Change Your Shoes, Change Your Life

by Susan Reynolds

As the fairy godmother told Cinderella, "If you want to change your life, you need to start from the ground up." Shoes make women - and, with this feisty, sexy book in hand, readers learn how to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1593374399
• ISBN13: 9781593374396
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Adams Media Corporation
• Length: 231 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Like your fairy godmother explaining good shoes

I was hopeless; I wore comfortable... shoes usually from Payless. Nothing wrong with that until I was bored and waiting for friends at a bookstore and saw the pretty red cover of this book and briefly read bits and parts. Left the store without buying it; but it had some strange hold on me. A month later, back in the store I picked it up again to read bits more, but again, left without buying. The few parts I read had me. I had to go back and buy it. So strange to have to buy it; like an addiction. Found it... so fluffy yet sooo fun. I learned so much and more. I bought a notebook and actually took notes! AND found the courage and strength to buy my first pair of 'real' shoes. Thank Reynolds for so much fun. Like the best magazine articles organized!!! I've bought several for gifts; it has started to change my life!

The Game's Afoot!

Who knew that humble footwear could have such an influence on our lives? If you're a lifelong "shoe diva", you probably suspected that the coverings you choose for your little piggies could: --improve your self esteem --make men drool --get you a better job --make your entire wardrobe look better --improve your daily comfort But, if you're like the rest of us (oblivious ones) you may not have realized just how high you can soar on those stilletos or platform heels, or, even, dare I say it?--ballerina flats. Sue Reynolds does a wonderful job of making footwear seem fascinating (there's plenty of historical information in this book,along with the fashion advice) and, even if you're an athletic shoe kind of gal, you may find yourself wanting to add spunky laces to those Nikes! A fun read, recommended!

Fillet of Sole (wink!)

Susan Reynolds is a delightful, captivating woman with an engaging sense of humor-part historian and etymologist, part social commentator and psychologist, and above all, a consummate connoisseur of footwear. I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Reynolds on a talk show recently, and marveled at her ability to elaborate on a topic as pedestrian and superficial to the casual observer as footwear and shoe preference. With equal finesse, Reynolds can discuss the mythological implications of the shoe as a metaphorical archetype, and dissect the aesthetic attributes and architectural nuances of a DKNY slingback. It's a testament to Reynolds' passion about shoes that the interviewer, though indifferent to shoes themselves, confessed a fascination with shoe aficionados! Having been a wedding and portrait photographer, I'd come to appreciate the vital dimension that props and other objects of personal significance occupy in the overall visual motif. As creatures with enormous curiosity, we're constantly scrutinized by those around us who diagnose and analyze--both overtly and subconsciously--all the varied and subtle details we exhibit to the world. For women more so than men, apparel in general--and the shoe in particular--is a kind of shorthand to assist acquaintances and strangers in constructing a sensible representation of who we are (or would like to be). So why not "strut your stuff," to quote one of Reynolds favorite admonitions! Reynolds is enormously fun to read, and you'll discover fascinating anthropological revelations about shoes and their evolutionary heritage. For example, she draws amusing parallels between humans and baboons when reflecting on a finding gleaned from primate studies. Baboons in the field, according to Reynolds, walk on the balls of their feet when sexually aroused! While scientists are left to hypothesize that such curious traits evolved as adaptive mechanisms enabling the species to survive, I'm forced to admire Reynolds' ability to shift from the sublime to the hilarious. The image of an ape in stiletto pumps, after all, is one I'm not likely to forget! "Change Your Shoes, Change Your Life" is an enjoyable and flirtatious read for women who love shoes, and for men who love the many aspects to a woman's personality that a pair of shoes can so mysteriously and marvelously evoke.

shoes

"Change Your Shoes, Change Your Life" had me laughing in some places and nodding my head in agreement in many others. It updates the Cinderella fairy tale to an adult level, and answers a lot of questions about why men respond to women the way they do. Now, if the author could only explain why else men act the way they do, and what we can do about it! Not only did I buy several copies of this book for stocking stuffers and Secret Santa exchange gifts, it's also my book club's assigned reading for next month along with -- ready for this -- "Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask." Won't that be an interesting meeting!!!

FUN

This book is lots of fun explaining how to improve your looks and life. It is full of info, and funny stories from people. I bought some copies for gifts for my girlfriends.