if the shoe fits????

In many fairytales shoes represent a vehicle of escapism. One of the best known fairytale where this is true is Cinderella. Even though many cultures and countries have different versions of this story, the most famous one is from France, and the ‘vehicle of escapism’ is a glass slipper. In fact, Cinderella does not actually escape her life of servitude via the glass slipper; she is rescued from her life. Once Cinderella slides her small foot into the petite glass slipper Prince Charming recognizes her as his true love and they live happily ever after!!!
The idea of the glass slipper has always bothered me. Of course it would be beautiful but how would it feel – definitely no give. But then I wonder about the different forms of torture to which many women subject their feet – be it for beauty, conformity, style. I always wonder, in action movies how the woman was supposed to out run the bad guys in their 4 inch high heels.
Don’t get me wrong – shoes are lovely and they can be so fun. And who didn’t root for Carrie Bradshaw when she coveted another pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes? But how is it to have women always negotiating in these ‘escape vehicles’…be it high heels, pinched toes or a wrong size? In a world where woman are striving to be equal shouldn’t they have equal footing too?? And what about the glass slipper – what many little girls dream of having the glass slipper presented to them someday by their prince charming???

This glass slipper is on display at the Morse Institute in Natick. It is part of the Shoe Project which is in conjunction with the Natick Open Studios (Oct. 4-5). This shoe is made out of broken glass and even though it is pretty to look at I don’t think I would put my foot in there.