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High heel shoes and history, attraction

Over the years many magazines have asked me about the nonverbal implications of high heels. I have shared historical reference's. For example high shoes in prerevolutionary France where used to both show status and more practically elevated the upper classes above the filth in the streets. In other cultures the platform shoes worn by women made their step smaller and generally made walking difficult. Some historians said the heels kept women from running away from their husbands or able to sneak out for a quick visit with a man on the side. In any case, the high heels makes it difficult for a woman to walk comfortably and certainly, girls in high heels on a basketball court or running track are merely the stuff of fanciful advertisements rather than reality.
High heels make a woman paradoxically tilt her pelvis forward and stand on her toes as if she is about to run if a woman is about to run from a starting block, but the high heel in back clunks her back to a tiny step. The tilt makes a woman look elongated as well as ready for intimacy. This is attractive to men, and easier for them to catch us!
Here is more info on the history of heels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-heeled_footwear

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional The Body Language Expert Web- http://www.PattiWood.netI have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Shoes

There is a very simple trick to forgetting your troubles.
Wear uncomfortable shoes!
This is an unusually light entry.
II certainly experienced the trick of, "forgetting your troubles by wearing uncomfortable shoes feeling Thursday when I wore my incredibly cute shoes from Nordstoms to do a four hour speech. I felt tall, which is sensation my little five foot one self rarely feels, but once I finished speaking and started walking towards the parking lot all I could think of was my poor little feet. Women have been wearing uncomfortable shoes for eons, and Sex and City ladies made it not just acceptable but a sign of coolness for a woman to spend far too much on shoes. (Reference to the I am the old women who lives in her shoes episode.) I am not a fan of the show Sex in the City, but I am a fan of fashion. In fact, it should be obvious from my opening story, I am not really a shoe girl. I am a cute little suit jacket that will look good on TV girl. But I certainly notice a cute pair being worn by some cute woman who will be complaining about her sore feet later that night. Just look at the shoes on the women on Dancing with the Stars and tell me those woman aren't a little crazy! They are lovely, but crazy. They are talented, but crazy, brave, but crazy.

Whatever you thought of the Spice Girls, they always wore some notable shoes. I Wonder what kind of footwear their reunion will bring.
Finding the perfect pair of shoes for any given outfit or occasion can be a little tricky. Of course, having a team of stylists and the world's top shoe designers at your disposal should help some.

www.nordstrom.com

Gwen Stefani Shoes - LAMB Sneakers from Gwen Stefani
Sharing its name with her hit CD, Gwen Stefani's "L.A.M.B" ("Love, Angel, Music, Baby") line of apparel now includes sneakers designed by the singing star and Royal Elastics.
Pamela Anderson has reached icon status in many realms - as a model, actress, animal rights activist, author, and now co-designer of leather-free shoes. Learn more about this amazing woman.
New Adidas Shoes Feature Beckham's Thumbprint
These new Adidas shoes for soccer feature the thumbprint of David Beckham. Learn about the new Predator Pulse Thumbprint shoes from Adidas, and view images of the new Adidas shoes.
Jimmy Choo Shoes and Models - Kate Moss, Rachel Hunter and More
Fourteen models, actresses and other celebrities don Jimmy Choo shoes, Cartier jewelry, and nothing else to help raise money for Elton John's Aids Foundation.
Jessica Simpson Shoes? Jessica and Reebok in Negotiations
Jessica Simpson already has a line of beauty products and Andrew Sports Club recently announced they will be marketing a new line of Jessica Simpson clothes for juniors and children. What's next? "Newlyweds" Jessica Simpson is in negotiations with Reebok about a new line of shoes.
Bata Shoe Museum
Next time you're in Toronto, be sure to check out the Bata Shoe Museum. This place is loaded with exhibits, and collections - including the "Walk of Fame" collection, complete with famous footwear such as John Lennon's Beatle boots, and a pair of Marilyn Monroe's red pumps. They even have a gift shop!



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional The Body Language Expert Web- http://www.PattiWood.netI have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Voice and Emotion

In fact, unlike other aspects of language prosody is universal. Emotional intonations are similar across all cultures. (Look at research done by Azia-Sadeh) I believe that some of the problems that people are having today with social interactions via email, text, Facebook and other similar mediums in the lack of the the access to Prosody and with the cell phone conversation that loss of quality sound makes it more difficult to read all of paralanguage. I have the new Iphone. And though I tell my friends if my Iphone could cuddle on the coach I would date it, the truth is I find the sound quality poor and have experienced frustration listening to people on the Iphone and not being able to read them accurately. In fact, I find I am interrupting friends asking if they are "still there." because I can't hear one of the most important factors of turn taking, breathing.


When I coach executives on public speaking skills we discuss the importance of communicating emotions. Reading notes or PowerPoint slides or any kind of list such a bullet pointed lists on a slide automatically make your voice go monotone.Creating a unemotional voice, boring and because emotions are one of the strongest links to memory, unmemorable!

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional The Body Language Expert Web- http://www.PattiWood.netI have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Your Voice Communicates Emotions Through Paralanguage, Dogs Understand Our Nonverbal Cues

People and to Dogs, What is Paralanguage?
Understanding the "tone" of someone’s speech well is related to your ability to be empathetic.

The variance in pitch and rhythm of the voice called prosody (a subset of paralanguage) conveys emotion in the voice. Because dogs are unusually adept at reading human body language and paralanguage they understand what you prosody is saying. You may have experienced that when praising or chastising your dog. If you say, "bad boy." to a dog using a loving happy voice your dog will probably respond as if you have praised him, by coming in closer to you, wagging his tail and or licking your face. Just as saying "You are a great dog" in a loud, mean, strident, attacking voice may make cause your dog to retreat and or crouch low and bring down his head. The pitch and rhythm of the voice can affect how your dog responds to you.
Prosody is not only the way dogs understand and read emotions, human also understand the emotions communicated through prosidy.




Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional The Body Language Expert Web- http://www.PattiWood.netI have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

The End of Men, Gender differances, Atlantic article.

The guys in our Thursday night Meeting of the Minds discussion group have been talking a great deal about the article in The Atlantic called, "The End of Men." By Hanna Rosin. It is actually a rather depressing article and I think a rather biased editorial. But, extremely thought provoking. As an expert in body language and someone who speaks to corporations on gender differences I know I see power shifts and unhappiness in roles for both men and women. The article begins with the statement, "Earlier this year, women became the majority of the workforce for the first time in U.S. history. Most managers are now women too. And for every two men who get a college degree degree this year, three women will do the same. For years, women’s progress has been cast as a struggle for equality. But what if equality isn’t the end point? What if modern, postindustrial society is simply better suited to women? A report on the unprecedented role reversal now under way— and its vast cultural consequences"

A link to the entire article http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/07/the-end-of-men/8135/
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/07/the-end-of-men/8135/

The theory is that men are needed for industrial, and farm work physical jobs, but now jobs require social skills and women are more qualified and teachers are said to prefer the sweet smiling girls to the rough housing guys in their classes so girls are doing better in school.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional The Body Language Expert Web- http://www.PattiWood.netI have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel