One of the most heavily noted cliches about porn flicks is that the performers get naked
except for shoes, socks, and wristwatches. Although this draws attention because it
looks funny, I think this thread points out that it may be an incongruent image for
another reason as well: it dispels the illusion of any real seduction.
If people routinely use the removal of shoes as a prelude to intimacy (and in fact, we
equate the expressions let down your hair and kick of your shoes with becoming more
comfortable and open) then the conspicuous presence of shoes in these scenes implies
that the participants are not intimate, that they are uncomfortable, and that this is a
staged activity.