A new study by the University of Kansas and Wellesley College maintains you can tell a lot about a person based on their shoes. Researchers Omri Gillath, Fiona Ge, and Christian S. Crandall asked a group of 63 students to look at 208 pictures submitted by volunteers who had previously filled out personality questionnaires. The students were able to determine a person’s age, gender, income, political leanings, and personality traits with 90% accuracy–just by taking a quick look at their footwork.
Shoes have a large variety of styles, colors, and functions. And apparently people wear shoes that tell a lot about their personalities, whether they mean to or not.
While expensive and colorful shoes are typically worn by either high earners or extroverts…
The study says, “Practical and functional shoes belong to agreeable people, ankle boots are worn by aggressive personalities, and calm personalities wear uncomfortable looking shoes…Those with “attachment anxiety” where they worry about their relationships, [tend] to have brand new and well kept shoes. This may be because they worry so much about their appearance and what others may think of them. Liberal thinkers, who many think of as sandal wearing hippies, did not surprise. They really do wear scruffier and less expensive shoes.”
Do you think shoes can speak volumes about your personality? And if so, what do your shoes say about you?
Spied @Coco&Creme
June 20, 2012 1:38 pm
That’s funny,because the brokest females have on the most expensive shoes… and vice versa.
June 20, 2012 1:41 pm
Interesting.
June 20, 2012 1:46 pm
To some extent. I don’t think it can always accurately describe someones personality, since some ladies can cheapen an expensive shoe and some know how to make something inexpensive look good.
June 20, 2012 2:01 pm
@ Indigo..sometimes that is true. But I’m 5’10 but my heels hve got to be 5-6in..that’s it! Maybe that shows my napoloen complex..oh well lol But I don’t know if I agree totally w this study.
June 20, 2012 2:08 pm
@T1K They were not talking about how women make the shoe look expensive or not. Its bcuz u wear a particular shoe u have a particular personality etc. etc.
June 20, 2012 2:24 pm
rubbish. pure rubbish.
but solange’s look is giving me life. :)
June 20, 2012 2:38 pm
I agree with the study, i’m a very calm person and all my shoes are comfortable…tons of flats, weged sneakers and a few pumps here and there…the study makes some sense, at least to me…
June 20, 2012 2:44 pm
I disagree, I have every type of shoe there is from Dansko Clogs to Vibrams, to MK Platforms, the shoes I wear depend on how I feel and where Im going.
June 20, 2012 3:00 pm
What do your toes say about you?
I think that’s a more important question ;)
June 20, 2012 3:08 pm
I agree with Gray. My shoes depend on where I’m going, what I’ll be doing and sometimes how long I’ll be standing. When I’m running errands my shoes are comfortable and flat. When I’m going out, my shoes say “I’m sexy and I know it!”
June 20, 2012 3:10 pm
Lol @iqgraphics. Exactly! My feet are almost gutted from all those cutesy shoes. I do agree with the study to some extent. But as with all studies, you have to take them with a grain of salt
June 20, 2012 3:14 pm
My shoes say I want the best in life, but I’m not trying to impress.
June 20, 2012 3:20 pm
you can wear flats and still be bold. i think the study is saying that your choices reflect you, which makes sense. didn’t our mothers always tell us or maybe me to dress or not dress a certain way because you don’t want people to think certain things about you?
i may not be the most obvious extrovert but my shoes are lol.
June 20, 2012 3:22 pm
My shoes lately tell me that my boyfriend should get over the fact that I’m taller then him if I wear heels.
June 20, 2012 3:42 pm
I don’t agree with this study, I own ankle boots but I don’t consider myself to be agressive. Who came up with this? It sounds generic.
June 20, 2012 4:13 pm
I wonder what mine would be I buy moderate to expensive shoes put them in my closet to look at and then leave the house in my old navy flipflops….hmmmmm
June 20, 2012 4:35 pm
for those who disagree, then why are you on this blog if your style doesn’t represent your personality to some degree. I thought that was the whole idea of being a fashion bombshell…
Blessings
June 20, 2012 4:35 pm
I love buying heels,but I hate walking in them… After the high is over,I give them away…
June 20, 2012 4:55 pm
I agree with Indigo! This study is inconclusive. Mainly because these days a lot of people buy fashion items to be perceived a certain way which they normally aren’t. Like mention, someone buying expensive shoes to give the air that they have money and got it going on when they are broke as hell. And what about those bold people who rather choose comfort over style. I do think some things give you insight to someone’s personality to an extent but it isn’t the be all and end all in determining someone’s personality.
June 20, 2012 5:16 pm
Lol @ Lola A.
Indigo, my adress is…:D
Jeda, because sometimes your personal style does not matter i.e. when Im rock climbing, camping, a super long day at work on my feet. Yes, I can select a color thats cute or bold but in the end a Born sandal is still a Born sandal.
June 20, 2012 5:34 pm
i’m a mood dresser, my shoes would be misleading…
June 20, 2012 7:11 pm
i also i agree that the study is inclusive because like someone mentioned some people are going above and beyond to own the same shoes as beyonce who is a multi millionare. Case in point here on the fashon bomb just check out the people featured on fashionbomb shell of the day a lot of them are wearing expensive shoes they obvioulsy have no wearing. a lot of designer shoes when people are bloggers, work at the super market. Lets be real bloggers do not make a lot of people yet are rocking those louboutins. trying so hard to portray i am success and making money. i think not. Before the era of credit cards this study might have been true.
June 20, 2012 9:22 pm
this can probably apply to your favorite shoe, or your “go to” shoe
June 20, 2012 9:45 pm
I disagree with this study as I’m also a mood dresser. I were all types of shoes from flats to high heels. You would never guess what type of person I am based on my shoes alone.
June 20, 2012 9:51 pm
Wearing Louboutins or Zanottis exclusively/only says a lot about you…not in a good way! (eg: the whole BBW crew, the Kartrashians, Emily B., etc)
June 20, 2012 9:51 pm
This seems somewhat accurate. I never thought about shoes that way!! Does anyone know another way to style those thigh high boots Megan Good has on?? I have them(or some very very similar) and I have only worn them once because idk how else to style them. Thanks in advance for the help
June 20, 2012 10:04 pm
Great article Claire
June 20, 2012 11:13 pm
i have bit of everything when it comes to shoes,so i dont how can someone figure out my personality by checking out my shoes for one day.i do think color play more of a role though.
June 20, 2012 11:49 pm
I read about this study on Yahoo! a few days ago and my brother and I joked that if you wear different types of shoes a day , you might be schizophrenic and it would be harder to determine your personality lol. I think it is true that your shoes can show a little of who you are, but my mom always told me to take good care of my shoes cause I paid money for them. I don’t think taking care of your belongings is exactly a sign of attachment anxiety.
June 20, 2012 11:50 pm
and in that shot of M. Good, did anyone else notice the girl behind her has on almost the exact same outfit?
June 21, 2012 12:23 am
Well I guess I have that multiple personalities disorder then, cuz have all of the above… lol
June 21, 2012 8:57 am
I have all these shoes…I’m agressive, calm, an extrovert,…you’d have to look in my closet to see them. My shoes say, please take us out and give us a whirl.
My sneakers get the most wear and wash…
I’m okay with this study…but I think a lot of women wear shoes, clothes, and make up according to their mood – wear and buy I should say.
I also found the attachment anxiety notion interesting. I definitely lysol wipe down my shoes after wearing them. Mainly because I am hard on shoes and I don’t want to pull them out months later to find some dirt or a scuff or whatever…and I also think it makes them look more appealing in the closet – where I am supposed to be shopping.
June 21, 2012 8:59 am
@ siyam, yup! I think they were even together. I like that look. Have long wanted to test it out, but am afraid it is for the stars…maybe in the fall for a night at the strip club…idk
June 21, 2012 9:13 am
@iQgraphics My toes are saying, “Help! SOS!!”
Lol.
Just had to say that.
June 21, 2012 10:11 am
At 200+ pairs. I must suffer from multiple personality disorder.
June 21, 2012 10:45 am
Siyam, that’s Meagan’s sister..they’re very close
June 21, 2012 11:39 am
@Claire
Gurl bye
hahaha!!!
June 23, 2012 12:49 am
it’s funny when people disagree or agree with a study based on their own personal experiences, which really amount to mere anecdote. If the study is empirically sound, it doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree. It just is. Accept that you can prove with 90% much about a person based on shoes. Perhaps some are in the outlier 10%, but your personal opinions are not enough to cast doubt on sound university research.
June 23, 2012 12:50 am
Generally, you can disagree or agree based on the methodology, not the results.
June 25, 2012 3:14 pm
cute post, thanks a lot :-)