# Ladies, we don't notice the shoes **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 12, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637 "2010-02-12T01:26:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/1 "2010-02-12T01:26:08Z")
Really. That hour you spent selecting the perfect shoes for today? The wad of cash you spent buying them? Wasted. On a good day, we’ll notice your hair, your eyes, your dress, your figure, your smile, and possibly your hands. The odds of us seeing your shoes are slim. If you picked your shoes to give your guy a message, he didn’t get it (thigh-high boots are an exception, but only if worn with a _very_ short skirt). This public service message brought to you by an old married dude and his teenaged son, neither of whom have any idea whatsoever what shoes my wife wore today. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/2 "2010-02-12T01:30:59Z")
What makes you think we wear them for you? 😕 I have a couple dozen pairs of shoes, and I never bought one pair while thinking of what some guy will think of them. I like them and I buy them for myself. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/3 "2010-02-12T01:36:24Z")
Given that my Mum has what seems like thousands of shoes and that she lives alone I suspect that some women at least wear them just for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/4 "2010-02-12T01:45:01Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > What makes you think we wear them for you? 😕 > > I have a couple dozen pairs of shoes, and I never bought one pair while thinking of what some guy will think of them. I like them and I buy them for myself. This. My boyfriend DOES notice my shoes, and loves shoe shopping for himself, but he’s a weirdo. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/5 "2010-02-12T01:47:54Z")
Yup. Not for you. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/6 "2010-02-12T01:48:44Z")
My shoes are for me to wear and enjoy looking at. I don’t make decisions on how I present my hair, my eyes, my dress, my figure, my smile nor my hands with the opinions of men in mind. If I was thinking about what men were thinking about me, I’d dress in a burka or perhaps a burlap sack, with a buzz cut. My personal style is all about my preferences and I ignore everyone else in the world as much as I can without being hostile. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/7 "2010-02-12T01:59:37Z")
Do you remember that flap some years ago about Imelda Marcos, at that time the First Lady of the Philippines, owing over 3.000 pairs of shoes? At that time I discussed this with several of my female friends and not one thought that this was a bad thing. And I’ll bet my dear wife is coming up on that record. I have no idea what shoes she wore today, either. ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/8 "2010-02-12T02:12:51Z")
My husband notices, but only in bianary: 1 = Taller than me, has tall shoes on 0 = Not taller than me, has flat shoes on Only 1 draws comment, but not negative, he’s not insecure, he just usually says, “Oh, you’re taller than me today. Nice shoes!” And not because the shoes are nice, but because tall shoes = nice shoes = saying something makes G happy. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/9 "2010-02-12T02:12:51Z")
My wife’s shoes make her ass look awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/10 "2010-02-12T02:19:42Z")
I do notice the shoes … when they’re uggs. Please, for fuck sake, anyone, stop wearing those abominations. I don’t care if they’re comfortable, nice, and warm: they’re an insult to civilization, a slap in the face of anyone with even a modicum of decency, they make baby Jesus cry, they make Santa vomit with rage. So please, _please_, take your uggs, douse liberally with gasoline, and BURN THEM. I’m sorry, just had to get that off my chest. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/11 "2010-02-12T02:20:24Z")
I suspect very little about women’s clothes or accessories is for men – it’s for themselves and other women. If they dressed for men they wouldn’t dress at all. What I never really understood until fairly recently, though, is that many women DO notice MY shoes, and other little sartorial details that I don’t pay much attention to. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/12 "2010-02-12T02:32:30Z")
Yeah, I don’t care about what you men notice, to be honest. I don’t dress for you. And I like shoes. Shoes are fun. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/13 "2010-02-12T02:33:38Z")
> [@rhubarbarin](#): > > My shoes are for me to wear and enjoy looking at. > > I don’t make decisions on how I present my hair, my eyes, my dress, my figure, my smile nor my hands with the opinions of men in mind. If I was thinking about what men were thinking about me, I’d dress in a burka or perhaps a burlap sack, with a buzz cut. > > My personal style is all about my preferences and I ignore everyone else in the world as much as I can without being hostile. Yes, thank you. This is exactly how I feel. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/14 "2010-02-12T02:37:21Z")
Ladies, if you’re wearing FMPs, this guy will notice. May or may not act on the knowledge, but will notice. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/15 "2010-02-12T02:53:35Z")
I notice only if they are high heels or not. High heels are sexy, because they mean that woman is willing to sacrifice some comfort for the sake of sexiness. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/16 "2010-02-12T02:54:44Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > High heels are sexy, because they mean that woman is willing to sacrifice some comfort for the sake of sexiness. Alternately, to be taller, or fashionable. It’s not necessarily about sex. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/17 "2010-02-12T03:00:43Z")
I’m a lady and I don’t get the shoe thing either. Although my mother gets very upset when I wear my paint-splattered sandals to synagogue. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/18 "2010-02-12T03:02:29Z")
I have to add that my husband is way more of a ‘shoes-horse’ than I am. Not even counting his work shoes (he’s a postal worker who walks a route), he’s got probably three times the pairs of shoes that I do. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/19 "2010-02-12T03:15:17Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:1, topic:528637”] Really. That hour you spent selecting the perfect shoes for today? The wad of cash you spent buying them? Wasted. On a good day, we’ll notice your hair, your eyes, your dress, your figure, your smile, and possibly your hands. The odds of us seeing your shoes are slim. If you picked your shoes to give your guy a message, he didn’t get it (thigh-high boots are an exception, but only if worn with a _very_ short skirt). This public service message brought to you by an old married dude and his teenaged son, neither of whom have any idea whatsoever what shoes my wife wore today. [/quote] You mean all this time, you never even noticed? Damn! Now I have to get thigh-high boots and a shorter skirt! ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637/20 "2010-02-12T03:19:21Z")
_takes seat next to **Oakminster** , provides obligatory fist-bump_ To the OP: speak for yourself. Whether the shoes are being worn for my benefit or not, I notice. But I certainly don’t assume that women are wearing shoes for the benefit of random men. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-we-dont-notice-the-shoes/528637.md?page=2)