‘A good fit?’
would benefit from acknowledging previous
sociological research that highlights the central
role footwear can play in presentation and
management of the self, identity and the body.
Previous sociological research has noted
that shoes are important throughout the life
course, during key life transitions [11, 12] , and
also in the more ‘everyday’ production of
identity [13] . Identity can be theorized here as
fluid, embodied and constructed in relation to
others. In other words, our identities are not
stable and fixed, rather, we are always in a
process of ‘becoming’ through how we present
ourselves and interact with the world [14]. The
production of identities can be understood as a
fluid process dependent on contextual, temporal
and other factors; for example, Dilley et al. [15]
explore the importance of ‘occasions’ and ‘non-
occasions’ in shaping women’s everyday choices
regarding footwear and assessing when to wear
high heels. For sociologists, footwear can be,
among other things, a mundane and everyday
way of presenting the self, a means for transition
or a ‘vehicle’ or ‘passport’ which can provide
insights into who we are or want to be with
"Whilst sociological insights into shoes, identity
and transition have been hugely useful, there has
traditionally remained something of a separation
between sociological perspectives and research
in healthcare settings"
28
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