Have you ever walked by someone and noticed their shoes? Did you feel like you got a little sneak peek at their personality through their footwear? I notice shoes all the time and have a few too many pairs myself. Shoes are a big thing in my family and can be of cultural importance to many people. We wear shoes every day, so what do yours say about you? 

There are so many types of shoes; from sandals to Jordans to dress shoes. Based on my countless hours of observations, I have come to some conclusions about people and what their footwear says about them.

If I see a person walking around in Chacos, my mind immediately goes to hiking and nature. When I see someone wearing Vans, I picture a stereotypical skateboarder. When I spot a beat up pair of Asics, Adidas or Nike running shoes, I envision a cross country runner who cares more for comfort than style. 

Air Force 1’s are very popular and I feel you can tell by their condition and color what type of person the individual wearing them might be. If the shoes are super beat up and dirty, this indicates to me that this person is messy and unorganized; they could also be one of the wearer’s only pairs of Air Force 1’s. If the shoes are neat and clean, then the wearer most likely has multiple pairs of sneakers and doesn’t wear the same pair of shoes too many days in a row; this indicates to me that they are organized and have a shoe problem. If the shoes are white and simple, this person likes to be stylish but straightforward and laid back. If the Air Force 1’s are colorful and crazy, this person is more of an extrovert. 

When I am walking past a pair of Jordans, there are multiple ideas that run through my head— depending on the style of the shoe. For example, Jordan 1’s are the most favored and most owned Jordan; in particular, many teenage girls own them. To go more in depth in my analysis, I look at the condition and shoelaces. If they are tied tight, I think the wearer probably owns one or two pairs of Jordans. However, if they are untied, loose and super clean then I suspect that they are a sneakerhead, meaning they love shoes and spend way too much money on them.

Jordans have a wide range of color, styles and collaborations. Off-WhiteXJordan is one of the most popular. When I walk past a pair of these beauties, I immediately get jealous. If someone is wearing those, they either have an extra 1,000 dollars to spend on a single pair of shoes or the SNKRs—the Nike app where popular shoes are dropped—algorithm really loves them. My favorite and most wanted collab is the UnionXJordan Guava Ice Jordan 4s, this specific pair shows style and is subtle with a pop of bright color. When they dropped I was so ready and excited but then I was devastated when I didn’t get the “got’em” notification. 

Like me, there are many people who are obsessed with and notice shoes constantly. Anywhere I go I notice people’s footwear, and through them, I notice personality. How often do you think about shoes? After reading this, will you think about them more? There is way more to shoes than just objects you throw on your feet, they are a look into your sole.