Why do people leave on the footwear in porno?
October 30, 2008 10:38 PM Subscribe
Why do people keep their shoes on in pornographic films? Does anybody really find this sexy? Or, am I missing something?
Yes, there are both men and women of any number of sexual orientations who find shoes, and actors/actresses wearing shoe during intercourse extremely sexy. You aren't missing anything, it's just simply not your thing.
posted by Science! at 10:56 PM on October 30, 2008
posted by Science! at 10:56 PM on October 30, 2008
The floors are awful sticky on those sets.
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:05 PM on October 30, 2008 [6 favorites]
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:05 PM on October 30, 2008 [6 favorites]
I think it's up there the same as people who have sock fetishes. Not that this is completely related, but I've had about 3 requests from guys on a dating site for me to send them my used socks. I think it's part of the same fetish.
I wouldn't say it has something to do with hiding the feet, since there's also a big market for feet porn. But I'd assume it serves as a device, such as sneakers being used to emphasise the youth or playfulness of the actor/ess or heels being used to suggest classiness or something similar.
posted by chrisbucks at 11:09 PM on October 30, 2008
I wouldn't say it has something to do with hiding the feet, since there's also a big market for feet porn. But I'd assume it serves as a device, such as sneakers being used to emphasise the youth or playfulness of the actor/ess or heels being used to suggest classiness or something similar.
posted by chrisbucks at 11:09 PM on October 30, 2008
Here a study on socks keeping the feet warm. If it the guys wearing shoes traction helps if they are on hard wood floors. If the women are wearing heels it elevates there pelvic area. These are just some possible ideas.
posted by Rolandkorn at 11:31 PM on October 30, 2008
posted by Rolandkorn at 11:31 PM on October 30, 2008
There's definitely a huge portion of mainstream porn where they don't wear their shoes, either. In answer to your question, though, I think it's mostly a mixture of apathy, that most people don't care either way, and fetishism for particular kinds of shoes. Everything from knee highs to white tennis shoes to high heels will have their appeal to different people for various delicious reasons.
posted by empyrean at 12:18 AM on October 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by empyrean at 12:18 AM on October 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Almost no one is turned off by them, but quite a few people are turned on by them. So the liability is almost zero while broadening the potential audience.
Though I have to say that we're obviously wathing different porn. Or at least paying attention to different things.
posted by Ookseer at 12:44 AM on October 31, 2008
Though I have to say that we're obviously wathing different porn. Or at least paying attention to different things.
posted by Ookseer at 12:44 AM on October 31, 2008
If the women are wearing heels it elevates there pelvic area.
I remember reading somewhere that the reason that women wear high heels is because it makes it looks like they have longer legs, and long legs are perceived by the male of the species as sexy... With this in mind (and notwithstanding the fetish aspects mentioned), it would seem sensible for women to wear heels in porn, as they can showcase all the important bits while still appearing "sexier".
Of course, this doesn't explain why the heels don't come off once they are no longer standing up, but possible by then it's too late and stopping to take off your heels would break the flow somewhat!
Also, I agree with Ookseer, if you're watching the porn and noticing the shoes, maybe you're not in a porn watching mood? :)
posted by ranglin at 1:06 AM on October 31, 2008
I remember reading somewhere that the reason that women wear high heels is because it makes it looks like they have longer legs, and long legs are perceived by the male of the species as sexy... With this in mind (and notwithstanding the fetish aspects mentioned), it would seem sensible for women to wear heels in porn, as they can showcase all the important bits while still appearing "sexier".
Of course, this doesn't explain why the heels don't come off once they are no longer standing up, but possible by then it's too late and stopping to take off your heels would break the flow somewhat!
Also, I agree with Ookseer, if you're watching the porn and noticing the shoes, maybe you're not in a porn watching mood? :)
posted by ranglin at 1:06 AM on October 31, 2008
I read somewhere that they keep shoes on because the floors of the sets are not especially clean. Given many of the angles, they don't want to show dirty soles that might distract from the main thrust of the action.
posted by VeritableSaintOfBrevity at 3:01 AM on October 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by VeritableSaintOfBrevity at 3:01 AM on October 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
There's only so much "costume" you can wear without covering the important bits in a porn movie. Hats, for example.
posted by rokusan at 4:12 AM on October 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by rokusan at 4:12 AM on October 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Nthing what empyrean and Ookseer said--when you see some kind of inexplicable porno movie convention, figure that it's something that a small number of people have a serious fetish for, and that the majority of people don't care one way or another.
posted by box at 6:10 AM on October 31, 2008
posted by box at 6:10 AM on October 31, 2008
Because there's no graceful way to take one's shoes and socks off?
posted by electroboy at 6:26 AM on October 31, 2008
posted by electroboy at 6:26 AM on October 31, 2008
Because if the action on-screen turns out to be lackluster, at least there are neat shoes to look at!
posted by giraffe at 6:46 AM on October 31, 2008
posted by giraffe at 6:46 AM on October 31, 2008
Traction?
posted by gergtreble at 7:51 AM on October 31, 2008
posted by gergtreble at 7:51 AM on October 31, 2008
Like what Rokusan said, I think the whole shoes-in-porn thing is a part of the costume for whatever 'character' they're trying to get across.
posted by dunkadunc at 8:31 AM on October 31, 2008
posted by dunkadunc at 8:31 AM on October 31, 2008
with the men, i don't think it's a fetish or a costume thing by design - i think it's what rolandkorn says, for warmth and traction. the poses they get in would be near impossible if they tried to do it with bare feet. there's also the ugly feet thing, this way the boys don't have to go in for pedicures.
now, on the girls...that's all about fetish and costume.
posted by nadawi at 8:36 AM on October 31, 2008
now, on the girls...that's all about fetish and costume.
posted by nadawi at 8:36 AM on October 31, 2008
I have also heard it's because of dirty floors.
posted by purplecurlygirl at 8:43 AM on October 31, 2008
posted by purplecurlygirl at 8:43 AM on October 31, 2008
Perhaps they want to convey the sense of "This is so hot and we're so into this that we can't be bothered to even take our shoes off"?
posted by illflux at 10:31 AM on October 31, 2008
posted by illflux at 10:31 AM on October 31, 2008
This is actually a long-standing question—Stag films and pornographic reels from the turn of the 20th century seem to have established the precedent. I've seen this dealt with by professional researchers (I believe it was the Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise guy), and the real answer is "No one knows."
But the leading explanations include theories like:
—A legal difference between total nudity and partial nudity in obscenity law
—Ease of escape
—So they could walk around off-set
There are also the more modern answers of tradition, fetish and utility (dirty floors), but generally if you see shoes on these days it's because the director wanted to see the performers wearing shoes.
posted by klangklangston at 11:18 AM on October 31, 2008
But the leading explanations include theories like:
—A legal difference between total nudity and partial nudity in obscenity law
—Ease of escape
—So they could walk around off-set
There are also the more modern answers of tradition, fetish and utility (dirty floors), but generally if you see shoes on these days it's because the director wanted to see the performers wearing shoes.
posted by klangklangston at 11:18 AM on October 31, 2008
Um, because when you're wearing shoes you're not 'naked'. Sounds funny, but there's something very raw and soul-barring about being naked with bare feet.
Plus pointed toes look much nicer than having flat feet...
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 12:59 AM on November 1, 2008
Plus pointed toes look much nicer than having flat feet...
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 12:59 AM on November 1, 2008
Some people "imprint" their sexual desire with shoes. Some people, it's wearing leather. Some people, it's strapped to an industrial meat-grinding machine while Wagner plays in the background and their partner drips candlewax on his/her bellybutton. Some people like feathers.
Everyone's different.
posted by zardoz at 4:38 AM on November 2, 2008
Everyone's different.
posted by zardoz at 4:38 AM on November 2, 2008
It's better than looking at dirty feet.
posted by gawkycreature at 1:29 AM on November 5, 2008
posted by gawkycreature at 1:29 AM on November 5, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Just a guess.
posted by Pecinpah at 10:49 PM on October 30, 2008