellow sneakers he used to wear (even with dressy clothing). As I said, no fashion sense!
Point taken, Midge! :-)
Apr '11
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Boymoose and Idahoklahoman--what is it specifically about that type of shoe that makes it good for weightlifting?
I am honestly curious, knowing nothing about either weightlifting or toe shoes.
Nov '11
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Random thoughts:
1. These "studies" are pretty silly, but make for some fun conversation-starters (fun . . . as long as we don't think about how much taxpayer money subsidized the "research").
2. I don't think you can learn all that much from what people's shoes say about them, but you probably can learn a lot from what people say about their shoes.
3. Are you aware of the number of uncontrolled chemical reactions that get set off whenever a woman online describes anything she's wearing (and not wearing)?
Edited on June 14, 2012 at 8:59pmAug '10
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Foxman
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
This would put me somewhat to the left of Bill Ayers.
Same here.
Like the lady said,
Charlotte:
I hate shoes.
I especially hate shopping for shoes.
I've had the same pair of sensible black dress shoes since I was 15. I polish 'em for special occasions, but the polish wears off almost instantly these days. I rarely wear them with skirts anymore -- got too old for clunky shoes to look cute with a skirt -- but I will when dress code requires it.
In theory, I have nothing against cute shoes. But finding cute shoes that fit my feet at a price I'm willing to pay almost never happens.
I certainly won't pay hundreds of dollars for "shoes that are like little bondage chambers for your feet" (as one shoe-fetish website I inadvertently stumbled upon while researching garter snakes so memorably put it).
My yardwork shoes are Keds I've had since I was 12. They're held together with duct tape. Sort of. Lately, the duct tape's been failing, too.
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Charlotte
Mr. Charlotte would agree with you, Drew. The sight of someone wearing FiveFinger "shoes" causes him to sputter helplessly in exasperation. · 2 hours ago
The more zealous folks at my gym wear them. A bridge too far for me, but they swear by them.
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
I used to sell shoes and I love shoes. My shoe habit is under control now but at my height, I need some help and learned early to love heels and boots.
But thus far today I've worn flip flops and tennis shoes. I keep the heels for special occasions.
I'd love to be known as IMarcos!
May '10
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
I was in the shoe business for several years so I have quite a few pairs. In fact, in the fall and winter I wear ankle boots with my jeans almost every day. One pair black, one awesome pair brown and fancy (Franco Sarto is THE MAN). Those of you that know me would hardly choose the adjective "aggressive." Generally I am found in flip-flops, trail runners or hiking boots. I will wear sparkly heels at my niece's wedding in Charlottesville, VA on Saturday. Am I complicated? PS - almost every pair of shoes I own has a pair of Super Feet orthotics to support my absurdly high arches.
Aug '10
Re: What Your Shoes Say About You
Dramman
Women without shoe closets have complicated personalities as well.
What's a shoe closet?