Did you ever happened? Walking down the street, looking up and suddenly seeing a pair of old shoes or slippers hanging from an electrical cable, like strange birds that someone had put there on purpose for some reason that escapes most of us. Is it perhaps some new fad? An urban trend that is gradually spreading through cities, towns and small neighborhoods? There are several theories that will surely surprise you. Today in Supercurioso we have decided to reveal the explanation behind this peculiar urban postcard, and we will tell you why shoes hang on electrical cables. Join us!
Why hang shoes on wires? know the mystery
You may remember a scene from the well-known Tim Burton movie “Big Fish”. Ewan McGregor, after traveling through a haunted forest, arrives at an exotic and fantastic town where everyone had hung their shoes on wires. and they go barefoot. That charming image could certainly have inspired this particular trend that we have all seen on our streets, but it is not at all due to the original film of Tim Burton from 2003.
But the reality of why they hang shoes on electrical wires has little to do with this cinematic fantasy universe. In fact, the phenomenon itself has a certain name, originating in the slums of the United States. It is called “Shoefiti”. A term resulting from joining the words ‘shoe’ with the ending of ‘graffiti’. We already have, then, a small part of the solved mystery, but the most essential is missing. The why.
According to what has been recorded so far about this fashion, sports shoes are almost always hung on power lines. However, they can be found in the same way on trees, balconies, streetlights… We have multiple testimonials on the Internet. The reasons why it is carried out are very diverse, but they are concentrated in a few basic axes and, almost entirely, in marginal contexts. Crime, drugs and turf wars between gangs seem to have a lot to do with this curious phenomenon.
Negative explanations for hanging shoes
When we look for an explanation as to why shoes hang on electrical wires, Most of the validated theories have to do with the contexts of poverty, vices and marginality. Let’s review the main explanations for this custom.
- One of the main reasons why they hang shoes on electrical cables is to communicate that a group or gang exercises power over that area. Precisely for this reason, they are usually placed in visible and striking places.
- Another well-founded theory that explains this phenomenon is that shoelaces hanging from power lines, They serve to indicate that drugs are sold in that particular area.
- We add to the reasons, the fact that the shoes hanging they can point out that in the adjoining house there are valuables and it is “interesting” to start a robbery.
- The shoes on a power line too They sometimes mean that a police shooting has taken place.
- And lastly, another explanation for why they hang shoes on electrical wires is that They function as a kind of trophy for criminals. What is narrated in this regard is that when a thief assaults a person in that area, he forces him to take off his shoes and throws them towards the cable, to record his deed.
The positive meanings of hanging shoes
And while most explanations for hanging shoes on power lines have negative connotations associated with crime, there are other possible justifications for the practice as well. In fact, sociologists who have studied this habit, distinguish some other meanings that move away from the marginal origin, in the most humble neighborhoods of the United States. Some of these possible explanations are the following.
- Some shoes can be hung on a power cable, in order to celebrate something. It can be an activity that celebrates a wedding, a special birthday, victory in a sporting event, among other reasons.
- Another explanation of a positive nature for why shoes are hung on electrical wires can be found in the military world. In military barracks it is very common to see boots hanging from power cables and lampposts. It is a way to celebrate graduations.
- Jokes between colleagues or friends, that shoes are stolen and thrown into power lines, is also one of the innocent meanings.
- This custom was also used by people starting a new job, in which a good professional future was predicted.
- And finally, another of the positive explanations for why they hang shoes on electrical cables has to do with sexuality. Many people who debuted having their first sexual experiences, threw their shoes to power linesas a tradition in which childhood was left behind and the path to adulthood began.
Finally, it should be noted that a movement called «Shore Tossing» is practiced. An aesthetic expression marked by youthful nonconformity started by a young man named Ed Kohler in 2005. It is more associated with the graffiti movement and there is even a page where anyone who wishes can upload their videos or photographs to spread this curious urban art a little more.
And you, Have you ever seen shoes hanging from a power cable? Did you ever wonder why they hang shoes on wires? Well now you know! If you like this trend, feel free to leave us all your opinions in a comment. We will be happy to read you! And if you are, like us, a fan of urban art in its different presentations, enjoy the article in which we tell you about 3D Art Street. See you in an upcoming supercurious article!