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Psychologists from the University of Kansas found that the style, value, colour and condition of the footwear can paint a picture of the owner’s emotional, political and other vital personality traits. It is such a giveaway that in the tests, observers who were shown a picture of a pair of shoes guessed around 90% of the wearer’s personal characteristics. 

63 students looked at photographs showing 208 different pairs of shoes belonging to volunteers in the experiment. Each of the volunteers filled in a personality questionnaire and each was told to provide their most commonly worn shoes for the experiment. 

The observers were asked to look at each pair and guess the gender, age and social status of the owner, researchers reported to the Journal of Research in Personality. This included whether the owner was an extrovert or introvert, liberal or conservative, their emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness. 

Some of the clues are obvious. Expensive shoes suggest high earners, flash and colourful pairs belong to extroverts. Other clues are less obvious. Practical and functional shoes belong to agreeable people, ankle boots are worn by aggressive personalities and calm personalities wear uncomfortable looking shoes. 

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It seems as though modern economy is doomed. Spain has been temporarily saved from a complete economic meltdown with a 100billion euro bailout - but attention is now turning to Italy who could soon need similar help. Austria’s finance minister today said the eurozone’s third largest economy may imminently need a financial rescue because of its high borrowing costs. 

Eurozone funds, already stretched by supporting Greece, Portugal, Ireland and now Spain, might be insufficient to cope with Italy as well, Austrian finance minister, Maria Fekter, said. She stated: “Italy has to work its way out of its economic dilemma of very high deficits and debt, but of course it may be that - given high rates Italy pays to refinance markets - they too will need support.”

The Italian Treasury declined to comment on Fekter’s remarks. Italian and Spanish government 10-year bonds yields rose further above the 6% level today as the aid deal for Spanish banks failed to ease fears about Madrid’s ability to fund itself. Analysts cited uncertainty about the mechanics of the Spanish rescue package and fears that private bondholders could be subordinated to official lenders, risking losses in any debt restructuring, as they suffered in Greece. 

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