Your Questions About Shoes For Women Over 50

Mary asks…

For Captain Starkiller re; Shoe tree?

Not a question but a more detailed answer to: Why would people throw shoes onto a tree? "For 30 years the banches of a tree on the busy A40 have been bedecked by dozens of pairs of shoes, many hanging from their laces, tied neatly. But a four-year project, funded by the National Lottery to discover why the shoes are dangled, has borne no fruit. The shoe tree, between High Wycombe and Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire, is currently decorated with around 50 pairs of shoes, ranging from tattered working boots to smart looking women's slip-ons." First answer from Poppy: Hmm that's a jolly difficult question to answer! My feeling is that someone threw some shoes in (just like they often get thrown onto the top of bus stops) and then someone else did the same for fun and everyone else just copied. That is the nature of people after all. A good game is to just stand in the street looking up at something and then see how many people come and do the same. People will stay staring for ages without even knowing what they're looking at! My friend Jack once asked a local Somerset boy why he came and pressed a coin into the bark of the thorn tree on Glastonbury Tor and he replied, "It's just what you do isn't it". I would imagine that the shoe thing is also 'just what you do'. We could of course make up some tale about shoes traditionally being used in folk magic, which is true, and build an explanation up around that. In a way I like the mystery of the shoe tree though. From Applestar: Theres a tree in a park near where I work bedecked with shoes - a load of kids did it one time. I can see that it would be fun trying to chuck shoes high enough to land on the tree and stay put. I would imagine that with the tree in question, alcohol or other high spirits were involved! and From 'Skegga: Hmm A40 at Stokenchurch? I can answer that - because it is the shoe tree! You have to be a local to understand these quaint folk customs. In other words I have no idea. I crane my neck out the car window to admire it every time we pass.

Our pick of the answers:

I've seen the "shoe tree" and just assumed it must be part of some local pagan ritual - a prayer tree, much in the manner of prayer trees in part of Ireland where people tie a small piece of cloth in the branches of a tree. That sort of thing. I've also heard that in America if a person trespasses on another gang's turf, they can have their footwear [trainers] taken from them. These are then tied together and thrown up over some nearby power-lines. Trainers on power line [USA somewhere]. Http://dvice.com/pics/Shoes-hanging-from-power-lines.jpg Shoe Cult spreads. . . Http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.roadtripamerica.com/roadside/shoetree071504.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.roadtripamerica.com/roadside/shoetrees2.htm&usg=__7d18y-ZjraIRhRlKn_5AAXGehXY=&h=300&w=400&sz=35&hl=en&start=7&sig2=sTZn3lllXVmaVm_GIhrCoQ&tbnid=apfVzkZdt45PiM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&ei=h215SdXMCKO1jAeFxaS3AQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshoe%2Btrees%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG So many shoes on this tree people have had to leave them on the ground below. . .their shoes I mean. . . Http://www.roadtripamerica.com/roadside/shoetree071504.jpg More shoe trees. Http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/display/9a596bf2-a734-475f-a73a-3f9195adbc03.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM1K67&usg=__sVIziLHuN7qgKYnsXMgH8FX9apg=&h=303&w=400&sz=47&hl=en&start=11&sig2=qxpwbokGlw56cUuL0Ws5Yg&tbnid=E4fmJsL96CPefM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=124&ei=h215SdXMCKO1jAeFxaS3AQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshoe%2Btrees%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG I'm now starting to think that maybe this Shoe Tree cult got started in the States. I'm only saying this because I've never heard of such in any ancient British sense. I mean, who in their right mind, say 100 years ago, here in UK is gonna hang a pair of shoes up in a tree? Far to expensive. No, the owner of a pair of shoes back then is gonna wear them for Sunday best and walk bear foot for the rest of the time. Http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/display/9a596bf2-a734-475f-a73a-3f9195adbc03.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM1K67&usg=__sVIziLHuN7qgKYnsXMgH8FX9apg=&h=303&w=400&sz=47&hl=en&start=11&sig2=qxpwbokGlw56cUuL0Ws5Yg&tbnid=E4fmJsL96CPefM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=124&ei=h215SdXMCKO1jAeFxaS3AQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshoe%2Btrees%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG Shoe trees - dozens of them. . . Http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=what+are+the+origins+of+the+shoe+trees&btnG=Search+Images Yup - shoe trees are an American phenomenon [a cult] which has spread to UK. Http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://bored-night.com/pics/Shoe%2520Tree/shoe-tree003.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bored-night.com/index.php/Places/Shoe-Trees-Embodiment-of-the-American-Spirit.html&usg=__MB97gZpMbKpPkBB0tZurWhQl6qM=&h=339&w=450&sz=47&hl=en&start=1&sig2=m1tsXYm_hgm9OMkPNclTNQ&tbnid=wyR41P39iOfP6M:&tbnh=96&tbnw=127&ei=wW55Sa-8CaO1jAfYxKC3AQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwhat%2Bare%2Bthe%2Borigins%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bshoe%2Btrees%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Mandy asks…

Hiking shoes for women?

I am searching for a pair of hiking shoes for women that look in some way feminine. Im going backpacking later this year, and I know I need practical shoes but I cannot bring myself to buy the shoes available in traveling stores. Women styles appear to be no different to the mens other than size. Surely somebody is making them in colours other than beige and blue and with practical yet decent design?

Our pick of the answers:

Hi You dont say how much you want to spend or if this is a one off trip so I wil make some assumptions!!! I would strongly recommend Berghaus boots for your trip. They do a wide selection of styles and prices and can look quite feminine if your feet aren't too big!!! My partner takes size five and she can get away wearing them under jeans etc. If you can afford it get a pair of Berghaus Explorer, these have goretex lining which will keep your feet dry and have a suede upper. These are the boots my partner has had for about five years and she swears by them. You can pick them up for between £50-£60 online from various stores. Happy hiking!!! Dean

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