Kendra Paredes Hayden

When you were a child, didn't Cinderella's glass shoes intrigue you? Didn't Dorothy's sparkling Ruby slippers mesmerize you? And for the not so frilly, didn't you have a pair of sneakers, maybe pink or purple Converse, that you prized above all other possessions?

I was about 4 years old when I fell in love with my first pair of shoes, a shiny pair of black patent leathers. That passion was one of my earliest memories. I used to rub Vaseline on them to keep them shiny. My mother felt slightly decadent for buying me a pair. She went to Immaculate Conception in E. St. Louis. The nuns forbade patent leathers because they believed the shiny reflection gave the boys an opportunity to look up the girls' skirts. Even the nuns were aware of the power of shoes. To figure out exactly why women go crazy for shoes, I sat down with Jessica Hodges, account executive for the Belleville News Democrat. Jessica sold shoes for about ten years at Macy's before coming to the Democrat. She knows the ins and outs of shoes, and she can attest to the idea that women consider shoes to be prized possessions. Of course, Jessica also shares that deep fascination. "I love heels," Jessica said. "I like being up high. It makes you feel long and lean when you wear really high heel shoes. They're sexy, and you feel very feminine."

We decided that shoes indicate mood, whether you're feeling sexy, seductive or flirtatious. Shoes say; it's time to work, it's time to play, or it's time for romance. They say, let's go dancing. Shoes project an image. Women who wear boots might seem courageous, strong, tough or aggressive.

Women of all shapes and sizes can enjoy shoes, and shoes often cross the age barrier. Fifteen-year-old girls can buy the same pair of shoes as 50-year-old women. "You can always have fantastic shoes. Age doesn't matter. Size doesn't matter," Jessica said.

Many times, however, mature women usually don't wear sneakers on a daily basis Jessica said. Bulky sneakers can make a woman look dowdy and frumpy.

"I used to sell Enzo Liberties. Women liked them because they weren't sneakers, but they felt good. The shoes were plain little flats with a tiny heel. They came in all fabrics, all colors and all materials. They came in gold metallic, silver, pewter, crocodile, snake print, denim and fur. There was even a two-toned purple. Women actually collected these shoes," Jessica said.

Of course, shoes make the outfit.

"I dress conservatively, but I use my shoes as the fun thing. Shoes give the outfit its own personality. You can dress your outfit up or dress your outfit down," Jessica said. "I wear jeans all the time. You can wear jeans with heels. You can wear jeans with flats. You can have one outfit and change the shoes and the purse, and it's a whole new look."

It's no wonder why we develop intimate relationships with our shoes. Shoes suit our lifestyles and our activities. Slipping into a pair of shoes heightens our sense of femininity. They are emblematic, evocative and provocative. Shoes allow even the shyest women to be creative and versatile. And, today, anything goes.

"The styles have changed in the last ten years. Yes, they're a whole lot wilder. Women ask what style of shoe is in. Is it round-toed? Is it square? Is it pointy? Are shoes clunky or delicate? You know what? It's whatever look you're going for, whatever matches, whatever feels good. It doesn't matter. Just wear it," Jessica said.