Miss Meghan, Fashion Advice

June 8, 2005

HELLO CHARLOTTE

Fri, Jun. 03, 2005

Flip-flops or stilettos, shoes reveal a lot

We love them. We hate them. And we're always trying to find the most beautiful, most comfortable, sexiest or most utilitarian shoes. We know they ultimately shape the impression we make on the world.

It's no surprise to see a little book that not only interprets the meaning of our favorite shoes but also offers advice about how best to express our inner personalities and find soul mates. It's "The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say About You" (Chronicle Books, $12.95), by Meghan Cleary, a New York writer with a penchant for cool footwear.

Fond of bare feet? You are free and easy and "add a breath of fresh air to any room," she says.

If ballet flats are your love, you were brought up with strong middle-class values and "iron out disagreements among friends."

The classic high-heel pump means you're likely reading the financial page, scanning text messages, making notes and drinking coffee simultaneously.

And as for the flip-flop, you're probably on island time, taking a slower, "more meditative approach" to life. -- Charlotte Observer