Fashion feet: something new in self-love
Friday, May 5, 2006
The New York Times Style section reports that top-flight pedicures cost $80, but many customers like the in-home pedicure which lasts two hours and costs $125. The article concludes with these inspiring words (is this a parody? I’m afraid not):
Valerie Steele, the director and chief curator of the Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, said that with flip-flops and other shoe styles that expose the toes for all to see, flawless feet have become a status symbol.
“Having perfectly groomed feet indicates that you have the money and the time to make the effort and that you have the social polish to know you should be up to peak standards,” said Ms. Steele, the author of “Shoes: A Lexicon of Style.”
Public scrutiny isn’t the only reason women are opting for more elaborate pedicures, she said. “You should not underestimate the genuine aesthetic pleasure one gets,” she said, “from looking down 20 times a day at your own little jewel-like toes.”
