Shoe Fetishism

Shoe fetishism is the attribution of attractive sexual qualities to shoes or other footwear as a matter of sexual preference, psychosexual disorder, and an alternative or complement to a relationship with a partner. It has also been known as retifism, after Nicolas-Edme Rétif (October 23, 1734–February 2, 1806), called Rétif de la Bretonne, a French novelist. Individuals with shoe fetishism can be erotically interested in either men's or women's shoes. Although shoes may appear to carry sexual connotations in mainstream culture (for example, women's shoes are commonly sold as being "sexy") this opinion refers to an ethnographic or cultural context, and is likely not intended to be taken literally. Feet and pantyhose are related fetishes which are common among shoe fetishists, but this is not always the case.