shoe trees

[Tinkerbell]

Nice to see where I got my snarkiness. Of course, that seemed to be all I’d gotten from him. I’d seen pictures of him before, but this was the first time I’d seen him in person, and I was having a hard time not staring. He was so different from what I expected. He was definitely handsome, but . . . I don’t know. In a fussy way. He looked like the kind of guy who had a lot of shoe trees.

shoe trees??

 

[SoothingDave]

Shoe tree - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[bhaisahab]

Nice to see where I got my snarkiness. Of course, that seemed to be all I’d gotten from him. I’d seen pictures of him before, but this was the first time I’d seen him in person, and I was having a hard time not staring. He was so different from what I expected. He was definitely handsome, but . . . I don’t know. In a fussy way. He looked like the kind of guy who had a lot of shoe trees.

shoe trees??

A shoe tree is like this: Google Images

 

[Tinkerbell]

Does she mean that he seems a guy who uses shoe trees in his shoes? Isnt there a metaphor?

 

[bhaisahab]

Does she mean that he seems a guy who uses shoe trees in his shoes? Isnt there a metaphor?

No, it isn't a metaphor. I suppose the writer is suggesting that he is a fussy, fastidious sort of person.

 

[Tullia]

Does she mean that he seems a guy who uses shoe trees in his shoes? Isnt there a metaphor?

She really means that - but of course, not many men *do* use shoe trees, and so she is perhaps using it to stand for something more: he is the kind of man who is (over)interested in his own appearance, or who is very fussy, unusually neat and tidy - one could get a lot of ideas about what someone is like just from knowing the fact they had a pair of shoe trees from every shoe!

 

[BobK]

No, it isn't a metaphor. I suppose the writer is suggesting that he is a fussy, fastidious sort of person.

:?: Isn't that exactly what it is? Using shoe-trees is a metaphor for fussiness.

b

 

[bhaisahab]

:?: Isn't that exactly what it is? Using shoe-trees is a metaphor for fussiness.

b

Yes, you are right, it is. I was thinking of a known metaphor (known to me that is).

 

[Ouisch]

Even though the use shoe trees is a logical way of keeping expensive shoes in good shape (for example, they keep the shoe in the same position as when it's on the foot while it's not being worn, thereby keeping the sole from "bowing" or the leather from creasing), I still picture only old men like my Dad using them! :lol:

I think what the writer in the OP is saying is that a man who has a lot of shoe trees at home (one pair for each pair of shoes) is also the type of man who, for example, organizes his canned goods in alphabetical order on the shelves of his pantry. ;-)

 

[calypsovoice]

In other words, he's one fussy and scrupulous fellow;-)
And, maybe, even a little bit obsessed about some routines...

 

[Ouisch]

In other words, he's one fussy and scrupulous fellow;-)
And, maybe, even a little bit obsessed about some routines...

Correct!