We’ve all heard the story of Cinderella, the classic folk tale a/k/a The Little Glass Slipper involving a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances at the mercy of her evil stepmother and stepsisters whose life is transformed because she can fit her foot into a tiny glass slipper. The tale has so many variations that span all cultures. In French folklore it’s called Cendrillon, ou La petite Pantoufle de VerreIn and in a 19th century German version of this rags-to-riches story, the evil step sisters get the brilliant idea of tricking the prince by chopping off parts of their feet to get the slipper to fit. If it had worked Cinderella might have still been doing housework as one of the wicked women ran off with her prince.
At one point or another, most of us have had Cinderella fantasies…I personally feel like a hybrid of Cinderella and the Woman Who Lived in a Shoe who had so many children she didn’t know what to do. In my case though, it’s not the kids that are taking over my life – it’s the shoes; I have so many that I’ve sometimes contemplated moving to a bigger home to accommodate them…they seem to have taken on a life of their own. It’s fitting that my collection was featured on French television; even though my forebears were hardly well-off, the term “well-heeled” originated in France. Legend has it that several centuries ago, the queen wanted to look taller and slimmer and more glamorous so she commissioned a local cobbler to create shoes with higher heels. This became a fashion trend that only the very rich could afford – so “well-heeled” became a synonym for being rich.
Most women would agree that nothing makes them feel sexier than stilettos. This makes perfect sense of course; the term “Vamp”- which is the front covering of a shoe – is derived from the French term “avant-pied” which means “before the foot” and has become a synonym for “Hot Mama.” And of course, I completely relate to the slogan “If the shoe fits buy it – in every color.” I love it as much as “Life is Short – Buy the Shoes” …and I think that’s what inspired me to get into the work I do. I never wanted my foot size or any problems I might have below the ankle to come between me and the perfect shoe. And my mission of course is to spread the joy…”Shoes for Everyone!” as Carrie Bradshaw proclaimed in SATC2.
It’s fitting that Tony Hsieh who is creating quite a buzz with his “Delivering Happiness” movement is the genius who started a little company called Zappos, which was later bought by Amazon reportedly for billions. Because what gives a woman more happiness than new shoes delivered to her doorstep? A rhetorical question to be sure…but I think it’s true…just ask Cinderella…
Last week, a co-worker’s 10 year old niece waited patiently for her in the Institute Beaute waiting area where I have my “shoe museum.” Favorite shoes from various stages in my life are in glass cases because to me they are true works of art (and because I ran out of room in my home). When it was time for the young girl to leave, she calmly told her Aunt: “Those Louis Vuittons are calling out to me.”
At the risk of sounding like a typical boomer and talking about how I walked ten miles to school each day in the snow (up hill) – the shoe landscape as it is today is different than it was “in my day.”
Today some publications call me “Podiatrist to the Stars” and articles talk about my “Park Avenue Practice.” But that’s not where I started; I grew up in Brooklyn and my French immigrant parents found it hard to make ends meet. The idea of having new shoes – let alone expensive new shoes – was a completely foreign concept to me. When I started earning my own money – my first big purchase was new shoes – I Miller to be exact – from Bergdorf Goodman. I still remember those shoes and the feeling I had when I purchased them. They were patent leather Mary Janes with toes that were both round and square at the same time and I felt beautiful the minute I put them on my feet. But of course, many shoes have made me feel this way which is why they take up so much space in my home and my office. But that’s for another blog.
To pay further homage to I Miller back then – in the 60s – he was to me and many women what Manolo Blahnick is to Carrie Bradshaw and the girls of Sex and the City today. Before establishing the I. Miller Shoe Company, Israel Miller started his career as a designer and maker of shoes for the theatrical profession in New York. He took over and remodeled a large building in Times Square with an inscription reading “The Show Folks Shoe Shop Dedicated to Beauty in Footwear.” The company both designed and manufactured women’s shoes and became a leading importer of shoes with a national chain of more than 200 retail stores, popular throughout the 1920s-1960s.
This week women across the country are gearing up to see Sex and the City 2 – a movie about four friends, their love for each other, their trials and tribulations, their devotion to fashion and – of course shoes. Along with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte – Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo have played major supporting roles. And rightfully so. From Cinderella to Carrie Bradshaw – the shoe is the thing. I know I’ll be watching in anticipation and hoping I don’t need to rent additional space to accommodate my growing collection.
Dr. Levine is featured in the new book How to Never Look Fat Again by New York Times bestselling author Charla Krupp. In the chapter on Wide Feet & Ankles, Dr. Levine gives tips on how to make your feet look thinner by wearing the correct types of shoes.
Check out some scans below, and be sure pick up a copy of this fantastic book!
