# Shoe fetishism > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Shoe_fetishism > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Shoe_fetishism.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_fetishism > Source revision: 1334774322 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Erotic attraction to shoes This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Shoe fetishism" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) An example of shoe fetishism: a model licking a [platform heel](/source/Platform_heel). **Shoe fetishism** is the attribution of attractive sexual qualities to [shoes](/source/Shoe) or other [footwear](/source/Footwear) as a matter of sexual preference, or an alternative or complement to a relationship with a partner.[1][2] It has also been known as **retifism**, after the French novelist [Nicolas-Edme Rétif](/source/Nicolas-Edme_R%C3%A9tif) (1734–1806), also known as [Rétif de la Bretonne](/source/R%C3%A9tif_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.[3][4] Almost any type of shoe can be fetishized, depending on the sexual connotation associated with the wearer, for example an entire area of [gay subculture](/source/LGBTQ_culture) is devoted towards the fetishization of [sneakers](/source/Sneaker) and other forms of athletic footwear. [*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Another fetishism, which sometimes is seen as related to shoe fetishism, is [boot fetishism](/source/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.[5] ## 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.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] 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](/source/AOL_search_data_scandal).[6][*[unreliable source?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources)*] 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.[7][8] ## Popular culture In the 19th century, [Central European](/source/Central_Europe) students drank wine or [Champagne](/source/Champagne) from their lady's shoe or bootlet as a sign of devotion. The custom is noted in the opera of 1882, *[Der Bettelstudent](/source/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](/source/Die_Welt)*.[9][10] The *[Sex and the City](/source/Sex_and_the_City)* episode, "[La Douleur Exquise!](/source/La_Douleur_Exquise!)", featured a shoe salesman with a shoe and foot fetish, who allowed [Charlotte York](/source/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 [foot reflexology](/source/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 [climaxing](/source/Orgasm) while assisting her with the sixth pair of the day. The movie *[There's Something About Mary](/source/There's_Something_About_Mary)* featured a former boyfriend of Mary, Dom "Woogie" Wooganowski, played by [Chris Elliott](/source/Chris_Elliott), with a shoe fetish. He tried to steal her shoes. In the animated comedy show *[Family Guy](/source/Family_Guy)*, the character [Glenn Quagmire](/source/Glenn_Quagmire) has a foot and shoe fetish, among other fetishes. In the movie from 1993 in Spanish, *[The Bilingual Lover](/source/The_Bilingual_Lover)*, written and directed by [Vicente Aranda](/source/Vicente_Aranda) from an adaptation from a novel by [Juan Marsé](/source/Juan_Mars%C3%A9), shoe fetishism pervades the whole story. In the movie from 1995, *[While You Were Sleeping](/source/While_You_Were_Sleeping_(film))*, starring [Sandra Bullock](/source/Sandra_Bullock), the main character's landlord, played by [Michael Rispoli](/source/Michael_Rispoli), has a shoe fetish. In the Japanese television series from 2000, *[Bus Stop](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%90%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%83%E3%83%97)*, 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 - [Human sexuality portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Human_sexuality) - [Boot fetishism](/source/Boot_fetishism) - [Clothing fetish](/source/Clothing_fetish) - [Foot fetishism](/source/Foot_fetishism) - [Footjob](/source/Footjob) - [Fuck-me shoes](/source/Fuck-me_shoes) - [Lionel Bussey](/source/Lionel_Bussey) - [Sexual fetishism](/source/Sexual_fetishism) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [World Health Organization, International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, (2007), Chapter V, F65.0 Disorders of sexual preference.](https://www.who.int/classifications/apps/icd/icd10online/) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Peter Jerome Fagan](/source/Peter_Jerome_Fagan). Contributor [Paul R McHugh](/source/Paul_R_McHugh). Sexual Disorders: Perspectives on Diagnosis and Treatment. JHU Press. 2003. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8018-7527-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8018-7527-7). p.78 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Weinberg, M. S.; Williams, C. J.; Calhan, C. (1994). "Homosexual foot fetishism". *Archives of Sexual Behavior*. **23** (6): 611–626. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/bf01541815](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fbf01541815). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [7872858](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7872858). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [21960499](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:21960499). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Weinberg, M. S.; Williams, C. J.; Calhan, C. (1995). ""If the shoe fits…": Exploring male homosexual foot fetishism". *The Journal of Sex Research*. **32**: 17–27. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/00224499509551770](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F00224499509551770). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Pietz, William (1987) ‘The Problem of the Fetish II: The Origin of the Fetish’, RES: Journal of Anthropology and Aesthetics 13. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [AOL search data](https://web.archive.org/web/20090404124043/http://www.aphrodisiology.com/aol-fetishes) (archived link, April 4, 2009) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Scorolli, C.; Ghirlanda, S.; Enquist, M.; Zattoni, S.; [Jannini, E. A.](/source/Emmanuele_A._Jannini) (2007). "Relative prevalence of different fetishes". *International Journal of Impotence Research*. **19** (4): 432–437. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1038/sj.ijir.3901547](https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fsj.ijir.3901547). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [17304204](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17304204). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Dobson, Roger (2007). *Heels are the world's No 1 fetish.* The Independent Online Edition, ["Heels are the world's No 1 fetish - Science, News - the Independent"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080520112041/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article2303022.ece). Archived from [the original](http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article2303022.ece) on 2008-05-20. Retrieved 2007-02-01., accessed February 2007. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Champagner aus einen Schuh trinken"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210511072445/http://www.champagnerwelt.com/champagnerhaeuser/piperheidsieck/champagnerauseinenschuhtrinken.html). Champagnerwelt.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.champagnerwelt.com/champagnerhaeuser/piperheidsieck/champagnerauseinenschuhtrinken.html) on 2021-05-11. Retrieved 2013-06-15. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Griese, Inga (2011-11-23). ["Kolumne: Inga Griese : Champagner nach Art des Schuh-Fetisch - Nachrichten Debatte - Kolumnen - Inga Griese - DIE WELT"](https://www.welt.de/debatte/kolumnen/Inga_Griese/article6058547/Champagner-nach-Art-des-Schuh-Fetisch.html). *Die Welt*. Welt.de. Retrieved 2013-06-15. ## Further reading - Rossi, William (1989). *The Sex Life of the Foot and Shoe*. [Wordsworth Editions](/source/Wordsworth_Editions). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1853269394](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1853269394). v t e Sexual fetishism Terminology Kink Paraphilia Perversion List Actions, states Aquaphilia Autassassinophilia Body inflation Coprophilia Cuckold / Cuckquean Emetophilia Eproctophilia Erotic hypnosis Erotic lactation Erotic spanking Exhibitionism Forced seduction Gaining and feeding Impregnation Macrophilia Medical fetishism Omorashi Paraphilic infantilism Pregnancy Smoking Tickling Total enclosure Transvestic Tightlacing Tamakeri Urolagnia Vorarephilia Wet and messy fetishism Body parts Armpit Breast Belly Buttocks Eyeball Fat Feet Hands Hair Legs Navels Noses Clothing Boots Ballet boots Boot worship Thigh-high boots Boot fetishism Clowns Corset Diapers Gloves Pantyhose Latex Rubber and PVC Shoes Spandex Underwear Uniforms Objects Balloons Dolls Latex and PVC Robots Spandex Controversial / illegal Lust murder Necrophilia Rape fantasy Zoophilia Race Asian fetish Ethnic pornography Race and sexuality Culture BDSM Clubs Fashion International Fetish Day Leather subculture Leather Pride flag Sexual roleplay Media Art List of artists Magazines Models Websites FetLife wikiFeet Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Shoe fetishism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_fetishism) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_fetishism?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.