pigeon-toed, bow-legged, stomping, unsteady

[Taro Toporific]

Japanese women's legs telltale signs of differing walks of life
Channel News Asia, Singapore - TOKYO: The sight of pigeon-toed, bow-legged young Japanese women, with a stomping, unsteady gait due to their high-heels, is arguably one of the first things about the country that strikes foreign visitors. But Japanese women's legs testify to cultural, historical and fashion codes behind the cliche ...

[Crispy]

I had been tought that Japanese women walked pigeon-toed because if they were wearing a kimono and walked with their toes pointing out, the kimono would open, having the seam in the front. I don't know if I believed it though...

[Big Booger]

The question is, do their shoes wear out faster because of the inverted stance that they take?

Also, does their cartilage break down faster because of this unnatural foot placement?

I think it look silly and I know Americans are made fun of for walking like that.

[AssKissinger]

I think it's sexy. I think the cross-eyed thing is sexy, too. I guess because I think an infantile fool is more likely to be stupid enough to let a guy like me have a go.

"in all of Asia, only Japanese women walk like that".

I don't think that's right though. Korean chicks walk the same way. Do you agree Caustic?

[GomiGirl]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

so really it is just what you are used to and what you are conditioned to think is cute and/or sexy...

[gomichild]

Leg warmers and kitten heeled pumps are just not sexy...and neither is walking along like you've borrowed your Mum's shoes...

And these girls just block the footpath when they are stumbling to walk along...

[kamome]

It's funny, I have noticed the uchimata style displayed by many Japanese women and thought it was a conscious decision to act cute, not a culturally ingrained stance. But not all women in Japan walk that way, either. The ones who do tend to look goofy.

Anyway, leave it up to a French "photohistorian" to come up with the idea of photographing womens' legs and passing the pictures off as "art".

[Crispy]

All I know is, my legs just aren't developed properly to sit in seiza for any length of time. After five minutes, the pain starts. After ten, the numbness starts. After fifteen, the numbness and pain has gotten all the way up into my trunk. How about the rest of you? Have you adapted?

[Caustic Saint]

"in all of Asia, only Japanese women walk like that".

I don't think that's right though. Korean chicks walk the same way. Do you agree Caustic?

The super-high platform sneaks are still big over here with Jr. High and HS girls. Once they move on to college they gravitate towards the high heels. Very tall, spiked ones usually. Sound like a bull elephant stomping around when they cross a lobby with a marble floor.

Housewives go for more "sensible" shoes once they have kids, then wreck their backs by using some traditional "papoose pack" made out of the same stuff as cheap quilts to tie the kid to their back - around the waist only, no support help from the shoulders. That's why you'll see so many old Korean women with spines severely out of whack.

Getting back to the walk, I've never really looked to hard. Have to take a gander while I'm out and about this weekend. I'll get back to you on this.

[canman]

I've tried Lord knows I've tried. Went to my students Tea ceremony er ah ceremony, had to sit seiza, tried to, but after about ten minutes lost all feeling in my legs, and fell over hitting an old gentleman beside me. I guess we must have looked like a couple of dominos, falling over, but I couldn't stop myself or him. But nobody said a word, one nice lady came over and helped us both up and told me to sit indian style for the rest of the ceremony.