The Truth About Men And Their Shoes
Sun Herald
Sunday March 3, 2002
At 20, author and model Kathryn Eisman knows the only way to reach the top is to work her way up from the bottom.
Kathryn Eisman, a model and first-time author, is sitting in the boardroom of her publisher's office looking at her feet. "These are my new shoes that I bought in Paris two weeks ago," she says, stroking a heel of her black satin Prada stilettos. "I bought a pair of grey pony-skin Manolos when I was in New York; I couldn't [afford to] eat for a week." It could be a scene from Sex And The City - the early years. Eisman is just three months shy of her 21st birthday, but she has a lot in common with television's thirtysomething Carrie. She is beautiful, has a passion for glamorous footwear and can now call herself a writer.
Her first book, How To Tell A Man By His Shoes, which she also illustrated, is an entertaining, handbag-sized guide to "finding Mr Right" based on his choice of footwear. "A man's shoes remain one of the few items of apparel in which he has any freedom of expression," she writes in the book's introduction. "His sole is a window into his soul."
The idea for the book came from Eisman's theory that "most women look at a man's shoes and make critical assumptions based on that."
According to the author, the reason a man's footwear is so revealing is that, whereas their choice of clothes may be influenced by factors such as the whims of a boss or partner, they choose their shoes to suit themselves. And because they tend to have a limited number of shoes, they put a bit of thought into their purchase. "It's not about a role they're playing, but what they want in life," she explains.
Colour and upkeep of footwear is also telling. "There's something very together about having a clean pair of shoes: it shows he is on top of things," she says. "The way you take care of your shoes is an indication of how you would take care of your property and your life."
It's a different story for brightly coloured shoes. Men who favour florid footwear are "very much trying to prove they are unique and special and deserve some attention", says Eisman. But blokes beware; that strategy can backfire. "Personally, a pair of red shiny lace-up shoes would be a massive turn-off for me," she admits.
Of the book's 45 shoe categories, which include Thong Man, Designer Runners Man and Gucci Square-Toed Shoe Man, Eisman says she has dated only four or five. Not many given that she has what it takes to attract men of all shoe types.
The fledgling author and communications student at Sydney's University of Technology is undeniably gorgeous (when she enters a bar later that evening, you can almost hear the whiplash as men's heads spin in her direction), yet it's nigh on impossible to get anyone to say it out loud. As Martin Walsh, her manager at Chadwick Model Management, says, "It was her personality and sense of style that impressed me." James Fraser, Pan Macmillan's publishing director, recalls, "I met with her before we made any commitment and was completely bowled over by her infectious personality." It is her mother, Sylvia Eisman, who finally articulates her daughter's appeal. "She can write and she can draw, and she looks pretty," says the mother of this 178cm hazel-eyed blonde.
Kathryn is a very attractive package and Fraser does not shy away from the obvious. "[With] these projects you really have to have a spot-on messenger," he explains. "She is obviously a good promoter of the book and media-friendly. It's absolutely vital [to have] a talking head getting the message of this book across to the people Looks are very important, but what's also important is to have the personality and to be able to sell yourself."
The decision to become an author hit Eisman when she was 19. Eighteen months after finishing high school at Moriah College in Sydney's eastern suburbs, and poised for a career modelling swimwear and lingerie, Eisman had an epiphany. "One day I said, 'You know, I'm going to write a book.'" The urge to write wasn't new; as young as six she was creating witty greetings cards for the family. By 10, she was trying her hand at poetry.
When she was in her teens, Eisman wrote down a collection of things that she found interesting. At the top of that list was men and their shoes. Also on the list was the topic of her second book, and much more, although she declines to give details. "Is that OK?" she asks politely. She may be a media savvy "messenger", but there is no hiding the irrepressible ingenue.
Being young is a bonus, says Eisman. "One of the most powerful things about youth is that you don't know that you can't do something," she says. "I didn't realise how hard it is to get a publishing deal. So I just wrote [a book] and thought it would get published."
She began writing the book on the day she decided to become an author. "I started that night and wrote five shoe [categories]," she says. "The next couple of shoes weren't quite as fast, but I was very excited."
Eisman concedes that she is focused and driven for one so young. Her score of 99.9 in the HSC, which she achieved despite spending three months of her final year in bed with glandular fever, attests to that. "I could do a lot more," she muses. To help herself keep on track, every night she makes a list of 10 things to do the next day. "It reminds me of the things that I have to attend to and I feel that I'm making progress."
Creating a rough mock-up of the manuscript and sending a copy to two publishers was one item on her to-do list that got results. Within days of posting the packages, negotiations for the book began. It's a story that boyfriend, advertising executive Siimon Reynolds, would appreciate, having also carved a name for himself while still in his 20s.
Eisman and Reynolds met at a Christmas party at Chic Model Management when Eisman was just 17. Her mother recalls being a tad surprised by her daughter's new beau. "At first we said, 'Kathryn he's 34 and you're 17,'" she says. "But I must say, having got to know him, he's just such a gorgeous human being and they're so happy together."
According to his girlfriend, Reynolds is a combination of Pointed-Toe Boot Man (you may find yourself taken aback by this man's intense ambition), Leather Slide Man (this man wants an easygoing, equally body-conscious girlfriend who has a bunch of good-looking friends), and Never Seen Those Shoes Worn Outside Before Man (he's convinced his destiny is to be successful).
Eisman, who admits to having "an expansive shoe collection" herself, says that she and Reynolds are a good fit. "The reason that we're attracted to each other is because we have similar goals," she says. "They say you usually become more like the person you're with, and I'm very fortunate if that's true."
There may be something to that theory. Eisman's conversation is sprinkled with what sounds a lot like motivational mantra. When talking about her desire to maintain her sense of self in her writing, she says, "No-one will be as good at being you as you are." On surviving a challenging time on work experience at Fox News while in New York early last year, she says, "They say feel the pain, and do it anyway." And when coping with life's setbacks, she reminds herself that "rejection is just delaying what's happening; it's not stopping it".
However, Eisman is not in the market for a comfy coat-tails ride. "A lot of people think [Reynolds] does a lot more for my career than he actually does," she says firmly. "He knows a lot of people and Sydney's a small town, but often if you go in as someone's girlfriend, people resent you for it. I don't think it's as much of a blessing as it would appear."
Her mother concurs. "She's so young and I think she has a lot to achieve as an individual. Kath wants to be her own person. I think sometimes in a pair only one can be the star of the show, and I think she wants to be her own star."
And the buzz is that she's on her way. Besides the three-book deal (which, according to James Fraser, is for "a fairly substantial amount of money"), her publisher is starting her career off with a "bullish" first print run of 30,000, "such is our faith in Kathryn as a person, and as a future author at Pan Macmillan", says Fraser.
Being an author is just one of the to-do careers on Eisman's life list. She's already ticked off model, but still has magazine journalist, newspaper columnist and TV presenter to tackle. Martin Walsh says, "There are a couple of things on the cards for Kathryn: it's just a matter of the right vehicle for her." One mode of transport is a pictorial in the March issue of FHM magazine featuring the author pouting in lingerie and stilettos. According to her agent, it is all part of a strategy to present his client as "more than just a one-dimensional model". So far, so good.
How To Tell A Man By His Shoes by Kathryn Eisman is published by Pan Macmillan, $12.95.
IF THE SHOE FITS
Eisman's agent, Martin Walsh, says that to test his client's mettle, he has "put Kathryn in a few different situations and she handles herself very well". To this end he asked her to accompany him to a dinner party for Prince Andrew in Sydney in January, where the fourth-in-line-to-the-throne asked her to size up his footwear. She told him that his brown suede loafers revealed that he was, "The kind of person who appreciated understated luxury and comfort, and that if he were a woman he would be the sort who wore beautiful lingerie just to feel special." He was intrigued and amused, as were these chaps at Sydney's Establishment bar who were also given the once over by the author.
Name: George Spence, 34, Sydney commercial property developer.
Shoe type: Riding Boot Man.
His shoes: R M Williams.
She says: "He's a guy's guy and is looking for a woman who is a lady but not too precious about it. Probably has a family property. He's refined with a good sense of style and is interested in appearances.
He says: "She's not a million miles off. Looking for a 'lady'? That's very true. My family has a property [in England] outside of London and I do ride, but I prefer motorbikes to horses. Refined? Yep, I suppose so. I am obsessive about shoes and shirts - most of my shoes are Church's and I buy my shirts in London."
Name: Mark Holland, 36, flight attendant (holidaying in Sydney).
Shoe type: Airwalk Man.
His shoes: Suede runners that he bought "very cheap at Kmart".
She says: "He has strong opinions and has high expectations of those around him. He's had a rough time but has come into his own as an adult. He's a good person and thinks that life is much more complicated than it really is.
He says: "She was pretty close. I do have strong opinions - especially in the workplace. And the teenage years were tough for me. I was pretty emotional. Now I'm more level-headed. I think I do make things more complicated than they are. That's true in terms of relationships."
© 2002 Sun Herald