>>280034074Fetishes are irrational by nature. Some people with the fetish don't understand *why* they have the fetish. They just do. It can be very difficult for those without the fetish to understand it.
That being said, foot fetishists have a VERY wide variety of preferences, so the appeal will be different from foot guy to foot guy.
For some, it's the smell. Some prefer them to have a strong smell. Some prefer a subtle aroma. Some prefer no smell.
For some, it's the shape - it's purely a visual thing. Some prefer long, slender feet with long Greek toes. Some prefer small, cute feet with short, cute Egyptian toes. I personally think the latter is far more appropriate/fitting for a small, cute erufu like Frieren.
The appeal to masochists/submissives should be obvious. They're the lowest body part - one which is often dirty and/or smelly. It can be humiliating, degrading and/or disgusting to be forced to smell, kiss or lick them.
Not all foot guys are masochists/submissives. Some would love nothing more than to tie a girl up and tickle her feet.
Some prefer painted toenails. Some prefer natural toenails.
Some prefer soles. Some prefer tops.
Some prefer them bare. Some prefer them to be in socks or stockings.
I'm an oldfag who has been talking with other footfriends on the internet for decades. The variety of preferences that footfags have is absolutely staggering, so the tl;dr is that the appeal is different for everyone.