By Simone Worthington 

Millions of dollars are spent every year adorning one small area of the human body: the foot.

From jewelry and nail polish to silky stockings, sexy hosiery and all types of foot wear, many of us give our feet an awful lot of attention.

As a matter of fact, so do I. I love the look of my feet when encased in anything from sensuous, lace-topped stockings to slinky, open-toe sandals. And don't even get me started on leather boots ... or any boots for that matter.

I'm what you might call a reverse foot fetishist, which means that I prefer to be on the receiving end of foot worship.

I love dangling my sexy shoe off my toes, teasing a kneeling male who is longing to kiss and suck my delicate toes (an activity referred to as shrimping).

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As a facilitator of fetish forays, I'm also pretty familiar with this one.

So let's take a look at foot fetishes from heel to toe.

Foot Fetish Basics

So what are foot fetishes all about? Well, they aren't new, that's for sure. The love of the foot has been a part of many cultures for a very long time.

A classic example is the foot binding of the East. Beautiful feet were considered so important that women were crippled to ensure theirs were as tiny as their culture deemed necessary. The smaller a woman's feet, the more beautiful and desirable she was believed to be.

Fortunately, foot fetishism has gotten a lot more flexible. It doesn't fit a specific shape, size or type of foot.

Sometimes, it isn't even really about the foot, per se. For some foot worshipers, it's about submission. After all, to worship a partner's feet, one must usually kneel down.

Foot fetishism is defined as a fixation or desire for the foot or footwear.

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The sexual attraction can be focused on a specific part of the foot, such as the toes, heel or arch, or the foot as a whole. Some foot lovers love bare feet, others enjoy hosiery. Nude toenails, painted toenails, anklets, toe rings — all can be the focus of the foot fetishist. Shape may play a factor too. Or, activities may be the thing, such as pedicures, massaging or placing a sexy pump on the foot. Even odor and state of cleanliness are included in possible worship triggers. Some people even like their feet dirty and smelly.

Whatever the turn on trigger is, it will focus around the shape and adornment of the feet. In other words, the attraction isn't just sexual, it's aesthetic.

Admiration for a well-turned foot encased in a lovely shoe or boot is something many of us appreciate it. Foot fetishists just take it a little bit further.

Who Loves Feet?

It's common for people to think of a fetish as something scary — a vice the fetishist can't control.

In reality, most fetishes are just strong preferences. The key, as with any fetish or alternative lifestyle activity, is consent. If you have a partner who's willing to indulge your love of feet — or even shares it — what's the harm?

That said, not everyone gets the whole foot fetish thing. Many people are turned off by feet, or think they are unattractive. Large majorities of people do not like their own feet, and therefore don't like them to be touched, caressed or sucked.

For those who feel this way about their feet, understanding a foot lover's desires can be difficult.

It's also interesting to note that the focus of foot worship is not limited by gender or sexual identity. That means you can find a foot fetishist just about anywhere.

It's often males who worship women's feet, but there are male-male foot fetishists too. In fact, you'll probably find a few all across the sexual spectrum. The gay leather culture has a big sub-set of foot fetishists, focused on scent and boots. Female-to-male worship can also be found.

Footsie, Anyone?

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You don't have to be a foot fetishist to enjoy a little foot action.

Playing footsie is a wonderful foreplay activity that can be added to your sexual repertoire, while foot massages are one of the safest forms of connecting via touch with a new partner.

Plus, foot play is safe sex!

So how can you tell if your partner's into feet? Here are a few simple clues:

• They compliment your shoes or pedicure all the time.
• They will take you shoe shopping, and not even complain when it takes you hours to try on everything in the store.
• When relaxing, their hands will stroll to your feet.
• Concern over foot maintenance will be brought up. Pedicures will be discussed, and possibly even the color of nail polish you choose.
• Foot massages may be offered, but gentle caresses are more likely. The foot worshiper wants to do just that, worship.

Want to have some foot-based fun with your partner? Here are some tips:

• Don't force it. Some people hate feet as much as other people love them.
• Start with something subtle. Go for "You have lovely shoes" instead of "WOW, I wanna suck those toes!"
• Respect the ticklishness of the worship-ee. If asked to avoid a certain area, do so.
• Take a no as a no.

And, if it's your partner who wants to play footsie, here are a few things to consider:

• Do not laugh when they try to let you know what turns them on. For some reason, this preference tends to make people giggle. That's a bad move when someone's divulging a fantasy.
• Find out what exactly they enjoy about foot worship. Do they like toes, arches or the whole foot? Communication on what they like will help you assess whether you're comfortable indulging them.
• If you cannot stand having your feet touched, be honest and up front. Do not pretend to enjoy it just to please the foot-ee. It will backfire down the road.
• If you truly want to engage in the fetish but can’t due to ticklish or squirming feet, consider encasing your feet in hosiery or footwear. It will lessen the sensitivity of your feet and still allow the foot-ee to have some fun.

Foot play can be fun, lighthearted and sensual.

For inspiration, think of the classic pin-ups slowing taking off a silk stocking. It's all about teasing and enticing your partner. 

Having a thing for feet is harmless. Plus, engaging a new body part in sex play can be a great way to spice things up.

If it helps you connect, further your passion for your partner and have more fun — then let those toes fly free!

This article was originally published at Kinkly.com. Reprinted with permission from the author.