Shoe

We stand and walk on the earth with our shoes; they can therefore symbolize our standpoint, our relationship with or adaptation to reality, or to a specific situation. Worn-out shoes may signify an unsuitable or outdated adaptation or something equivalent. It is important to wear appropriate footwear in given situations. (See also Foot.)  

Standpoint  

Shoes represent one’s standpoint: we begin by walking in children’s shoes, may later walk in our father’s shoes, and ultimately walk in our own.  

Walking in someone else’s shoes may indicate a lack of one’s own standpoint. If the shoes one wears are unsuitable for the situation, it might suggest difficulties relating to or adapting to the reality reflected in the dream.  

With the right shoes—standpoint, attitude, or approach—walking is easy, but with bad shoes, it becomes troublesome.  

Fairy Tales  

When the miller’s son in the tale buys a pair of boots for his cat instead of making gloves from its skin, it marks the beginning of an unexpected ascent. Only when Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz possesses (or realizes she possesses) the right shoes can she find her way home.

On the other hand, in Hans Christian Andersen’s story "The Red Shoes", a simple girl wears shoes fit for a princess to church. Despite being warned, she cannot resist the temptation to wear them again; the shoes begin to control her, and vanity—representing a false standpoint or attitude symbolized by the shoes—leads to the girl’s downfall.  

Familiar Paths

Shoes that are broken in and comfortable often symbolize our habitual ways of handling situations (see below), reflecting how we relate to the world around us. Removing one’s shoes can therefore symbolize leaving behind customary strategies of adaptation, perhaps becoming more unguarded or “naked.” (See also Barefoot.)

Identity  

Walking “in one’s father’s shoes” signifies taking on the same profession as one’s father. The athlete who “hangs up his shoes” ends his sports career. A salesperson wears black low-cut shoes, a soldier wears boots, a fashionable woman wears high heels—the poor may have worn-out shoes, and in the past, people spoke of “barefoot children.” In fairy tales, the princess is identified by her lost shoe.

The shoe, in other words, is associated with identity, profession, and status. It is something we can outgrow; leaving behind one’s shoes may indicate acceptance of a new phase in life or a new approach to a situation. (See also Clothing.)  

Situation

Shoes sometimes describe how we approach or truly relate to a situation; unlike feet, we are not born with shoes but choose them based on what we believe is suitable for a given situation. In other words, shoes symbolize how we relate to a specific life circumstance.  

For example, do we meet someone else wearing sneakers or barefoot? Do we enter the forest in boots or dress shoes? Do we march in boots or high heels? Often in dreams, we find ourselves wearing the wrong shoes, which can indicate an unsuitable standpoint, as well as misunderstandings, lack of preparation, and so on.  

Power

Shoes can symbolize power and express force and dominance. This is perhaps most clearly illustrated by military footwear, such as riding boots and combat boots, and the synchronized marching of soldiers. Similarly, the sound of hard heels striking the floor as a significant person approaches, or the jingling spurs of cowboy boots, conveys authority and strength.  

Travel and Movement

When setting out on a journey, one first puts on shoes—preparing for travel. In dreams, we sometimes wear unsuitable shoes for the journey, which may signify that we are unprepared or misunderstanding the situation.  

Like legs and feet, shoes suggest movement and can relate to how we progress through life. Shoes also symbolize “moving on” along life’s path, a metaphor often employed by Bob Dylan in his songs (such as Boots of Spanish Leather).  

The Cobbler  

The cobbler, however, should not overstep his bounds. In fairy tales, he is portrayed as a humble figure, one who “sticks to his last” and refrains from grandiose ambitions or lofty dreams. While our waking self might resist such a modest philosophy, dreams often respond negatively when we adopt an identity in waking life that is ill-suited to our personality or inflated in its self-perception.  

Especially in later stages of life, there is nothing wrong with accepting that, ultimately, one is just a simple human being. Even by the cobbler’s last, individuation can continue.  

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