About Shoes

Shoes are not just what we wear on our feet for protection, they are a fashion statement. Shoes can be the canvas for the crafter (as depicted in the photograph), or a starring role in literature, such as in "Cinderella" or the "Wizard of Oz." Footwear can be the rugged cowboy boot or the graceful ballerina slipper. Shoe collecting can be a compulsion for some, while wearing shoes might be an annoyance for others.

History

Anthropologists believe the first shoes were likely made from animal fur, void of any style or shape. They were probably nothing more than a piece of fur that wrapped around the foot to provide protection during cold weather. Ancient Egyptians wore sandals, dating as far back as 3700 BC. Early sandals may have been fashioned from plant fiber or animal skins. In ancient China, shoes had wooden soles. Throughout time shoes were worn both as fashion and to provide protection to feet. Earlier shoes were not necessarily specific to the right or left foot, but worn on either.

Types

In modern times shoes are divided into several categories. There are corrective shoes, worn to provide a medical remedy, such as arch support. Sports shoes are designed to help the wearer better participate in a specific athletic activity, such as running or baseball. Work shoes are designed to help workers better do their jobs, such as heavy construction boots or walking shoes for nurses. Casual and dress shoes make up the other category, including the shoes people wear on a regular basis or when dressing formally.

Features

Shoes are the covering or clothing we wear on our feet. The bottom of a shoe is called a sole, the insole is the shoe's bottom interior, and the heel is located on the back side of the sole to support the foot. Boots are shoes that extend higher than the ankle. Some shoes can be slipped on the foot, while others require fasteners, which might include shoestrings, Velcro, buttons or snaps.

Benefits

Initially shoes met a specific need, to provide warmth and protection to a person's feet. When style came into the equation, function was overshadowed by fashion. In the 1300s European men wore a long-toed shoe called a crackowes. Men attached a chain from the shoe's toe to knee to prevent them from tripping. In years after the popularity of the crackowes, some European women wore shoes that were impossible to walk in without support. Today, women often opt to wear high-heeled shoes, choosing fashion over comfort.

Significance

In early times people made their own shoes, or had them made by cobblers or shoemakers. In the 1800s, with improved technology, shoemaking moved to the factory, and mass production. Today shoe manufacturing is a major industry, meeting a wide variety of shoe needs, including expensive high-fashion footwear, sports-specific shoes and inexpensive shoes.

Resources

• Women's Fashion Shoes
• History of Shoes
• Shoe History