{{Short description|Erotic attraction to shoes}} {{More citations needed|date=September 2022}} [[File:Shoe fetishism - model Eve Casini.jpg|thumb|330px|An example of shoe fetishism: a model licking a [[platform heel]].]] '''Shoe fetishism''' is the attribution of attractive sexual qualities to [[shoe]]s or other [[footwear]] as a matter of sexual preference, or an alternative or complement to a relationship with a partner.<ref>[https://www.who.int/classifications/apps/icd/icd10online/ World Health Organization, International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, (2007), Chapter V, F65.0 Disorders of sexual preference.]</ref><ref>[[Peter Jerome Fagan]]. Contributor [[Paul R McHugh]]. Sexual Disorders: Perspectives on Diagnosis and Treatment. JHU Press. 2003. {{ISBN|0-8018-7527-7}}. p.78</ref> It has also been known as '''retifism''', after the French novelist [[Nicolas-Edme Rétif]] (1734–1806), also known as [[Rétif de la Bretonne]], who wrote a novel about it (presumably based on his own penchants) called ''Fanchette's Foot'', which preference or penchant seems to have been if not "all the rage" at the time at least known to have been practiced or suffered by more than handsful of somewhat important individuals of that period (pre-Revolutionary France).
Individuals with shoe fetishism can be erotically interested in women's and/or men's shoes.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Weinberg | first1 = M. S. | last2 = Williams | first2 = C. J. | last3 = Calhan | first3 = C. | title = Homosexual foot fetishism | journal = Archives of Sexual Behavior | volume = 23 | issue = 6 | pages = 611–626 | year = 1994 | pmid = 7872858 | doi=10.1007/bf01541815| s2cid = 21960499 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Weinberg | first1 = M. S. | last2 = Williams | first2 = C. J. | last3 = Calhan | first3 = C. | year = 1995 | title = "If the shoe fits…": Exploring male homosexual foot fetishism | journal = The Journal of Sex Research | volume = 32 | pages = 17–27 | doi=10.1080/00224499509551770}}</ref>
Almost any type of shoe can be fetishized, depending on the sexual connotation associated with the wearer, for example an entire area of [[LGBTQ culture|gay subculture]] is devoted towards the fetishization of [[sneaker]]s and other forms of athletic footwear. {{Citation needed|date=November 2025}}
Another fetishism, which sometimes is seen as related to shoe fetishism, is [[boot fetishism]].
Although shoes may appear to carry sexual connotations in mainstream culture (for example, women's shoes are commonly sold as being "sexy"), this opinion refers to an ethnographic or cultural context, and is likely not intended to be taken literally.<ref>Pietz, William (1987) ‘The Problem of the Fetish II: The Origin of the Fetish’, RES: Journal of Anthropology and Aesthetics 13.</ref>
==Prevalence == In order to determine the relative prevalences of different types of fetishes, scientists obtained a sample of at least 5,000 individuals worldwide from 381 discussion groups on the internet. The relative prevalences were estimated based on the number of groups devoted to a particular fetish, the number of individuals participating in the groups and the number of messages exchanged.{{cn|date=April 2020}}
Using these measures, feet and shoes were found to be the most common target of preferences. This is consistent with an analysis of millions of search queries by users from the United States that were accidentally released during the [[AOL search data scandal]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090404124043/http://www.aphrodisiology.com/aol-fetishes AOL search data] (archived link, April 4, 2009)</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=May 2014}} 64% of the sampled population that had a preference for an object associated with the body had a preference for shoes, boots, and other footwear.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Scorolli | first1 = C. | last2 = Ghirlanda | first2 = S. | last3 = Enquist | first3 = M. | last4 = Zattoni | first4 = S.|author5-link=Emmanuele A. Jannini | last5 = Jannini | first5 = E. A. | title = Relative prevalence of different fetishes | doi = 10.1038/sj.ijir.3901547 | journal = International Journal of Impotence Research | volume = 19 | issue = 4 | pages = 432–437 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17304204| doi-access = }}</ref><ref>Dobson, Roger (2007). '' Heels are the world's No 1 fetish.'' The Independent Online Edition, {{cite web |url=http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article2303022.ece |title=Heels are the world's No 1 fetish - Science, News - the Independent |access-date=2007-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080520112041/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article2303022.ece |archive-date=2008-05-20 }}, accessed February 2007.</ref>
==Popular culture== In the 19th century, [[Central Europe]]an students drank wine or [[Champagne]] from their lady's shoe or bootlet as a sign of devotion. The custom is noted in the opera of 1882, ''[[Der Bettelstudent]]'', where Symon drinks Champagne from Laura's shoe at their wedding. In commemoration of this romantic tradition, the French shoe manufacturer Louboutin issued in 2009, a glass shaped like a woman's shoe, which was reviewed critically by the German daily, ''[[Die Welt]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.champagnerwelt.com/champagnerhaeuser/piperheidsieck/champagnerauseinenschuhtrinken.html |title=Champagner aus einen Schuh trinken |publisher=Champagnerwelt.com |access-date=2013-06-15 |archive-date=2021-05-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511072445/http://www.champagnerwelt.com/champagnerhaeuser/piperheidsieck/champagnerauseinenschuhtrinken.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.welt.de/debatte/kolumnen/Inga_Griese/article6058547/Champagner-nach-Art-des-Schuh-Fetisch.html |title=Kolumne: Inga Griese : Champagner nach Art des Schuh-Fetisch - Nachrichten Debatte - Kolumnen - Inga Griese - DIE WELT |newspaper=Die Welt |publisher=Welt.de |date=2011-11-23 |access-date=2013-06-15|last1=Griese |first1=Inga }}</ref>
The ''[[Sex and the City]]'' episode, "[[La Douleur Exquise!]]", featured a shoe salesman with a shoe and foot fetish, who allowed [[Charlotte York]] to have expensive shoes for free simply for allowing him to assist her in trying on various pairs of open shoes whilst he openly complimented her on the state of her feet and offered her [[reflexology|foot reflexology]]. The relationship came to an end when Charlotte figured out she had been getting discounts because she was letting him hold her feet and was further discomforted by the salesman obviously [[orgasm|climaxing]] while assisting her with the sixth pair of the day.
The movie ''[[There's Something About Mary]]'' featured a former boyfriend of Mary, Dom "Woogie" Wooganowski, played by [[Chris Elliott]], with a shoe fetish. He tried to steal her shoes.
In the animated comedy show ''[[Family Guy]]'', the character [[Glenn Quagmire]] has a foot and shoe fetish, among other fetishes.
In the movie from 1993 in Spanish, ''[[The Bilingual Lover]]'', written and directed by [[Vicente Aranda]] from an adaptation from a novel by [[Juan Marsé]], shoe fetishism pervades the whole story.
In the movie from 1995, ''[[While You Were Sleeping (film)|While You Were Sleeping]]'', starring [[Sandra Bullock]], the main character's landlord, played by [[Michael Rispoli]], has a shoe fetish.
In the Japanese television series from 2000, ''[[:ja:バスストップ|Bus Stop]]'', the main character, Musashi, has a strong interest in high heels, and at one point repairs a broken high heel for the woman he is pursuing.
==See also== {{Portal|Human sexuality}} * [[Boot fetishism]] * [[Clothing fetish]] * [[Foot fetishism]] * [[Footjob]] * [[Fuck-me shoes]] * [[Lionel Bussey]] * [[Sexual fetishism]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{cite book | title=The Sex Life of the Foot and Shoe | publisher=[[Wordsworth Editions]] | author=Rossi, William | year=1989 | isbn=978-1853269394}}
{{Sex fetish}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shoe Fetishism}} [[Category:Fashion-related fetishism]] [[Category:Paraphilias]] [[Category:Uses of shoes]] [[Category:Foot fetishism]]