# Why do Dutch men wear pointy shoes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521 "2015-10-04T17:48:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/21 "2015-10-05T06:15:24Z")
Having worked in the shoe business in the Netherlands for some years; yup. High-end shoes have been getting ridiculously pointy. Personally, I think they look ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/22 "2015-10-05T14:51:11Z")
There I thought is was an American thing, with cowboy boots being pointy. [Image](http://feeds2.yourstorewizards.com/2084/images/full/lane-womens-cowboy-boots-turquoise-brown-dawson-lb0023a.jpg) or [this one](http://ep.yimg.com/ay/langstons/roper-women-s-american-flag-snip-toe-cowboy-boots-distressed-red-white-and-blue-7.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/23 "2015-10-06T20:30:31Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > I don’t think OP is talking about winklepickers or corner-kickers, I think he just means an elongated toe box, like [these](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCKK3u8vjqcgCFUsziAodCb8Obg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fglobal.rakuten.com%2Fen%2Fstore%2Fshoes-otto%2Fitem%2F708br1%2F&bvm=bv.104317490,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNEXXlKd6IHN__pznXLjirDbDqiSwg&ust=1444081071210313). It’s actually an Italian thing, but a lot of Europeans take their style lead from Italy. Wow, those are pretty funny. I wish it would get fashionable to make shoes that are actually shaped like feet. What a concept. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/24 "2015-10-06T21:29:00Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Wow, those are pretty funny. > > I wish it would get fashionable to make shoes that are actually shaped like feet. What a concept. Vibram tried that with their five fingered shoes. They failed to take the fashion world by storm. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/25 "2015-10-06T22:22:52Z")
The really pointy ones were worn in the 1300s-maybe that style will return? ---
**Author:** ![The\_dread\_simoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_dread\_simoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_dread_simoom)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/26 "2015-10-06T22:24:27Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I wish it would get fashionable to make shoes that are actually shaped like feet. What a concept. Panama Jack chukkas. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/27 "2015-10-06T23:43:01Z")
Pointy European dress shoes are also very fashionable in West Africa. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/28 "2015-10-07T08:03:13Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > French here, and moderately to very long pointy toe ends have definitely become a common aspect of male fashion here over the past… I dunno, 5 ? 10 years ? I think it looks ridiculous myself, but then again non-ridiculous fashion isn’t 🙂 That. Almost overnight, it became nearly impossible to find a pair of shoes that wasn’t pointy (although they seem to have become less pointy more recently, it seems to me). Who the hell was made king and decided we would all want pointy shoes from now on? ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/29 "2015-10-07T08:45:20Z")
Well let’s see here. [These](http://www.skoaktiebolaget.se/collections/carmina/products/carmina-whole-cut-in-black) are the shoes I, a European in my early 30’s, bought to wear at a recent wedding where I was the best man, and therefore had to look prim and proper. Would the OP - and the rest of y’all Americans - consider them eyebrow-raisingly pointy? ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/30 "2015-10-07T09:05:53Z")
You paid EUR 400 for a pair of shoes? Plus, I can’t get over the fact that the Carmina Austerity Brogue also costs EUR 400. But, to answer your question, they’re pointier than I would choose for myself, but not excessively pointy given the pointiness of shoes generally these days. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/31 "2015-10-07T09:54:04Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > You paid EUR 400 for a pair of shoes? Yeah it felt ridiculous. But the bride’s family is like crazy intimidating rich folks and I didn’t want to make a fool of myself as that one working-class kid who shows up in sneakers, y’know? Literally had nightmares about the bride staring at me like “what is _that_ even doing here!?” So I guess I, uh, ended up overcompensating a little bit. Wasn’t just shoes, either: I ended up buying a suit, a shirt and a tie, too, just to fit in at this thing. Anyway sorry about the hijack, back to the topic at hand. ---
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/32 "2015-10-07T13:05:59Z")
Re: Steken - No, those aren’t too pointy Nametag below was pretty close on the proportions except shoes I saw had a top panel/tongue that rolled over into a square toe with side panels. Some were almost ankle boots. > [@Nametag](#): > > I don’t think OP is talking about winklepickers or corner-kickers, I think he just means an elongated toe box, like [these](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCKK3u8vjqcgCFUsziAodCb8Obg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fglobal.rakuten.com%2Fen%2Fstore%2Fshoes-otto%2Fitem%2F708br1%2F&bvm=bv.104317490,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNEXXlKd6IHN__pznXLjirDbDqiSwg&ust=1444081071210313). It’s actually an Italian thing, but a lot of Europeans take their style lead from Italy. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/33 "2015-10-07T15:05:30Z")
I’ve been seeing them here in the U.S. for the last couple years and I’ve seen them in Brazil for the same amount of time. I own a few pairs as well. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521/34 "2015-10-07T15:25:22Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Vibram tried that with their five fingered shoes. They failed to take the fashion world by storm. No, I’m not talking about finger shoes. I don’t want things wedged between my toes. And it’s hard enough getting gloves that don’t have some too long fingers and some bunched in the wedges between, I don’t need that on my feet. Plus, those have very little pad. They aren’t anything like sneakers or boots. > [@The\_dread\_simoom](#): > > Panama Jack chukkas. Those still seem a bit too pointy, though maybe you just expect them to be a bit longer in the toe for extra room. That’s pretty much how I have to wear shoes anyway - get them wide enough and put up with clown feet. Here is a picture of [foot impressions](https://www.quora.com/Why-arent-shoes-shaped-like-feet) on shoe foot pads. See how long versus how narrow they are? [Here](https://nwfootankle.com/useruploads/images/Foot%20Shape%20Change%20-%20sm.jpg) is a comparison sketch of foot shape prior to and after lifelong use of shoes. See how the toes are crunched to fit the shape of shoes? I did, however, find [this](http://brucetholmes.com/Triathlon/TriShoes.html). Cool. I will have to check out the Altra’s. Not for running, for daily wear. Because feet. By the way, there is a beautiful cutaway showing what I mean, standard shoes and Altra’s. Feet aren’t narrow at the front end, they are wide there. There is variation in exactly which toes are longest, but toes aren’t supposed to point inward, they are supposed to be straight out from the knuckles. Unfortunately, I have a bad bunion on my left foot caused by wearing poor shoes. My right has a slight one that doesn’t cause me troubles, but for some reason the left got the worse end of it, and is really deformed, and sensitive. I’ve managed to do okay lately, but it’s a struggle to get shoes that don’t make my foot ache. > [@Steken](#): > > Would the OP - and the rest of y’all Americans - consider them eyebrow-raisingly pointy? They are excessively pointy, but not excessively long like the others posted. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-dutch-men-wear-pointy-shoes/733521.md?page=1)