Animal Feet

Hi. I learned something new today. The cow-toed looking shoes are called 'tabi.' I love the flats and even the heels, yet I know not of how painful the heels would be. I'm not so interested in the boots however practical they were/are to ninjas. They look dorky to me.

Why do I love painful shoes? To be honest, it's more of a longing than a requited love. The most painful shoes I own are my beautiful 6" black hooker boots. I want the line of shoes in John Galliano's spring 2009 fashion show. Why? They're odd...and strangely cute. I think that's the aspiration of every designer: create products that are new, different, and cute.

Let's focus on the why I adore these kind of shoes, though. The tabi shoes out in stores now, albeit limited, differ from ones worn in Japanese courts. They're made for an international audience. I found out about these kind of shoes through a Bjork photoshoot, and wanted them because they strangely make human feet look like an animals. Why do hooker boots garner so many compliments? My theory is they make my foot look like a horse's hoof - especially with leg warmers or long trousers. So yes, you have my confession of why I like tabi shoes. Try to figure out why you love or hate a certain style yourself. It really gets you thinking.

I leave you with hulder maidens, beautiful women with cow tails. I learned about them in D'Aulaires folktales. According to another scholar, the hulder maidens are "the best wife a man can have" (Bok).