Think Outside the (Shoe) Box

Mark Twain once said, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." While I don't necessarily agree with the second half of his statement, one's choice in footwear does reflect his identity. Before we get to that, I am so tempted to examine the scope of influence of naked people. While a nudist may not influence society, he would definitely make us stand up and take notice!

Back to the topic at hand (or should I say "foot,") at one point or another, our choice of shoes is influenced by one of several factors. Firstly, we may choose a certain type of shoe for its practical application. For example, if we are training for a marathon, we would need running shoes. If we were applying for our first summer associate gig in a New York law firm, we might need a pair of wing tips. If we are getting ready for cocktails with that cute guy from the next office, we might need a strappy pair of heels. You get the idea. A second consideration for many folks when choosing how to cover their feet is fitting in. I am not talking about shoe size; we will examine that at a later date. I am talking about the sometimes desperate need to conform one's footwear to one's peer group. The middle school or junior high era panic which sets in when we realize everyone else is wearing Converse while we are wearing Keds.

Looking back, the first time I felt the need for shoe-conformity was when I was in the fourth grade. I noticed a friend's suede saddle shoe clad foot beneath her desk. I took mental note. Must tell mom to take me to get similar shoes after school. I used to think maybe I just thought the shoes were cute. Nope. I did end up buying a similar pair in multi-colored rust, brown, and teal suede. Let me tell you, the best quality these shoes possessed was their chameleon-like ability to match the various 1970s pants suits in my wardrobe! Beauty was not even the issue!

Fast forward a few years to junior high, circa 1974-76. Poor vintage for shoes. The best of the bunch was probably the infamous Buffalo Wedge. They did look pretty cool peaking from beneath our flare Ditto jeans. These shoes were the envy of many an Anthony Wayne Junior High coed, with our winged hair, comb in back pocket. Buffalo Wedges sported a natural colored platform sole, criss crossed in the front and buckled around the ankle. I thought these shoes were so sophisticated, especially worn with a Gunny Sax/Little House on the Prairie style dress or the denim wrap gauchos I made in 7th grade home ec. As with most fashions, there were variations of this disco era sandal.

I am more interested in taking a glance at the epitome of 70s footwear and its variation, the ugly shoe. This species of shoes was more about comfort and conformity than style and grace. The first ugly shoe I recall is the earth shoe. Asexual, with a toe box higher than the heel, usually in some shade of brown, these shoes were fugly. Yet, we all wanted this shoe. With its homely looks and trapezoid-shaped toe box, it was like the Aristotle Onassis of footwear, except without the bank account. Go figure. Surprisingly, for a decade known for swinging and sexual freedom, the seventies offered several asexual shoes. Well, the seventies were also the decade of women's lib, bra burning, and leg hair, so now I understand. The desert boot or shoe by Clarks was yet another version. The most popular style was in a light tan suede. For some inexplicable reason, I thought boys who wore these shoes were hot, especially boys with feathered hair and some nice Lee cords. No clue. These were definitely not as well-rounded as other shoes. As a girl, (and should girls really wear shoes like this?) I certainly couldn't couple these with a skirt or dress. Ycch! My personal favorite of the fugly bunch would have to be the Famolare Get There shoe with its patented four wave design.

The Famolare was the fugly shoe for the fashion set. I even had a pair! Joe Famolare designed these quirky shoes after studying musical theatre at Emerson College and going on to design shoes for Broadway shows and Capezio. This is a man after my own heart! His molded clog won the Coty in 1973 and his designs are on permanent display in the Smithstonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Famed photographer Richard Avedon shot most of the ads. Should I go on? If I only knew then what I know now, I would have gone for more than one pair! To promote the Get There shoe, Joe commissioned a rock song "Get There" for which I am going to search and download for my i-Pod! There was even a dance. Joe gave away 45 records of the song to people who bought the Get There. Just think, I probably had one! Two more interesting facts about the Famolare before I leave you for today... Among the more exotic items modelled after the Famolare shoe was a sculpted version made of lapus azuli. And the piece de resistance, the Shoe Bed, a giant shoe that doubled as a full bed. Now I know what I want for my next birthday!