The thickness of the sole. The cleavage line. The quality of maintenance. The level of wear. It's all there.
Every shoe is a short story.
Thongs are chic again, though it very much depends on who's wearing them. After you've sifted through all the other clues, the shoes should provide the key. The shoes can foretell that fortune. Perhaps they don't like your shoes. A chamber quartet plays elegantly in the background.