The Condition of a Gentleman's Footwear

The condition and type of a man's shoes speak much about him.  This particular posting refers to the condition of a gentleman's shoes.  We will first approach shoes from the perspective of Sherlock Holmes.  What can we say about a man from his shoes?

First look at these shoes:

 

What do you notice? You may say not much, brown shoes black trousers, a faux pas, yes, but an insight not so much.  Let us turn to Holmes own shoe example. From A Scandal in Bohemia:

"My eyes tell me that on the inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. Hence, you see, my double deduction that you had been out in vile weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting specimen of the London slavery."

Holmes pays attention to the details and deduces from them.  You can do the same.  Look back at the shoes.  What should you notice? Below are a few classic indicators and deductions from shoes:

The Wrinkled Heel - If the shoes in question have horizontal creases or wrinkles in the back or heel cap of the portion of the shoe the person is likely frequently in a rush to make appointments and or does not place a high degree of importance on appearance.  These marks result from forcing the foot into the shoes without a shoe horn.  Particularly in leather dress shoes this type of wear creates wrinkles at the back of the shoe.  Why would an owner of leather dress shoes be so careless?  He or she likely only wears the shoes when absolutely required and thus does not care much for them.  Alternatively the person may be in such a hurry to get ready he or she cannot take the time to search for the shoe horn in the closet.

The Worn Cap - This one is a little tricky.  You need to pay attention the wear pattern.  Circular and irregular patterns indicate that a person is often on his or her knees, particularly if the wear is slightly to one side or the other.  When a person is kneeling the cap (front) of the shoe touches the ground.  As such a position is uncomfortable on the ankles the person usually angles the feet outwards or inwards.  The friction of the carpet or ground creates a circular wear pattern as the person moves.  However, if the scuff patterns move from the front to the back, as in the picture above, this says something different.  The person likely spends a great deal of time riding in cabs, on airplane flights, or at a desk.  The marks are the result of placing the feet under the seat or edge of the desk in front of the person.  Over time the movement is bound to make marks.

The Side Crease - Notice the two horizontal wrinkles on the man's right inside shoe.  This indicates the man often stands with the right leg behind the left as he is in this picture.  Perhaps the right leg is the stronger/favored leg or possibly the left has been injured.  When the man begins to move forward, he will push off the back foot.  This force pushes the inside of the shoe down and over time develops a wrinkle.

These are the most common and easily deduced characteristics of men's footwear.  If you want to avoid these stereotypes always make sure to care for your shoes.  More on that in the next post.