Shoes: A Lexicon of Style [Hardcover]

Valerie Steele (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 1999

"There is a bit of Imelda Marcos in many women," begins the fascinating, energetic text of Shoes. This chic book taps into the obsession, the fetish, and the fashion of footwear, from the pump to the sneaker, the boot to the stiletto. There are no ancient Roman sandals in this book. Instead, noted author Valerie Steele speaks directly to modern shoe enthusiasts and delves into their soles.

Highly illustrated with cutting-edge photos and filled with quips and quotes from Tom Ford, Manolo Blahnik, Ann Magnuson, and other aficionados, this book stirs up the debate over high heels, bows to the joys of athletic footwear, and probes the power of shoes to convey status and sex appeal. This is an exuberant, often irreverent, contemporary history of shoes for the well- shod of every "style tribe."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Valerie Steele is a Curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, and editor of the journal Fashion Theory. Her previous books include Women of Fashion(Rizzoli, 1991) and Fetish: Fashion, Sex and Power.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli (February 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847821668
• ISBN-13: 978-0847821662
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,490,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Shoes- a contemporary look, December 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shoes: A Lexicon of Style (Hardcover)

This stylish book has more of a contemporary focus than most books on shoes, making it a "must-have" even if you already have several shoe books on your shelf. Stunning photographs by top fashion photographers, like Helmut Newton and Mario Testino, depict playful, sexy, sometimes fetishistic shoes by today's most innovative designers, including Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik. The text explores the link between clothing and shoes, showing shoes by Bella Freud, and other fashion designers and exploring the role that trainers, sneakers, and sports shoes have on our contemporary conceptions of `cool.'

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars for photos..., January 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Shoes: A Lexicon of Style (Hardcover)

well... it's a hard cover.. nicely designed... neat book..
nice to have at home... to flip thru look @ different shoes..
for that purpose, a very nice book.. for the sheer joy of looking at the photos.... and i think that's enough..

but certainly not a book w/ extensive info on shoe history and all that.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Another Disappointed Reader, July 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Shoes: A Lexicon of Style (Hardcover)

Although I rate this book somewhat higher than one star, I would have to agree that, given Valerie Steele's reputation and credentials, I had hoped for something more than a composite of fashion magazine photos. Particularly disappointing since this book was loosely considered a catalog in conjunction with the small, but interesting, exhibition held at Fashion Institute of Technology. Like the two earlier reviewers, I would agree that it contributes little to the scholarly history of footwear, still, I am glad to have it in my collection.