shoes to aspire to

[devi]

One of today's work experience kids is helping out in a shoe shop. He hadn't showed up yet when I arrived, so I wandered around idly examining shoes to pass the time. Every model of shoe had its own name. Some of these were what you'd expect as names for shoes, like 'Beth' and 'Napoli'. But I also found shoes called 'Creepy', 'Qualm' and 'Needy'.

('Qualm' were some little white shoes for kids with pink flowers on them.)

Why?!

Comments

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

It's the shoe shop as a microcosm of the youth of today is what it is. You have jock shoes and you have nerd shoes and you have goth shoes, and then suddenly a couple of cheap plastic trainers go on a rampage pumping round after round of ammunitition into their better-branded compadres. I've seen it happen a dozen times.

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

I think you've hit the nail on the head. The Needy shoes were all multicoloured and floral and over-enthusiastic; they've clearly been trying so hard to make friends that no one can stand their relentless bubbliness. I bet they'll be the first to go postal.

Creepy will probably just lose their white trim and bows, become slightly spikier, and find their true niche as goth shoes. They're like the one spooky-kid in a class full of cheerleaders and would much prefer to be in a Camden shop smelling of patchouli than the high-street shop they were in.

I don't even want to speculate about Qualm.

[mooism.livejournal.com]

Qualm marched against invading Iraq and has been thoroughly disillusioned. Voted for George Galloway at the Euros and lost all self-Respect. Losing itself in Euro2004 mania now England have won a couple of matches, will wake up cut, bruised and hungover the morning after England get knocked out, determined to emmigrate to the winner's country.

Will return after a soul destroying three weeks due to an inability to learn the local lingo.

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

Qualm marched against invading Iraq

Oh, the mental image... down the streets of London marched the students, the crusties, the poi-spinners, the people who'd called in sick, the Archaeologists Against the War... and a pair of very small, white shoes.

[mooism.livejournal.com]

*smiles*

[absinthecity.livejournal.com]

I guess the same principle didn't do Ikea any harm.

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I've never seen an Ikea product with a sinister or depressing name - just silly or whimsical ones, or weird ones (our cheese grater is called 'Idealisk').

I'm trying to think some up now, though - fancy an Ennui sofa? Or a Stalker dinner service? Or an Anhedonia table?

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

There is 'Jerker' the computer table. A real true Swedish name apparently; I'm thinking of wishing it on swedish_lars as a middle name.

[theflyingjackal.livejournal.com]

Be warned that if I find out I'm never going to be able to look at him with a straight face again...

[triskellian]

My wedding shoes are called 'Nirvana'. They're not remotely grungy, though ;-)

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. Now I am imagining, and wanting, a pair of white brocade DMs...

(What are yours like?)

[triskellian]

They're gold satin kitten heels with embroidery and sparkly bits, and as well as being not remotely grungy, they're not remotely like any other shoe I've ever worn. Which may be linked with the not being grungy, since I almost always wear Docs ;-)

But white brocade Docs sound yummy!

[class-worrier.livejournal.com]

We now know what Chris Morris has been doing with his time.

[mooism.livejournal.com]

I don't expect shoes to have names.

[verlaine.livejournal.com]

How do you tell yours apart??

[mooism.livejournal.com]

If I try to put them on the wrong feet, they don't fit.

[modalverben.livejournal.com]

All my shoes are called 'Frank'.

[stanleylieber.livejournal.com]

Emotion words are marketing gold.

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

Hey, maybe it's like the principle behind the Fnords! Make people nervous and edgy and fearful, and their response will be to comfort-shop!

[stanleylieber.livejournal.com]

I think you're onto something here.

Shoe names?

[kagomeshuko.livejournal.com]

Eeek! I knew shoe stores could be different in England, but I had no idea. Shoe names? We have brand names for shoes and they have styles, but I don't think I've ever seen anything as strange as you mention in this post.

We have Keds, Highlights, 9 to 5, Bass, and others. . .and then they each have styles - dress, sneakers, boots. . .but I've not heard of names for shoes like that!

Stein Auf!
Bridget