What is a Foot Fetish?
Foot fetish is a sexual attraction and interest in feet, also known as podophilia, or foot partialism. Partialism refers to a sexual interest in a specific body part other than the genitals.
Foot fetishes are common and are generally considered a harmless aid to a person’s sexual excitement.
Foot fetishism is only classified as a disorder if it has a negative effect on important parts of a person’s life. For the vast majority of foot lovers, a foot kink simply brings more variety to their sex life and more ways to play.
A foot fetish can play out many different ways. Below we’ll look at the reasons people may have a foot fetish, how common it is, ways to play, and different types of foot fetish.
- Why do People Have a Foot Fetish
- How Common is Foot Fetish
- How do Foot Fetishists Play
- 6 Types of Foot Fetish Kinks
- What do Foot Fetishists Love About Feet
Why Do People Have a Foot Fetish?
So what causes a foot fetish? Some people feel orgasmic out of the gate when it comes to predilections for the curves of feet and toes. Others develop a fetish over time.
Foot fetishism is one of the original conditions described by Sigmund Freud when he first set out to discuss fetishes. But even with all the theories out there, people today still aren’t sure what causes men and women to be sexually into feet.
Let’s look at some of the possible reasons people have and enjoy foot kinks.
Feet as a Fetish Object
Sometimes a foot fetish is just straight-up objectophilia. Feet themselves are fetish objects, and it’s the foot itself that holds the most eroticism for some.
The shape of the foot can be extremely sexual. It is both phallic, and in a way like a pudendum. The size, the length of the toes, the scent… all these things matter.
Some guys get into just seeing images of bare feet. A woman on her belly with her feet up in the air behind her, or sitting cross-legged on a beach towel can be incredibly hot.
Foot fetish partialism is thought to develop through childhood imprinting, but there are also some theories with a neurological basis, as discussed below.
Neural Crosstalk
It’s true that feet are sexual. Touching a person’s feet the right way is a very intimate act. Receptors in the feet go all the way through the body.
If you have ever had your toes sucked, you know I’m not kidding. There are nerve endings in the arches of the feet, in the toes, that run right to the crotch. Getting a big toe sucked clearly can be a close simulation for a blowjob.
Also, in the somatosensory cortex—delicate folds of our brain tissue—there are adjacent areas for the feet, the toes, and the genitals. It’s been proposed that foot fetishism could be a result of an accidental link between these areas, resulting in neural crosstalk.
An Extension of Submission
Some critical theorists equate lust for feet and toes with a desire to be debased, to be domineered. We certainly know that the desire to be dominated, to bow down to a superior power, is a big aspect of kink.
A submissive male may be drawn to foot fetish. He may see his dominant mistress as all-powerful, where he is only good enough to worship at her feet. In this scenario, his foot kink may include bootlicking and other subservient acts.
Foot Sex is Safe Sex
Some scientists types have posited that the frequency and popularity of the foot fetish in society rises with an increase in STDs. Eras that saw the blossoming of AIDS, syphilis, and gonorrhea coincided with an increase in foot worship.
Foot play is a kind of safer sex, as long as your partner doesn’t spend too long in the sun in badly ventilated shoes.
How Common is Foot Fetish?
A lot of men don’t consider their interest in women’s feet—their shape and size, the shoes they wear, the color of nail polish—a fetish, because it’s ubiquitous. Adoration for ladies’ feet is so popular, it doesn’t seem that kinky.
But a sexual attraction to the foot is one of the most common kinks. And in fact, foot fetishism the most popular fetish that’s related to a specific body part.
While we don’t exactly how many people have a foot fetish, estimates based on various fetish studies and scientific journals suggest roughly 10%.
However, the number for men maybe even higher, as many more men than women have a foot fetish.
Although few women have the same fetish for feet that men do, they will take notice of yours. If she’s keeping her feet the way you love, do the same for her, even if she’s not worshiping them on the same level.
Read: My Boyfriend Has a Foot Fetish
How do Foot Fetishists Play?
There are so many ways people indulge their foot kink. Here are some examples of foot play that men and women enjoy when dating with a foot fetish.
Toe Sucking
Sucking on something thick can be an exciting experience. Maybe you would never consider putting someone else’s penis in your mouth, but you may still enjoy a good old Freudian object cathexis with your lady’s big toe.
Plus, she’ll feel it tingling in her nether regions, whether she knows about foot fetishes or not! Or, let her suck your toes, and see where it takes you.
Foot Massage
Foot massages ride the fine line between intimacy and formality. A foot massage can be erotic, but it is always with a little bit of plausible deniability attached.
Footjobs
For some, the ultimate in foot play is getting a footjob from their partner. Some guys love to have a woman lube up her feet and use them to masturbate him.
In some cases, the man might want to please himself, maybe rub his own cock, and then ejaculate all over a woman’s toes. He may want to do this while she is wearing a particularly bright shade of red nail polish.
Read: 6 Footjob Techniques that Will Blow Your Mind
Domination and Submission
The foot can be symbolic of mastery in certain cultural contexts and is used in power-exchange relationships within the kink community. Lovers can play with this by making the worship of a foot an element of light (or heavy) domination and submission, depending on how you wield your five-pointed club.
Foot Fetish Toys
In the absence of a willing partner with sexy feet, some kinksters turn to the world of foot fetish toys. These are not only a good option when you don’t have a willing partner available, but for those who prefer to keep their foot kink to themself.
Another option though is to meet people who are open to foot fetish right from the beginning!
Read: The Best Foot Fetish Dating Sites
6 Types of Foot Fetish Kinks
Did you know there are countless kinds of foot kinks, from mild to extreme foot fetish? Let’s take a look at some.
1. Classic Foot Fetish and Kink
You probably describe your passion for beautiful feet as a foot fetish, but technically, unless it’s the only way you can be satisfied, it’s not a fetish, it’s a kink.
It’s true that the meaning of the word fetish is expanding to describe any unusual sexual practices. But strictly speaking, you don’t have a foot fetish if you can get off any other way.
Learn all about fetish with our Big Glossary of Fetish and Kink.
2. Foot Worship & BDSM
Foot worship is its own thing, even though it seems a natural extension of foot love.
You might love jacking off over your lady’s perfect ten, sniffing her shoes, or getting a footjob. But foot worship is more specific to domination and submission, a favorite punishment or act of devotion from the submissive to please their Domme.
Withing BDSM play, there is also the trample fetish. A kink for having a partner literally step on you.
3. Pedicure Fetish
Rubbing a woman’s feet, touching and grooming them, painting her toenails… all these things can be very erotic. In the sexually charged moment of the pedicure, there can be all sorts of roles playing out.
Read: Pedicure Fetish: How to Give Her a Pedicure
4. Pantyhose and Stockings
Another crossover kink is pantyhose and hosiery enthusiasts who are often also foot lovers.
There’s a whole world of feet in hosiery pics from Pinterest to Instagram to porn tubes. Some people are driven crazy by the sight of spread-out toes sheathed by the seam of nylons.
I confess I find it super sexy myself, to see a woman’s foot like this. There’s something infernal about the subtlety of being so almost naked.
Read: All You Need to Know about the Pantyhose Fetish
5. High Heels
Connected with foot fetish, of course, is shoe worship and high heel fetish. Feet going into and coming out of different kinds of shoes.
I think we can all appreciate how a woman’s posture changes when she is in a pair of heels… especially if she’s naked at the time. This itself could be misplaced foot fetishism; and it’s something we all have.
Biologically it makes sense; heels exaggerate your bust and butt and make you walk with a wiggle. But for some of us, the shoe itself is so gorgeous that just looking at them, or fondling them, is all it takes.
6. Trashed Sneakers
One day I was taking a filthy, worn pair of sneakers to the curb. Just as I was about to lift the lid, I heard, “How much you want for those?”
“They’re no good anymore,” I said. I did clue in eventually after he asked me how long I spent jogging in them, and if my feet had been really sweaty!
When I got inside I Googled and found out about trashed sneakers. Apparently, many men are aroused by used athletic shoes.
What Do Foot Fetishists Love About Feet?
Like the rest of the female body, the sloping curve of her foot is a work of art. With so many parts to the whole, including toes, the arch, the sole, there is much to gaze on and pamper and touch.
Because the foot is often visible, especially in summer, someone with a foot kink can often enjoy their foot fetish in public. At least the visual aspect.
Let’s explore the foot and what parts a fetishist might be attracted to the most.
Ankle
Although not technically part of the foot, this can be a major part of the attraction, where a man likes to wrap his hand around while lovingly inspecting the merchandise.
Heel
A fetishist will like to rest a woman’s heel in his lap while he strokes and massages a woman’s feet. The skin is tough enough for a little gnawing if biting is your thing. Maybe you like to give pedicures that might include a rubbing of the heel with a pumice stone.
Arch
Flat feet are not attractive to most men who love ladies’ feet. The admirer might enjoy watching dancers as they have the highest, most defined arches amongst women.
Toes
Many men will say this is the most attractive part of a woman’s foot, the part that can be a deal-breaker or that can seal the deal. They’ll likely check out the size, the length, the shape of each individual toe.
Nails
Part of the toe, but not to be forgotten, is the nails. Some men with a foot fetish prefer toes to be pedicured and polished while others go for women with the au natural look. Length and shape are also important here.
Read: Toenail Fetishes: Long Sexy Toenails and Beyond
Apart from the parts, there are other characteristics a fetishist will take into account.
Size
A lot of men go for petite feet and that can be sad for the women with a 10+ foot size.
Hair
I haven’t met a man who wants a hairy female foot, but I’m sure he’s out there. I recently saw a woman with the strangest hair on her toes; it looked like miniature permed wigs on each knuckle (Is there any man who would like this?)
Smell
Men will likely want a clean fresh foot to kiss, lick, and maybe even suck.
Deformities
Strange bumps, curves, and other oddities may set a woman apart in a fetishist’s eyes.
Do You Have a Foot Fetish?
If you read this and got turned on, you are probably into feet. No need to toe the line of normality, dear reader, let your sole soar and enjoy the sexuality of feet!
To meet local foot lovers, see our recommendations for The Best Foot Fetish Dating Sites.
Do you love women’s feet? What in particular? What do you like doing with a woman’s feet?
Tell us what you think