Feet.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I dislike feet. Though they are incredibly useful (duh!), something about the way they are shaped and the various ailments that can fall upon them repulse me.However, they do serve as a mold to fill the beautiful creations that are SHOES. For this, I am eternally grateful.

Since being in Egypt, I have come to realize the incredible power of shoes. Not only do they serve as a protective barrier between your feet and the crazy things that surround them, but they serve as an indication of place in society.

The other day, I was parading around my house in my 6 inch platforms (naturally) when my uncle stopped me and jokingly said "what are you doing?! you look like a street girl!" (chuckles). Now before I go any further let me just say that my uncle is probably one of the most liberal people I know (by Middle Eastern standards at least) and so this isn't just a conservative person ranting away.

After my conversation with him, it occurred to me that these black suede entities on my feet could potentially ruin someone's reputation if/when worn in public.

In the States/the West in general, being tall is associated with grandeur, beauty, and wealth. Of course, this originates partially from the media's portrayal of beauty in the form of 6 foot tall models in awe-inspired heels. Therefore, when you see a woman walking down Fifth Avenue in sky-high heels with a trendy outfit on, your mind immediately jumps to that photo of Adriana Lima walking down the runway that you saw in VOGUE a few months ago.

Givenchy.

However, in the Middle East, there comes a lot more baggage with high heels. In a culture somewhat obsessed with marriage and securing a good future for their daughters, high heels are sometimes a curse. A girl who is tall by nature runs the risk of not finding a partner who is taller than her (something that has been embedded in the minds of the people by culture). Moreover, one has to consider that sexuality is suppressed a lot more here than it is in the West. Girls wearing high heels are often associated with call-girls. I'm sure some of you will say "D, its totally the same in the West. If you saw a girl dressed kinda skanky with 6 inch heels you would think she was a prostitute too." You're absolutely right. What I'm saying is that the generalization of being a 'call-girl' here is a lot more serious than it is in the West.

I've been thinking about how to put this for a few days now, in fear that I may hurt someones feelings/get angry responses about my portrayal of the Eastern world. I am by no means in objection of either side, I am just commenting on what I see.

Let me know what you guys think/ if you have any questions.

ringing out,

D.