Women Aroused by, Lie About, Their Shoes

Shoebuy.com survey looks at love of famous accessory
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 15, 2014 4:30 PM CDT
For Women, New Shoes More Arousing Than Men
A high-heeled woman stands across the street from the tents in Bryant Park on the last day of New York Fashion Week, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009.   (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Women see shoes as purely utilitarian accessories that help them get around town ... right? Uh, not exactly. The online retailer Shoebuy.com has confirmed in a nationwide survey that women really do love their shoes—in ways that are a little surprising, the Oklahoman reports. The findings are from 1,000 women ages 35-44, says Stylecaster:

  • 20% admit they're more aroused by new shoes than by their significant others.
  • Half admit to judging someone based on their shoes (among those, 50% were negative).
  • One in four won't take heels off, no matter the pain (even if it means popping a pill for relief).
  • Nearly a third of women buy four to seven pairs of shoes annually, meaning they'll buy 500 in all.
  • Half are willing to lie about what they really paid for their shoes.

So is this why women save far less for retirement than men—because they're buying shoes? Some readers said so after Jonnelle Marte wrote about women's lack of savings at the Washington Post, and research shows that women do outspend men $534 to $205 on personal care and services (shoes included). But men spend more on alcohol, so women likely save less because they earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, writes Marte. (For more, see why wedding Uggs may be "the worst idea ever," and why some women resort to surgery for designer heels.)

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