why do we wear impractical shoes?

[@aaaamnaaaa]

I love all the acknowledgement in this episode of history outside of europe: indigenous cultures, indian cultures, african cultures, Islam. thank you Mina 🙏

[@Viscosunwinds]

What she said

[@itswhatitis277]

The passion 4 fashion is *~universal

[@indiabilly]

I was just coming to say this, I love that global history and culture are mentioned, I learned so much xx

[@aaaamnaaaa]

It is!! But it's not always acknowledged!!

[@pumpkinschannel777]

Absolutely agree! Great job, Mina!!

[@PPGandRRBfan]

Fun fact about Cinderella's glass shoes: A lot of people argued how it's not possible for only one girl to fit the shoe. Allegedly, the writer thought the same thing, which is why he chose the glass slippers. The slippers are made in a perfect mould of Cinderella's feet in a material that's not bendable (glass) so nobody could truly fit the slippers except Cinderella. It would also be visible through glass if somebody's feet weren't the exact fit (squished toes, heel etc.) even if they wore the same shoe size.

[@maizrs]

and yet somehow, they still slipped off 😔😔

[@maverickbull1909]

No wonder she ran out of there. Her feet were probably screaming in pain and sweat. All that liquid is what popped one of them off haha

[@antilikka]

I read that the whole “glass” part of cinderellas slippers was a translation error and was actually meant to be skin shoes..

[@milanavds]

actually the glass shoes came form a mistake in translation. The author mentioned a "vair"shoe which is a type of velvet material but since glass in french is "verre" and they are both prononced the same, people thought Perrault meant a glass shoes when heh didin't actually. :)

[@hollyfae_art]

That seems better than the original, where they were golden embroidered shoes, and her sisters feet were so big they cut off part of their heel to fit try to in it. Then some birds were like, “dude check it, there’s blood! She’s not really the girl!” And then they realized they had to keep searching 😂

[@NemFX]

Long story short, showing off impracticality and opulence is a human trait. "Look how rich I am, I can't do ANYTHING in these shoes. Not that I WOULD, because I'm RICH."

[@micah5847]

And then the issue is when you emulate these aesthetics as a middle class person and you try to DO anything in those shoes 😂

[@christiesanchez4013]

Interesting how it is primarily women who are pressured to endure discomfort and even excruciating pain to show off their status (foot binding, unwalkable heels) . . . it seems like equally high-status men can show off with just a nicely tailored suit and moderately comfortable (though still expensive) footwear.

[@13realmusic]

I would love a recreation sketch of those bathhouse ladies in their hella big shoes being attended to. Like do they really have their noses up to everyone while they’re being carried around. Are they flailing “gracefully”? I need to know!

[@phosphenevision]

same thing with tiny purses "i don't actually need to carry anything, I'm rich"

[@absolutelynotellen]

They bought such shoes just to flex their wallet lmao

[@13realmusic]

I love that Mina’s worn this cute corset top in multiple videos now. It’s refreshing and adds trust to her sustainable fashion beliefs.

[@MzRachel]

Plus it’s gorgeous

[@Billibab]

Yes normalize the same fits being used!!! It gives cartoon character (which is a compliment bc they have a few fits and each is usually so tied to their character and not just bc they haven't worn it..bc it's a cartoon) , it gives iconic, it gives sustainable, it's everything

[@broadway520]

I've wanted a cute corset top like that for several years now. Brand?

[@cheryl-lynnmehring8606]

Mina, please share where you got this corset top and the dress from your 90s "Is Thin Back In" video! Love them both, and you look great in each.🥰😍💘💯

[@nimansabandara6361]

I think she matched it with the wallpaper behind her 💙

[@mallorymcdonald4144]

Once I became a wheelchair user I started getting more into ridiculous shoes for the aesthetic purpose, from satyr hoof platforms to glitzy pink alien looking stilettos, because I can't be on my feet anyway. I was always a workboot or flip flop girlie before. I was just thinking about how shoes are just a statement, while still technically being one of our most practical accessories. Ironic timing to get this video suggested. Fabulous work as always:)

[@summerdaisyy]

I LOVE THAT 😍 i would love to see you in public with the most ridiculous shoes ever haha!

[@mallorymcdonald4144]

@@summerdaisyy oh my gosh thank you! I'm inspired to create more fashionable mischief now 😈 😂

[@summerdaisyy]

@@mallorymcdonald4144 please do !

[@sheajane4391]

As someone who wears docs religiously for work (8+ hours on my feet) I sure do loooove an impractical shoe so damn much 😂

[@ChrisBrooks34]

I live and die for docs and I think the platforms have made it worse

[@m.f.3347]

i find docs (well, solovairs but same shit) to be really comfy! break in process sucks but they're so good once you get through it

[@melowlw8638]

@@ChrisBrooks34 me wearing those dr. martens platform mary janes even tho i cant walk normally even with regular shoes

[@nikemaraje5]

They're so ugly and make your feet look big and rounded

[@josheydubs]

I love my jadon docs, but as long as I’m working in a kitchen, I’m not going to be wearing mine at work

[@skoo4221]

The bits about women needing attendants to help them walk reminded me of when I went to see the Wendy Williams show a while back and her heels were so high she needed assistants to help her walk around in between takes. I also feel like I've seen Lady Gaga being helped around in her various insane shoes...seems like that practice is still around to some degree!

[@opiumskittles]

i get uncomfortable wearing shoes that are too clean or new looking, they make me feel like i'm 'pretending to be someone i'm not' - having a bit of scuff or age on them makes me feel more comfortable. i'm a messy scattered person with a messy scattered brain, and a messy scattered style. it's wild to see that other people will take that as me having a bad personality.

[@hameley12]

amicable aggressor. I feel the same way about footwear. I've been a thrifter for over 10 years and always find interesting, comfortable and fashionable shoes for the least price (in some shops they go for $15 - $30US dollars) in their new state most of the shoes their pricing start at $45 and up. So, yeah having a pair of shoes with scuffs, charm and character is important. Personally, I feel like I'm trying too hard to fit into a trend or clique when I used to buy new price-tagged shoes.

[@mcwjes]

I feel the same way! Even as a little kid, I took my shoes through the dirt until they looked like they belonged to me.

[@jankk]

I’m exactly the same. Beat up shoes 4 life

[@clairerothero724]

If anyone thinks they can assess my personality by looking at my shoes, I probably don't want to be friends with them anyway.

[@johannaweber9023]

Personally i like to clean sometimes my expensive but more practicle (also really warm winter ones) shoes, because i love them, i spent a lot of money on them and i want to carry them longer then i did in my past with 'cheap' shoes (like 20 - 30 Dollars). One year ago i had a little financial space so i could afford them! I'm so thankfull! Good and also practicle shoes were needed! ❤❤❤

[@micaela.herrera]

The editing in this is fabulous and as a designer I want to acknowledge I can see how hard you work on these videos

[@gremlita]

I have an editor now! her name is charlee! she's super talented

[@Billibab]

LOOOOVE you showcasing moccasins and their history -- was a delight to see Native American artistry & design covered in a Mina Le video!!! THANK YOU!

[@mercedesedanen4555]

Yeah but also our moccasins are not impractical at all, actually the most practical.

[@Billibab]

@@mercedesedanen4555 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼Exactly what I was thinking!!

[@trashbaby9000]

@@mercedesedanen4555 especially hard sole mocs and mukluks. Even as white people started going west, many of them adopted moccasins because they were better for wilderness survival than European shoes of the time.

[@alimon89]

Learning about the beading on the children's moccasins to indicate how precious the child is even though they will grow out of them gave me heart warming feels.

[@tallmoth]

@@trashbaby9000 yupppp its a very common shoe here on treaty one. especially in the winter 🥶

[@alexandraw1001]

So I heard the Grimm Version as a child and we have the version where the stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to fit into the shoes. But also in Grimm's Version of Snow White, the evil Queen needs to dance in glowing hot metal shoes until she dies. A lot of uncomfortable shoes in my childhood fairytales. Thank you so much for the video.

[@cheri31]

I want to appreciate and thank youfor defining the fairytales as "Grimm" and not using the word "original." I've seen so many times when people incorrectly use the word "original" when they mean Grimm, even though a lot of retellings of "classic fairytales" are older than Grimm (Disney is based on Perrault's version which is over a hundred years older than Grimm) and there's no such thing as "original" because fairytales began orally. Sorry for being weird, it's just really really nice to see.

[@marie-heleneparent910]

Fun fact about Cinderella shoes : In french (the original language of the fairytale), they are called ''les pantoufles de verre'' which is already a mistranslation of ''les pantoufles de vair''. ''Vair'' is the fur from a small rodent which was considered like a royal fur to sew on garments at that time, so the she was actually wearing fur slippers, which sounds way more comfy. I believe as time went on, and since poor people might have never heard of that expensive fur, it just got miswritten into ''verre''. Edit : Thanks to people on the replies. Indeed, this highly debated. I have heard this information when I was younger and didn't look around to confirm this information before commenting. The probability of the shoes actually being in glass could be true, making Cinderella even more mythically unachievable as a beauty standard.

[@MBlondeRebellion]

thats super interesting !!

[@ghadakameche2248]

Wow it's so interesting

[@FuzzyKittenBoots]

This is a myth. She did indeed have glass slippers in the French version by Charles Perrault. His version isn't the 'original' either if one can even be said to exist. :)

[@gremlita]

so i actually did come across this info! i decided to not put it in because it's also been a hot debate topic among a lot of scholars. it's very possible that charles mistranslated "vair" to "verre," but other fairytales feature wearing equally uncomfortable shoes. for example, in a chinese version of "cinderella" from 850 ce, the princess wears a pair of pure gold slippers. so there's just no way to know what charles was thinking!

[@PurelyCoincidental]

This is, at very least, debated. While it makes sense from a modern perspective, Perrault was specific in his language, glass items are not uncommon in folk tales, there are other Cinderella-type tales with shoes made of weird materials, and vair was an outdated term at the time, except in heraldry (according to first edition of Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, released in 1694.) I suspect the two words may have been pronounced differently at the time as well, but I'm not expert in Baroque pronunciation, I just do research in French in the era. Fwiw, at the time, pantoufles were indoor shoes, generally meaning something like mule-style bedroom slippers, according to the same dictionary.

[@Betul-uf2cu]

I freaking love your inclusion of all cultures when talking about a broad subject like this one! As a Turk myself, I did not even know the history behind Takunya's before this video! 😊

[@garden_gblin]

I can say confidently that Mina's videos never take the direction I expect

[@beccaquesnel2806]

that's my favorite part

[@rebeccaatkinson5073]

love the corset matching the wallpaper!! exceptional

[@TaxiGhost08q]

Ikr? It looks soooo good 👍

[@Fenrisaconite]

I have several very impractical pairs of Vivienne Westwood shoes in my closet, my most prized being a pair of black winged rocking horse shoes made to look like the sandals of Hermes. They were THE MOST coveted shoes in the international lolita community in the 2000's - 2010's, and I'm deeply proud to own a pair in my size (it took YEARS to track down a pair of size 10's). They are supremely uncomfortable, but they are beautiful and I cherish them.

[@keirahazlewood4223]

Curious thought - if you collect shoes like this that are supremely uncomfortable or impractical, do you need them in your size? I guess it means you always could wear them if you wanted, but if you just wanted to display shoes like a work of art, could you get a different size? I feel like the answer is no, but I can't think why

[@FifthAveAtFive]

@@keirahazlewood4223 So I love the fashion from gossip girl, particularly Blair’s, and I’m plus sized. I will never find my favorite pieces in my size, but I can have custom made dupes from a seamstress. I now have two dresses that I adore, with two more on the way, that I’ve dreamed of wearing for years. Having these pieces have made me feel more part of a wider community of gossip girl fans that are particularly drawn to its fashion and curating an intentional collection. And being plus sized it always felt like I was on the sidelines limited to bags or shoes even the people I’ve met through this interest are very inclusive and welcoming (bonded with some over having invisible disabilities), but I had this internal gate keeping going on. I don’t feel that way anymore and what I feel about myself as being part of this community actually matches my experience.

[@hadassahm3016]

Two traumatic occasions where I've been out walking in flats that I thought would be practical for travelling in. Ended up getting blisters which then got cut and bled 😭 it hurt so bad

[@alimon89]

I feel this pain. I have have had flats dig into my Achilles tendon when I did too much walking in them.

[@eliseg0001]

Rothy’s are expensive but much more comfortable than a typical ballet flat!! They are made of a woven material that can be throw in the washer

[@isthatachicken]

What's funny about Naomi's fall is that she was wearing rubber tights which made it uncomfortable to walk so she had trouble literally moving (and I doubt the shoes helped) and then kind of just collapsed/toppled because it the tights made it difficult to put one foot after the other😅

[@Thevitan13]

Mina bestie, every time I see one of your videos I'm more and more impressed every single time. While your videos are entertaining, they're also ridiculously informative, and I can only imagine the amount of time and labour that would've gone into doing the research for any one of these. You've got historical references, global references, modern pop culture references, and i'm sure all your sources are absolutely reliable!! It's like, i'm watching this and thinking 'holy shit. this could've been a masters dissertation, the amount of research and effort you've put into it!' I'm so proud to see how far you've come, and can't wait to see your future videos!!

[@scarahjolielaide]

I was wondering about her education also when watching this as had a similar thought this bad a real video essay that I’d expect from someone studying fashion history..

[@savannahwellenstein4679]

As a person who revisits and listens your videos like a podcast, I can’t wait for the shame-free, long form, audio version

[@scarahjolielaide]

Shame? Quelle shame??!!!

[@megannasho6756]

I wear croc platform shoes religiously but my eyes always turn to the shoes that look like horse hooves. I don’t know why but I’m obsessed with them as they are so funny. One day I will get the money to buy them

[@baby.nay.]

Oooh you mean margiela tabis ? Cute ❤

[@giulliaghellere]

As a women whose feet are 39/40 cm (in Brazil) is almost impossible to find this impractical shoes that fit in me. So I wear flip-flops, sport shoes as adidas/nike or all-stars all the time. 😅

[@ayme2174]

Another Brazilian here! I wear 40 and have the same problem. I have to go out of town to buy shoes. One salesman insisted on showing me the number 38, and even tried to push my foot into the shoe! He said that's fine because "I was only going to wear those shoes on Sunday." When I go to stores, some sellers already warn that they don't have my size. The shoes I like don't fit, and the ones that fit me I don't like. What can I say? I must be the reverse Cinderella. Someday I'm going to find my perfect pair... of shoes. ( Muito obrigada pelas dicas nos comentários! )

[@_observado]

Olha em sites de artigo drag que tem vários sapatos diferentes em todos os tamanhos

[@giulliaghellere]

@@_observado Que maneiro. É que carioca é aquilo um chinelo para cada ocasião (pelo menos para mim)

[@plushdragonteddy]

if u literally mean 40cm, i can't help u, but if u mean a size 40BR, i do know of a brazillian shoe place that sells up to a size 42BR (so 27cm) !! they're called Cotton Candy Feet :) i'm not sure if they're exactly the brand of impractical that ur looking for, but they sure are something lol. good luck!

[@ayme2174]

​@@plushdragonteddy Size 40 BR, muita obrigada pela informação.❤

[@haggish_]

as someone who lives in NYC, loves impractical shoes (in my case, any permutation of a platform boot - tall, flat, heeled, wedge, creepers, etc - many of which are not city walking friendly), have busted more than a couple of pairs by slipping in subway stairs, have put my feet through hellish break-in periods, have spent a small fortune in band-aids and yet remains committed to these style choices, this video speaks directly to me.

[@femke25]

Great video! excited about the podcast! Also benefits of using a wheelchair is that i can wear the prettiest most uncomfortable to walk in shoes and not be bothered by it whatsoever 😎

[@goldengrace2833]

This was fantastic. I am known in my mountain town as "a dresser," when most people are notably not interested in clothes, I very much am. So, I have come to accept the fact that my ridiculously wide troll feet prevent me from wearing high heels and other fashion shoes because it keeps me from being too ridiculously over dressed. I used to jam my feet into beautiful shoes, but my feet demand "ugly" footwear, like uggs, crocs, and birkenstocks, and that's ok because it keeps me from being insanely over dressed for every occasion 😂

[@maverickbull1909]

I think you should continue to be “a dresser” to the fullest extent. Basic ppl are intimidated by people who have individual style. They can’t comprehend individuality which is why they just copy everyone around them, using the least amount of effort possibly to be clothed. They find safety in the heard and are scared to stand out so they attack ppl with the balls to do so. It’s like small town ppl who see fashion shows and say “who would wear that outrageous crap” when in reality many ppl wear them in cities full of other cool ppl. The person who says that will never walk in those circles and has no taste, so they talk crap instead. An eclectic/fashionable person like yourself shouldn’t dim your light for them, imo as a fellow eclectic dude.

[@goldengrace2833]

@@maverickbull1909 Thank you so much for that affirmation. I appreciate you! I'm definitely going to keep doing me and dressing wildly for little town standards. I just have to do it in practical footwear these days😌

[@catcreme]

After the misfortune of my ballet flats getting absolutely destroyed when I was working at a stand in a park and it started raining, I swore that I'll never sacrifice cuteness for practicality. The soles of my shoes fell off when I walked to the bus station!

[@briannekueny7019]

This whole topic has me thinking about how the transformation of particular types of loungewear from being everyday pieces of clothing that you wear for yourself to high-end luxury brands you see on red carpet. Take for example, the smoking jackets history off and on thought the decades as acceptable for black tie events, or the white T-shirt and jeans in the 80's and 90's to now the luxury sweatpants and hoodie in the 00's and 10's. I hope Mina sees this as a topic to cover. lounge wear to high end event wear!

[@maryhildreth754]

Mina, if you have shoes that easily get dirty, you can use Scotchgard on them. There is even a Scotchgard made for suede. Definitely use regular cloth SG on your fabric shoes. This does work to keep your shoes looking better and keeping them clean longer. It won't change how they look or feel or anything else about them, it will just protect them. Just a mom tip that a lot of people don't think about doing.

[@liasanzovo5240]

hi mina! love ur videos so much! just thought it would be nice to add something: in brazil, during the slavery period (from the 16th century to the 19th century), slaves couldn’t wear shoes, being barefoot was a way of showing their servile condition and shoes were a synonym of civility. rarely some of them could buy their freedom and then they bought shoes to show that they were free. shoes were literally your freedom!! and yeah i’m brazilian! 🫶🏼 this is widely spread during history classes here

[@aliciafranklin7254]

Mina, this is extremely well written by far one of your most full of information videos with a well rounded perspective on the history of impractical shoes from all over the world, but still ties in to the modern day like I know you always do so so well! plus wow the video editing colors and pictures are fanstastic! I love this and can't wait to listen to the highbrow podcast!

[@YukaAkemi]

Extravagant yet impractical shoes rly are the epitome of “beauty and fashion is pain”

[@cheryl-lynnmehring8606]

I learned so much from this video! Plus, I enjoyed the humor of those cartoon shoes and your shoes' plaque in a museum. Cartoon shoes: "When you kick someone, they go boing!" 😆

[@rogish2375]

About Naomi’s infamous fall for Vivienne Westwood she actual fell because her vinyl tight caught each other and not because of the shoe, however it has made such an impact that designers called Naomi and asked her if she would fall on the runway for them

[@rockroll5002]

the amount of research that is done in every video is so so beautiful. would love to see a video how you and your team approach research and writing the script. I assume it's a well oiled system because of how much content you create. lots of love

[@kittykittybangbang000]

THE HAIR CLIPS ARE AMAZING!! I love the whole 1700s rococo kind of style this outfit and background has.

[@beomgyuscrown6727]

i just wanted to say that i think mina looks absolutely gorgeous in this video. the bows in her hair are so cute i cant. also i love how diverse the examples were!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW PODCAST!

[@cheryl-lynnmehring8606]

I enjoyed how you showed shoes from different times through history across various cultures. Your editing is on point!

[@emilyonizuka4698]

I'm Japanese Canadian and wear cheat geta with my yukata in the summer (instead of being wood, they're actually a plastic foam material which is very modern and not traditional at all but much more comfortable) and I still end up with blisters. I used to wear them anyway for the look and accuracy, but at this point I kinda wanna just wear my sketchers from winners.

[@aleksandraschulz4057]

i love how everything about your videos is so fashionable and high-quality. the editing is so satisfying!

[@genericglam]

Omg it's wild how I grew up around sneakerheads that would take SO much pride in taking care of their Air Force Ones, Adidas, Phat Farm/Baby Phat, and Puma sneakers. Then I hung out with skaters who took pride wearing out their sneakers...now I don't wear anything other than Tamara Mellon shoes, heels, and boots 😂💕

[@shaina8947]

that "wearing out their sneakers" is really interesting to me. i think these contrasts also point to the notions of social/economic status that mina mentioned. people that take pride in wearing them out, are probably wealthy/well off & don't even think abt the fact that other ppl want to take care of their shoes so meticulously 👀

[@Ineverusemychannel]

⁠@@shaina8947or they’re low income and it’s not a major concern cus they still have soles on their feet; or they oppose displays of social/financial hierarchy; or they’re white and aren’t subjected to respectability politics in their day to day. The skaters I knew growing up who took pride in wearing out sneakers did so because it was “proof” of the time they put into their hobbies and skills. The sneaker heads took pride because it was a status symbol. Realistically, though, most people wear sneakers until the soles are worn out (even sneaker heads have their regular pairs) so maybe we just let people get full use out of their shoes without judging them. I think that’s the most sustainable option.

[@MegumiLuv]

I really appreciate these analyses that you put together. They’re creative, thorough and full of information and are actually valuable and worth while. Thank you for putting out content that actually contributes to the online world!

[@leannerae]

Can you do a video on the fascination with expensive, neutral coloured basics and sweats and everyone from Kim Kardashian to KZbinrs creating fashion companies based on this aesthetic.

[@plushdragonteddy]

aaa this video is so good !! i went in thinking "i already know why, but i'll watch anyways" and came out having learned many new things. i really appreciate this look at many cultures & time periods!

[@joannabajena]

I wore the Loewe balloon shoes 29:11 for an editorial and they are SOOO HARD TO WALK in, the balloons are long and keep going under your feet so you’re basically tripping over the shoe itself

[@miriamlevenson9430]

i’ve been seeing a LOT of crazy shoes around lately, they’re like art pieces

[@Pluto-tj9mq]

I’m taking this video as my sign from the universe to for heavens sake STOP buying shoes ! I only have two feet at the end of the day (not missing the educational and informative rich history of footwear presented here , just sayin’) ♥️♥️♥️

[@maverickbull1909]

Why tho? You only have one stomach but you still put different foods in it. That’s how I see it at least. Fashion is meant to be fun. Don’t break the bank but also just having one pair of shoes in life doesn’t make much sense. Would you only eat one type of food everyday?

[@MotherMartini]

Comprehensive, entertaining and relevant. This type of content should be required in any fashion school. Thank you.

[@Thegraciejaneshow]

Fav episode I’ve seen in a minute. Could have been an hour long !! I love all topics that remind me that we’re just weird animals

[@mercedesedanen4555]

Our moccasins are not impractical at all, Actually the most practical because how we made them originally with quillwork from porcupine quills to how we make them and still make them today are actually the most practical. The designs are on top to show our (an individuals artistry) our family designs, colors and show that we are provided for/can survive. They’re made with different leathers and raw hide and in a way that they’re easily cleaned, water proof, protect our feet from all weather and we can easily make them bigger if needed. We also have winter moccasins.

[@ryhen7062]

I would die in the winter without my muks 😭 -25c and they still keep my toes warm

[@onetwohilary]

Great deep dive! One thing I've noticed is how, at certain times during trend cycles, the absurdity and "objet d'art" nature of high-fashion shoes swings back to being almost practical - see all the massive, borderline orthopedic puffy soles, track sole/athletic platforms, and boxier shapes. My podiatrist is grateful, at least. (Also, if you ever want to salvage those BEAUTIFUL Simones, the NY flagship can send them to their studio for repair. I lost a pearl on one of mine and they look good as new!)

[@jeovaniee]

I was literally thinking about this so much this week bcuz my feet have been HURTING. I walk and use public transit, I love to always serve a look and none of my shoes (even broken in) are comfortable for long periods of time EXCEPT my gym shoes. I think I’ll try those jelly insoles

[@ColeChickering]

This video has beautiful production quality, Mina! Love all of your graphics, text, and transitions. You are doing a wonderful job elevating your already great videos.

[@ranziges-risotto]

Really liked this video! There's another interesting video by Nicole Rudolph about why modern heels fit so badly. She compares old shoe models with modern ones. In my opinion, it's worth watching if someone wants to dig deeper into this topic.

[@rosehipowl]

I've semi-recently had to start using a wheelchair after deteriorating mobility, and one of the pros I came up with to help me deal with it is that I can wear all the impractical shoes I couldn't before, especially because I have an unsteady gait and messed up joints so my shoes have always had to be really practical. No heels, arch support, holds my foot in place...there's a lot of shoes I love that that doesn't apply to. But now I don't care, so my shoe wardrobe is blooming. Chunky soles like I wanted when I was a kid in the 90s, heels of all sizes, colourful shoes because my feet are rarely going to get dirty... it's wonderful. If you've ever felt sad that you can't wear impractical shoes, I recommend getting a mobility-impairing disability. Apart from all the negatives, it's good for shoes.

[@suyang4505]

I really love how much care you put in your episode, the history and story you provide us are fascinating.

[@nyxldx]

I truly love how you went through so many different cultures to show the history and meaning. I feel it added so much and it was very informative as well

[@feliciasjoberg9886]

Mina: "I hope I'm not speaking as like the only person, but it does make me a little uncomfortable when I see a shoe that looks very difficult to clean or a very expensive shoe out and about in the city, because I understand the risk it takes to do that, but if you are comfortable with doing that, it is kind of a flex because you're like 'yeah I don't care about ruining my $5,000 pair of shoes, because I can just afford another pair.'" Carrie Bradshaw: ..... 👀

[@urdad3663]

I LLOVEEEEE THE PODCAST IDEA now its ramadan ive been cutting music out and looking for good podcasts so i love

[@mamahuhu1114]

It was so interesting even the cat stayed next to you to hear all of it. Great work as always❤

[@NotLaurel6578]

I'm obsessed with the Gorgeous black panther sitting on her arm chair!! Just lounging, loafing, being Amazing 🤩 Love!! Best supporting actor 🐈‍⬛

[@GosterMonster526]

Also! The Geisha and Maiko can be differentiated by their footwear. The Geishas wear the Geta, and Maiko wear Okobo, which to me looks like an invertedly slanted platform

[@alimon89]

This episode blew my mind. It explains why I feel weirdly shameful about my feet. I have big feet and I can barely walk in or tolerate heels, and realizing it's a reflection of class/status is 🤯

[@elineeugenie5224]

I've seen the most incredibly beautiful, impractical shoes in Italy... They're really about it. Itty bitty heels, round like a marble, beautifully handmade in gorgeous pink and lilac leather... My feet went 'we're not that crazy, look away woman!'

[@gloria7190]

When you commented on the girls dancing barefoot in NY, I istantly remembered, when, as venetian person I had the same reaction when pictures of tourist swimming happlily in acqua alta where all over the internet. Because every Veneto knows how Venetian sewage systems works 😅 and honestly, you can tell from the smell. If I recall correctly that’s another reason Why cioppine went popular in venice. The floor was extremely dirty expecially when water rose!

[@gloria7190]

Ps the podcast is amazing and I Made watercolors portraits of you while listening, to get trought creative block. If you want I can send you or post it! Your ballet platform shoes are amazing they are truly beautiful. I am guilty of the same behaviour with shoe shopping compulsion but then , I end up only wearing convers 😅 also I hate my feet but can’t resist buying sandals, for some reason? Idk I’m broke I should stop. But for some reason shoes and books are like crack to me

[@kiera2867]

I will never understand my love for platform high heel boots but I’ll always love them.

[@vr8348]

Growing up in a hispanic household, me or my sisters would take off my father’s boots as soon as he would get home from work. No one ever asked us to do this, we just always did it for some reason. Sometimes I would take his socks off too and bring him his slippers🥲💖

[@TimothyCHenderson]

very informative. The connection between heels lifting one above the dredges and filth of a certain type of messy job transforming into a gesture of elevating oneself above their social betters is fascinating indeed.

[@katdujka4760]

I’m having a bad day. I saw that you posted a video and I needed to hear this. Also I broke my foot a couple years ago so 3 ft tall shoes are outta here now lol.

[@mcwjes]

It's amazing how long a broken foot hurts. My sister broke hers five years ago and still has to wrap her foot before more physical activities.

[@trinity-miracle]

This set design is gorrrrrrg

[@flamingmonkeyheads]

it would've been so fun to hear you more into depth about shoes within sex work culture! i used to be a dancer and shoes, to me at least, were the biggest factor going into work. the rule was six inches or higher, and they had to be stilettos. they'd have to be perfect or someone would comment on them, and you'd have to switch for a different pair or leave. your toenails are usually painted white to look cleaner. my feet would be bleeding by the end of the night. but there were so many gorgeous shoes i saw!

[@MisshapenDeformity]

I love Naomi's big grin on her fall, she handled that well.

[@amaris5141]

on a somewhat unrelated topic, the cinderella live action remake by disney is one of my absolute favourites! it has such a lovely charm to it, and i honestly felt like i was watching a "disney" movie reminisce of the golden era of disney films. there was something magical about the film that i felt other live action remakes lacked sorely

[@gildedpeahen876]

I was in treatment for 8 weeks with a Native elder-an expert and professional artist of native ware, a leatherworker and beading artist…he taught me to peyote stitch🖤 the things he made were absolutely incredible-wrapping beaded leather around animal skulls, making ceremonial clothing and talismans, headdresses. The amount of work and time that goes into creating the beading on Native art (clothing included) is unbelievable. Those beads are tiny, each one placed individually.

[@maverickbull1909]

Great video. I think once you reach a level of wealth impractical shoes are preferred. They can obviously be a status symbol but it’s more about the statement, point of view, and the idea of who you want to be that day and how you want to feel. Like, I’m a guy and I have some authentic snakeskin cowboy boots. You can’t wear them in the rain or the scales will bend and the leather will crack. You can’t wear them in mud or anything besides a clear day, unlike normal cowboy boots. Obviously you wouldn’t wear them on a horse etc. One time I was out with a friend eating outside and it randomly started raining so I took them off, asked the waiter for a plastic bag, put them safely inside, and walked barefoot to my car in the pouring rain… Those boots were worth it tho despite being completely impractical. I maybe wear them once every few months. They pinch my toes after a while. I took them to paris and walked on the cobble streets and my feet were red and covered in blisters. It was too painful to wear them again for the week I was there… but i didn’t care about practicality lol. society is interesting in that way.. I was the only person I saw there who had cowboy boots and felt very American, but in a prideful way. You can only imagine the LOOKS I got 👀 maybe they were judging, maybe they were impressed. Doesn’t matter. I looked fking fabulous.

[@LaNathanja]

been watching loads of your videos, find them highly interesting, but in this one your cat steals the show

[@moxistrawberries5510]

“Subway juice” you are so amazing and hilariously honest! I love allll your videos

[@georgelopez337]

LOVED this video! So good, and so informative. I have been seeing a podiatrist for the past 5 years and can no longer wear "fashionable" women's shoes because my ankles are shot. Before that, in my late 20s, my back (sciatica) went out and I was forced to stop wearing heels. So, the history of heels is great to see. I had always heard that heels were encouraged for women by men because it poofs our butts up and makes our walk more provocative. Glad to see researched information on the real reason for women wearing heels besides catering to the modern male gaze. A podiatrist I met when I was in my late 30s told me: "Eventually, most women will have to buy shoes based on comfort/health and not on fashion/looks." So true.

[@lexitakamatsu7045]

“Not to yuck someone’s yum” is my new favorite phrase 😂😂

[@miriamlevenson9430]

high brow is an amazing name for a mina le podcast omg

[@spellraiser]

mina the blue wallpaper you have behind you is literally an optical illusion. that shit is MOVING

[@exosproudmamabear558]

I wear like 40 ,in Turkey you already have little choice as a size.I also have flat feet so even normal shoes barely fit me. The only impractical shoe I could get was an open front platform. There is zero chance I can get my wide feet into a pointy front stiletto. I cant even find my balance when I am barefoot. We dont wear tankuyas anymore everyone has a slipper also hamam's(Turkish bath house) doesnt used as socially gatherings anymore. In the past it would have two separate places cold room and hot room. In cold room women would gather, eat,talk and dance with some music.It was also a custom for moms of bachelors to find a suitable bride for their children. You could also do weddings or before wedding gatherings in there. In hot place you could wash,swim in thermal pool. Right now there is not many cold rooms left and not many use hamam's as a social gathering thing.We just swim ,wash and go on our own way.

[@CamilaLeon-mm5gc]

omg you finally created a podcast!! so excited been waiting for it 🫶🏻

[@miakellerr]

I am a stressed out highschooler and I am in love with the videos mina makes and the topics she covers, does anyone know of a college major or career path that would allow me to study topics like this???

[@murplex4406]

Fashion school is definitely a thing!! I'm not sure where you're from, but I went to Toronto Metropolitan University for a year and met some people who majored in fashion. There's also a program called Creative Industries that combines business classes with two industries of your choice, like fashion, journalism, media theory, film, etc. Other universities around the world have similar programs, it's just a matter of doing your research (I never looked into fashion programs so my help here is limited - I studied media theory). I'd suggest looking at larger universities (larger selection = more likely to have a fashion program) or smaller art schools. Good luck!

[@AAIVE]

i LOVE those rochas, since i exclusively wear platforms & flatforms!! i’ve just had a thing for them for almost my entire (walking?!) life! i’m honestly excited that they’re becoming a thing for everyone, since the variety available now is up like 1000% ✋😔 the lacy decal on yours is so cute like i BELIEVE in ur ability to walk comfortably (and safely!) in them!!

[@4meeps]

Mina, you fill the M2M shaped hole in my heart! Would love to see a vid on the history of rock ‘n’ roll fashion!

[@katchatt9827]

In my life personally, my school has a uniform where shoes are really the only place where you can express your fashion sense. So sometimes you just see ppl with really vibrant shoes and it's pretty cool.

[@hviz_4984]

I was just thinking yesterday how nice it would be to listen to a podcast by Mina! Thank you for all of your efforts :)

[@courtneychenry6827]

This video is so well done

[@kakekathundersky8603]

You Started talking about Native babies as I was wrapping up my native in her tikinaagan lol tripped me out

[@vigneshnehru9822]

Fun fact about the padukas: Some Padukas had dangling bell fringes as it was seen as the height of feminine beauty for ancient Indian women to wear jingling anklets with bells that emphasized their footsteps as well as foot rhythms in dance. Also the insides of the Padukas were hollow because of the concept of Ahimsa or Non-violence. It was to avoid squashing for insects while walking as much as possible and to prevent getting burnt while walking on a hot stone temple floor on a sunny day

[@camiladinelli1]

I think feet are a part of human body that don’t get affected by weight ( fat or skinny) therefore we can be bold and superficial, extravagant, etc not fearing somebody’s judgement or even worse, not having access to buy shoes because of your size

[@petalchild]

Feet do get affected by weight though...

[@lany4618]

it’s cool to see you touch on Tayū since most people don’t know about them, unfortunately there are only about 5 left in Japan now

[@absolutelynotellen]

I experience a period wearing a pair of sneakers with thick sole at once-twice a week. I was doing fine, until i attempt to jump or there was a P.E class. 🙃

[@Gigi-fk1wt]

I really liked how in depth the podcast went compared to the initial video, def worth a listen!

[@_noctivagus_]

Just before seeing this I was googling for those wavy platform converses lol

[@fantomesauvage2663]

Oh cinderella! Yes that's a great first shoe encounter. Mine was the wizard of Oz, I think it's a cool one too!

[@saint_mau]

i’m really short and sometimes wear shoes to just appear taller. makes reaching for things on top shelves a lot easier! ☆

[@shantifiga]

please please do a deep dive into edwardian and/or regency fashion!! Im super into fashion history and Im obsessed with your videos

[@chelseashurmantine8153]

I was seriously so thrilled you made this video because I had commented on a video you made about hygiene asking if you could make a video about shoe obsessions and you just went so much deeper than I could have imagined