Adrian Stephens-In My Shoes

                           

    I sit one row over and three seats back from Nicole Evans
in physics class. We've been in school for more than a month
now, and I'm not sure if she's noticed me once. I noticed her
immediately. For a senior guy in high school it's kind of hard
not to notice the perfect girl. She's smart and funny, and
when she smiles she lights up the entire roont. That's what
drew me to her first. Her smile. It's warm and sincere,
complemented by her eyes. They narrovv ever so slightly
when she smiles. Her eyes. Blue as an ocean that seems to
have no bottom. Blue that is accented by the canvas that is
her hair. Her hair. Blonde, silky smooth and flowing over her
shoulders, laying gently over her ...
   'Jake!" His whisper made me jump out of my seat Mike,
my best friend. I'm not in the habit of drawing attention to
myself, but when I jumped I kicked my desk. That was
enough to draw the attention of my physics teacher, Mr.
Korelinski.
   'Is everything alright Mr. Matthews?" he asked.
    "Yes sir. I thought I saw a ... spider.' Chuckles rolled
throughout the classroom. A spider. That's the best I could
come up with ? Nicole turned over her shoulder and looked at
me. I couldn't read the expression on her face but it seemed
to have a hint of indifference. I wasn't sure, but I thought she
rolled her eyes as she turned away from me.
    I looked over at Mike sheepishly. "What?" I whispered
back, trying to project my irritation. He was laughing to
himself obviously unconcerned with my embarrassment.
    "Nothin, ... just wanted to see you jump. Dude, you
looked lost in space." hanks Mike.
    I had been planning for a week to ask Nicole out. I had
the whole thing worked out in my head. When third period
was over, I would stop by her locker. I would start by saying
hello, talk about our physics class a little, and if the
conversation was going well I would ask her if she wou1d like
to study together sometime. I just had to try and relax. Be
nonchalant. I wasn't exactly a ladies man. If I were smart I
would't even try ... she's totally out of my league . But if you
don't try you will never do anything right?
    So, I had decided today was the day. It was Thursday and
I was thinking ahead for tomorrow. If things went really well
today, maybe ... vvell, we'll see. One step at a time. I kept
telling myself that once she got to know me she would see
that I'm a pretty great guy.
    As the class started winding down, my heart started
beating faster and faster. My head started buzzing and
everything was becoming hazy. What if she got to know me
and she didn t think I was a great guy?
    What makes me great anyway? I don t have any money
I don't live in a fancy neighborhood and I don't play sports.
Truth is, my father walked out on my mother and me when I
was real little and we have struggled to make things work.
My mother's done the best she could, and we've managed to
get by.
    Okay, that wasn't the psyche up I needed. So what makes
me great? I am smart, hard-working and sometimes funny.
I'm not bad looking. I have a nice complexion, I m almost 6
feet tall, a little on the skinny side, short, blonde hair, blue
eyes and fair skin. r n1 not going to win any male modeling
competitions, not that I wanted to, but I don't seem to scare
anyone away.
    I've never asked anyone out before so this was my big
chance. I didn't want to blow it. If the conversation didn't go
well, I would just say goodbye and work out a new plan. I
wouldn't go all in if it didn't seem like she wvas interested.
    Mike looked over at me and motioned to get my
attention. "What are we going to do for lunch? "
    I wasn't ready, to think about lunch yet. I needed to stay
focused, and lunch wasn't for another hour anyway. "I don't
really know yet. Ask me after next period."
    "we are having lunch together aren't we? You aren't
going to punk out on me are you?" he asked.


 

Background History of Superfit Shoes for Kids

Any parent would want the ideal shoes for their kids that emphasize supreme comfort, durability, warmth, fashion and affordable prices. That is precisely what Superfit provides. The shoes and boots of Superfit pass all the tests in every season, whether it is warm or cold.shoes for their kids that emphasize supreme comfort, durability, warmth, fashion and affordable prices. That is precisely what Superfit provides. The shoes and boots of Superfit pass all the tests in every season, whether it is warm or cold.

Currently ranked as one of the highest shoe brand for kids, Superfit continues to lead the way by its trend setting designs. The lightweight shoe manufacturer produces roughly 2.5 million pairs of shoes for distribution to 18 countries worldwide.

The Specialty
Many well known shoe designers collaborate with this Austrian brand in order to produce outstanding shoe designs that are very appropriate for children. Experts from Austria, Germany and Switzerland studied the models of this shoe brand for kids in terms of firm fit, toe room, foot-friendly lacing, breathability, flexibility in rolling soles and aesthetics and they found it optimal for children's feet. aesthetics and they found it optimal for children's feet.
The shape of Superfit models incorporate foot-shaped soles, adjustable closures, spacious toe boxes, flexible soles and breathable materials. All these features combined, gives the best possible comfort to your little one's feet. The winter boots of Superfit has a Gore-Tex membrane that ensures that the feet stays dry even in slushy weather.

The sandals have flexible outsoles and softly padded insoles. The slippers have anti-slip rubber outsole that keeps the feet dry even on wet floors. These slippers prevent excessive perspiration using the lining material and micro-perforations in the soles. Though the uppers are made of fabric, some winter models have woollen uppers. Another advantage of these shoes is that they have a removable sole inside which helps in placing orthopaedic soles if required.padded insoles. The slippers have anti-slip rubber outsole that keeps the feet dry even on wet floors. These slippers prevent excessive perspiration using the lining material and micro-perforations in the soles. Though the uppers are made of fabric, some winter models have woollen uppers. Another advantage of these shoes is that they have a removable sole inside which helps in placing orthopaedic soles if required.

The Collection
Superfit's elaborate foot health knowledge brings an amazing range of children's shoes offering quality and fashion. The shoes of this unique shoe brand for kids come in three different widths. However, most of the shoes are in the medium wide range. It is because empirically, the Superfit shoes fit narrow and medium feet nicely without having to produce separate models for each. It works great with narrower feet in that it can snuggly fit at the heel.foot health knowledge brings an amazing range of children's shoes offering quality and fashion. The shoes of this unique shoe brand for kids come in three different widths. However, most of the shoes are in the medium wide range. It is because empirically, the Superfit shoes fit narrow and medium feet nicely without having to produce separate models for each. It works great with narrower feet in that it can snuggly fit at the heel.

The unique and wide collection of Superfit has models ranging from toddlers to active boys and girls. There are waterproof, warm winter boots in addition to casual, stylish, lifestyle shoes and sandals. Children might want to play in the snow, jump in the dirt, ride a skateboard or just try to walk for the first time. Superfit accounts for all these needs well enough.

When you shop for Superfit, look for Gore-Tex lined trainers, boots and great value slippers since they are the most popular models. The Daredevil and Pretty Princess versions are famous among boys and girls. However, the choice is yours!

The History of Vans Shoes

Even though Vans has always been thought of as a new brand of shoes and has been popular with the youngsters, few of them realise that the brand was actually started almost half a century ago in the swinging sixties and that many of their baby boomer parents were also huge fans of the Vans brand.

The company was started by Paul Van Doren who gave his name to the company along with three other partners. The Van Doren shoes company opened its first retail store in Anaheim California and it instantly distinguished itself from most of its competitors by manufacturing shoes itself and selling them directly to people without any middle men. Another thing that separated the Vans brand from other competitors and that was probably a reason for the instant success was that Vans shoes were targeted to the surfing, skating and skate boarding communities. All these sports and leisure activities saw the most interest in them ever in the Mid sixties and there was an explosion of young people who wanted to try their hand at these leisure activities.

Vans as one of the few companies that was making shoes that were specifically targeted at people who wanted to do these kinds of activities saw instant success and its thick soled shoes became instantly recognizable and adored by the surfboarding and skating crowd. So popular was the company in fact and its iconic shoes that for a while any thick soled shoes were called Vans by the general public.

Vans also introduced a new style of slip on shoe that was also an instant hit with the BMX bicycle riding crowd and later became a huge fashion statement even amongst the non cycling crowd in southern California. The company saw huge success during this time and by the end of the seventies the company had over seventy stores in California selling Vans shoes to people directly.

The eighties were not so kind to the company and though they went bankrupt in 1983, they turned the company around and within three years had come back into the black and were stronger than ever. They also started supporting musicians with Vans music compilations that further endeared them to the young people who bought their shoes.

Today nearly a half century after Vans were first sold to the public, the thick soled shoes are more stylish than ever and the company's tag line 'designed for skateboarding, now worn for fashion' is a reality as the company is now a brand that is on the lips of people who have never ever seen a skateboard much less ever ridden one.

Basketball Shoes Throughout History

The Dawn of Basketball Shoes

Basketball shoes date back to the early 1900s,when people began to take the idea of creating footwear specifically for the sport very seriously. Nobody knew back then what a massive industry the world of basketball shoes would one day become and the effect not only on the sport but off court too in mens fashion and other areas. Nowadays most mainstream sports have a lot of gear on the market and a huge choice in equipment, but it hasn't all found a way into culture in the same way that b'ball shoes absolutely have.

Chuck Taylor All Stars and Converse

A lot of us didn't even realize that Converse were designed as basketball shoes when we first bought them, my first pair were my favorite shoes for years before I realized their original purpose.They first started being used in around 1907 and they've had a lot of influence on the shoes we tend to see on the courts today. Ask grandad what shoes he wore when he used to play basketball back in the day he'll probably tell you he wore Cons, as almost anyone serious about the game did back then. They were the stand out model of shoe on the market for almost half a century, and nowadays its more likely you'll see them peeking out from under some jeans. Almost unbelievably, sales of these shoes are thought to have topped 500 million pairs!

70s and 80s Basketball Shoes

It took until about the 1970s when there were other key players in the market. Nike made some big moves and their Blazer model of shoe quickly became a favorite among pros. Marketed as 'The Shoe with the Swoosh' this shoe certainly changed things. By the 80s we could see other manufacturers having their say, Adidas had their Eqings range and Converse still had a market share, even if they weren't as popular as they once were, they also experimented with new designs and models.

The Modern Shoe

In the modern game there is so much choice, brands already mentioned are joined by the likes of Reebok, Under Armour, Champion and loads more. Sponsorship deals from the likes of Michael Jordan who put his name to Nike's Air Jordans have sparked a load of celebrity sponsorship and signature shoes that we are much more likely to see out and about and on the courts in the 21st century. Who knows what the future holds for Basketball Shoes?

Ben is a writer and sports enthusiast from the UK who runs a website about The Best Basketball Shoes.

The wedge heel shoe for women made its debut in the world of fashion in 1938. It was originally designed and created by the Italian shoe designer, Salvatore Ferragamo, who became well-known for his visionary and classic designs in women's shoes. Farragamo gained his reputation as a shoe and boot designer in the film industry in the 1920's. As a result of his innovative designs and the quality of his shoes, he was commissioned by both male and female film stars to make shoes for both on-screen performances and personal use. Because of the popularity of his shoes in Hollywood, he became known as "Shoemaker to the Stars".

Although his shoes were popular amongst the hollywood elite, they were not comfortable. To solve this problem, he enrolled in the Los Angeles University to pursue studies in anatomy, mathematics and chemical engineering. He applied his studies to the design of his shoes and broke away from the way shoes were traditionally made and designed, and began making his shoes, both innovative in design and comfortable to wear. The popularity of his shoes expanded internationally, but the overwhelming demand for his shoes and the inability to meet that demand without the aid of qualified personnel, forced him to returned to Italy. Upon finding qualified personnel in Florence, one of the centers of the Italian shoe industry, he opened a shop of his own and began to expand the production of his shoes.

In the late 1930's, a shortage of leather and rubber, traditional materials used in shoe making, developed due to the war. Ferragamo began experimenting with non-tradition materials such as straw, felt, cork and wood and incorporate them in designing his brand of shoes. As a result of his experimenting with these non-traditional materials, he created his most noted designs, the wedge and cage heel shoe. He produced the wedge heel with wood or cork as the platform support of the shoe. The cork platform became the most popular because of its lightness in weight and durability. Women, of his era, found the wedge heel much easier to walk in than shoes with a narrower heel and bought this style of shoe, not only for its style but for its support of the foot and the comfort it afforded in walking. Within 2 years of its introduction to the world of fashion, the wedge heel became a classic and popular design in women's shoes internationally.

His original design of the wedge heel made no distinction between the heel and the rest of the shoe, except for the back and the instep of the foot being elevated above the toe of the shoe. It offered a triangular platform on which the food rested that extended from the heel of the foot to the middle or the front of the foot. Today the original design of both his platform and regular wedge heel shoe have evolved into a more defined heel on some styles, cut out platforms, straps and strapless shoes, with varied ornamentation. The wedge heel today offers more variety in colors and materials in is constructed with heels ranging from one inch to over 4 inches in height. Shoe sizes now run the gamut of small to extra large and women of different stature and walks of life wear this classic style of platform shoe for both style and comfort

The platform shoe has been worn in many culture's, prior to the 20th century, but Farragamo's innovative design of the wedge heel reintroduced the platform shoe to the world of fashion. His visionary ideas ranged from the bizarre to subtle designs worn everyday by women and served as inspiration for other footwear designers of his time. Today, his company is still known for its classic and visionary designs in women's shoes.

The wedge heel shoe has become a classic and fashionable style of shoe for women of all ages and remains as popular as it was in the 1930's. Whether Ferragamo's intentions were to have his design of the wedge heel shoe extend into the different genres of shoe fashion or not, it has become a versatile shoe that can be worn with almost any style of clothing. Wedge heels, today, are sold as formal, dress and casual shoes. It is a shoe that has shown its continual defiance of fashion trends and has spanned the test of time.

If the wedge heel continues its trend in popularity, it will remain a classic in the shoe wardrobe of many women and a staple commodity in world of fashion for many years to come

The History of Coach Handbags and Shoes

When Coach began as Manhattan Leather Bags in 1941, they were inspired by baseball glove design and they created discount handbags with similar qualities. Coach shoes didn't come along until years later. The original handbag collection had twelve designs, and they were made from supple, tan, top-quality leathers, and showed the same excellent craftsmanship and stitching that we still expect today.

Coach hired a woman named Bonnie Cashin in 1962, and she brought new looks to Coach bags. She used many new fabrics and organic materials like jersey and wool. She created the brass hardware that is symbolic of Coach handbags. When Lew Frankfort came aboard in 1979, he brought Coach to the next level, and they became a name known the world over. Affordable luxury was not a concept that many people knew, but now they would. Soon after Frankfort joined Coach, they came out with a catalog, and opened their flagship store in New York City.Coach handbags. When Lew Frankfort came aboard in 1979, he brought Coach to the next level, and they became a name known the world over. Affordable luxury was not a concept that many people knew, but now they would. Soon after Frankfort joined Coach, they came out with a catalog, and opened their flagship store in New York City.

In the 1980's, Coach expanded and made innovations that brought its brand relevance and strength. They designed watches starting in 1988, and also expanded their company to Tokyo. Japan still counts among the leading purchasers of Coach shoes and Coach heels. The manufacture of Coach shoes began in the mid 90's, and Reed Krakoff, the lead designer, loaned his talents to help put Coach heels and Coach boots on the map. Their shoes aren't as popular as their handbags, but they are well worth the money invested in their purchase.

Women love heels, but at times you may want to wear shoes that don't have this height. Coach shoes are as dedicated to comfort as they are to style and pizzazz. Coach platforms come in many styles, from gold loafers to slingbacks with open toes. You may be able to find Coach shoes at discount prices online, but be sure that you are buying genuine Coach products.gold loafers to slingbacks with open toes. You may be able to find Coach shoes at discount prices online, but be sure that you are buying genuine Coach products.

If you're looking for shoes that will make you feel and look glamorous, Coach shoes and Coach boots can do that well. Coach sneakers and heels will make you feel sporty, too. When selecting pumps or sandals to wear, you'll be happy to count on the long-standing quality and service of the Coach company. They have many styles to choose from, including chic and glamorous Coach boots and Coach heels. Whether you are looking for sports shoes like Coach sneakers or sexy shoes like Coach boots, the Coach name will never let you down.

When you shop for shoes, you want designs that are comfortable but also stylish. Coach shoes and Coach boots show off your style and personality as soon as you slip them on. Even when you wear business professional shoes, Coach shoes' quality will still shine through. If you want to look your best in chic and elegant styles, Coach has you covered. From the tiny handbag company that began decades ago, they have grown into a world force of fashion, with many styles in handbags and shoes alike. Whether it's peep toe heels or a pump that shows sophistication, you can find any style you're looking for, along with top quality, with Coach.

Shoe Metro is an online retailer at http://www.stylishplus.com with shoes from over 200 different designer brands in stock, including popular brands such as Steve Madden, Nine West, Coach, and Nike. Founded in 2004, Shoe Metro has quickly become one of the elite online shoe retailers. Inc. Magazine ranked Shoe Metro #86 in 2008 in their list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.Steve Madden, Nine West, Coach, and Nike. Founded in 2004, Shoe Metro has quickly become one of the elite online shoe retailers. Inc. Magazine ranked Shoe Metro #86 in 2008 in their list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.

A Very Brief History Of Shoes

Shoes have been around for a very long time. That is an understatement! Shoes have probably been around almost as long as we've been around. Our earliest ancestors chose bare feet as their but, during hunting and gathering needed something to protect their feet from sharp rocks, sticks, and the cold. They chose animal skins to wrap their feet and protect their soles.

Ancient Egyptians wore thong sandals which could be made from animal skins or even leaves of papyrus or palms. Other cultures used what they had available to them to fashion their own sandals from wood, rice straw, and animal hides of all types.

For most of our history, bear feet were much preferred and any sort of shoes or sandals, although readily available, were viewed upon as ugly, hedonistic, and ultimately unnecessary.

It was the Romans who branded shoes as an indication of being civilized or a sign of power and status. In their time, the poor and slaves were left to walk barefoot.

By the Middle Ages, many farmers and commoners were wearing sandals with fabric uppers and soles made from various materials including jute. Jute is an organic fiber that is very strong and acts as very good insulation against cold and heat. The braided jute was hand-rolled into the form of the shoe's sole.

Europeans started wearing protective overshoes called pattens a few centuries ago. They usually had a wooden sole and bands of leather or cloth to hold them in place. The purpose of pattens was to raise your foot above all the filth and dirt common during the period. At about the same Europeans were also warming up to the rakow or crackow. These shoes featured long toes which were sometimes so long that people connected strings between their lower legs and the toes or would stuff them with grass or other material to keep them out of the way when walking. Another shoe style that became popular with the wealthy elite had very high heels. As you might imagine, these shoes were popular for their characteristic of making you look taller much like heels of today.

Native Americans also used footwear when they weren't going barefoot. They wore a type of shoe called a moccasin made from animal skins to protect their feet. These were probably the first Americans to decorate their shoes thus beginning our fascination with the style and colors of shoes.

By the 17th century the shoe sole that we know and love was evident on most leather shoes. Shoes were made in one form without regard for left or right foot differences. It was only by the mid-1800's that our modern shoe designed specifically with separate variations for right and left feet were readily available.

In the 1900's a revolution in materials and glue brought in new construction methods and replacing leather in all but some dress shoes.

Sneakers or athletic shoes took America by storm after World War II making use of plastics and other synthetic materials to produce amazingly light and durable shoes for athletics and casual wear.

A notable addition to the world-wide shoe craze came in 2002 with the advent of Crocs clogs. Crocs are now a world leader in casual shoes for men, women, and children. Truly one of remarkable stories in shoe history, Crocs have redefined clogs styles and materials and provided a whole new generation with comfortable shoes that take us back in time to when bare feet were popular but we needed something to protect our feet.

The History of shoes

The simplest way to protect feet was to grab what was handy - bark, large leaves and grass - and tie them under the foot with vines. In hot countries this developed into the sandal made from woven palms, grass or plant fibres and attached to the foot with toe loops. Examples of early sandals have been found in Japan, Polynesia and America.

 Few early shoes have survived. Fragments of Bronze Age footwear have been found in excavations but not enough to determine styles. But from the Roman times onwards many shoes have survived suggesting that there were many more shoe styles than one would expect.

Romans arrived in Britain wearing the military sandal, called the caliga, which exposed the toes, had a lattice - patterned upper, front lacing and a heavily nailed sole. Other styles were the calceus and the gallica, both with a closed toe - a style more suited to the British weather.

After the Romans left, Britain began producing its own styles, usually a closed toe leather shoe with an oval or round toe shape. The ankle shoe was popular in the 9th Century.

Footwear styles continued to change during the Medieval age. The length of one's toe was an indication of status. The King and his court had shoes with the largest toes. This style wasn't worn by women. The ankle shoe remained popular, it was usually side laced with three pairs of holes.

The pointed toe disappeared at the end of the Middle Ages and was replaced by round and square toe shapes. At first a sensible size, toes became larger and larger. During the reign of Henry VIII soles reaching 6½ inches wide were common and known as foot bags.

After 1500, a blunt pointed toe returned, followed by a round toe in the 1590s. It's about this time that heels emerge.

By the end of Elizabeth I's reign heels grow to 2-3 inches, all footwear is made straights and sides are opened up.

During the reign of Charles I, flamboyant knee boots were popular.

In the 17th Century, men wore shoes and mules with a square toe, often blocked and domed. Women decided that a pointed toe was more feminine. An important innovation in 1660 was the buckle to fasten a shoe. Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary of 22nd January 1660, "This day I began to put on buckles to my shoes".

At first popular with men, women eventually wore them too, replacing ribbon latchets with buckle latchets

In the 18th Century, women's shoes reflected the elaborate patterns of their dresses. Men's shoes became quite plain made of black leather with pointed toes and low heels.

Towards the end of the 18th Century and beginning of the 19th Century women's shoes became lower and lower cut, heels became lower until they disappeared altogether and the pointed toe is replaced by first narrow oval toes and then square toes. Shoes became so dainty made from satin and silks that ribbon ties are added to keep the shoe on the foot.

The 19th Century was characterised by the predominance of boots both for men and women. Popular styles were the Blucher boot, cloth boots, the elastic sided boot, the button boot, and the Balmoral boot.

Apart from boots, women wore court shoe style shoes in a variety of different materials, from satin and silk to reptile and drawn leathers. Men had a choice between the Oxford shoe, with front lacing and a closed tab and the Derby shoe, with front lacing and an open toe.

The 20th Century saw a variety of shoe styles and the rise of the shoe designer.

From 1920s bar shoes to 1930s co-respondent two-colour shoes to 1940s utility styles to 1950s brothel creepers to 1960s winklepickers and stiletto heels to 1970s platform soles, shoe designers were prominent throughout the 20th Century.

The History of Shoes

    Sandals were the most common footwear in most early civilizations, however, a few early cultures had shoes. In Mesopotamia, (c. 1600-1200 BC) a type of soft shoes were worn by the mountain people who lived on the border of Iran. The soft shoe was made of wraparound leather, similar to a moccasin. As late as 1850 most shoes were made on absolutely straight lasts, there being no difference between the right and the left shoe.

    Shoe Making Machinery

    Jan Ernst Matzeliger developed an automatic method for lasting shoes and made the mass production of affordable shoes possible.
Lyman Reed Blake was an American inventor who invented a sewing machine for sewing the soles of shoes to the uppers. In 1858, he received a patent for his specialized sewing machine.

    Patented on January 24, 1871, was Charles Goodyear Jr's Goodyear Welt, a machine for sewing boots and shoes.

    Shoelaces

    An aglet is the small plastic or fiber tube that binds the end of a shoelace (or similar cord) to prevent fraying and to allow the lace to be passed through an eyelet or other opening. This comes from the Latin word for "needle." The modern shoestring (string and shoe holes) was first invented in England in 1790 (first recorded date March 27). Before shoestrings, shoes were commonly fastened with buckles.Rubber Heel

    Rubber Heel

    The first rubber heel for shoes was patented on January 24, 1899 by Irish-American Humphrey O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan patented the rubber heel which outlasted the leather heel then in use. Elijah McCoy invented an improvement to the rubber heel.

    The first rubber soled shoes called plimsolls were developed and manufactured in the United States in the late 1800s. In 1892, nine small rubber manufacturing companies consolidated to form the U.S. Rubber Company. Among them was the Goodyear Metallic Rubber Shoe Company, organized in the 1840s in Naugatuck, Connecticut. This company was the first licensee of a new manufacturing process called vulcanization, discovered and patented by Charles Goodyear.

    On January 24, 1899, Humphrey O'Sullivan received the first patent for a rubber heel for shoes.

    From 1892 to 1913, the rubber footwear divisions of U.S. Rubber were manufacturing their products under 30 different brand names. The company consolidated these brands under one name.When choosing a name, the initial favorite was Peds, from the Latin meaning foot, but someone else held that trademark. By 1916, the two final alternatives were Veds or Keds, with the stronger sounding Keds being the final choice.

    Keds were first mass-marketed as canvas-top "sneakers" in 1917. These were the first sneakers. The word "sneaker" was coined by Henry Nelson McKinney, an advertising agent for N. W. Ayer & Son, because the rubber sole made the shoe stealthy or quiet, all other shoes, with the exception of moccasins, made noise when you walked. In 1979, the Stride Rite Corporation acquired the Keds brand.
   
   

The History of Sneakers

    Sneakers go back a long way. In the late 18th century, people wore rubber soled shoes called plimsolls, but they were pretty crude—for one thing, there was no right foot or left foot. Around 1892, the U.S. Rubber Company came up with more comfortable rubber sneakers with canvas tops, called Keds. By 1917, these sneakers began to be mass produced. (They got the nickname sneakers because they were so quiet, a person wearing them could sneak up on someone.)
    That same year, Marquis Converse produced the first shoe made just for basketball, called Converse All-Stars. In 1923, an Indiana hoops star named Chuck Taylor endorsed the shoes, and they became known as Chuck Taylor All-Stars. These are the best-selling basketball shoes of all time.

    Sneakers Go Global

    Sneakers went international in 1924. That’s when a German man named Adi Dassler created a sneaker that he named after himself: Adidas. This brand became the most popular athletic shoe in the world. Track star Jessie Owens wore Adidas when he won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics. Adi’s brother Rudi started up another famous sports shoe company: Puma.
    During the first half of the 20th century, sports shoes were worn mostly to play sports. But in the 1950s, kids began wearing them as fashion statements. Even more teens followed the fad after seeing James Dean in sneakers in the popular movie Rebel Without a Cause.

     Innovation at a Price

     Sales of sneakers really took off in 1984, when Michael Jordan signed a contract to wear a Nike shoe called Air Jordans—the most famous sneaker ever made. Even after Jordan retired from the NBA, his shoes continued to be best sellers. As companies like Nike, Reebok and Adidas competed,

they changed the way sneakers looked, adding wild colors and doing away  
with laces. Sneakers began to be produced for every sport, including walking, skateboarding and “cross training.”  
    New sneaker technologies increase performance. Nike’s Air Force used little pockets of gas to create better cushioning, while Reebok introduced The Pump—air pumped into shoes to make them fit more snugly. Sneaker surprises continue: Spira Footwear, for example, has built a spring in the soles to reduce foot stress. Of course, innovations like these come with a price: Athletic shoes often cost more than $100 a pair!

Hunans Invent Shoes

    Although our feet are well designed for a variety of movements,
they cannot always give enough protection from burning sands,
intense cold, and very rough surfaces. The first shoe designs depended
on where the inventor lived, the conditions people there
needed protection from, and.the materials available. Being able to
move fast was important for survival. Shoes needed to be light-
weight but still strong enough for adequate protection. They
neroed to enclose the foot and not easily come loose.
    In warm climates, early people found or made fiat pieces of
material that they could tie onto the soles of their feet. People in
colder climates wrapped animal skins around their feet and legs
and tied them on with thongs. h1 some places a short bag-like cover
that only enclosed the foot wa worn. So from early times, humans
had three basic types of foorwear—the sandal. the boot, and the
shoe.
    How do we know what shoes people wore? Some actual examples
exist, and we can also learn about them from paintings and
sculptures. Sometimes footwear is described in writings or listed in
inventories. Although ·we know about general styles, it is often difficult
to figure out exactly how particular shoe was made.
    The oldest shoes that have been found date back about ten thousand
years. They were discovered in a cave in Oregon, preserved
under layers of pumice and volcanicash. To make the sole, grass
and shredded sagebrush bark were twisted into ropes about as
thick as a pencil. Five pieces of this rop , somewhat longer than the
foot, were laid out lengthwise. These were woven tightly together
with thinner rope, leaving loops on the sides as the rope was interlaced
back and forth. The front ends of the five strands were folded
back over the foot to protect the toes. This "sandal" was held on by
a tie string drawn through the side loops. Rabbit fur and pine needles
were sometimes added for paddin and extra warmth.
    Probably by the late Stone Age. around 6500 B.C., people had developed
the basic skills for preparing animal hides and sewing them
together to make shoes.
    It was not long before hoes bee me more than just necessities
and were used to et the wearer apart from other people. Through-out history, shoes have been worn as symbols of religion, rank,
wealth, or power. Decoration, color, and style became as important
as workmanship and fit. Whenever people traveled to other
places, traded with other groups, or conquered other lands, shoe
inventions and fashions were exchanged.
    Early man made his own shoes, and some people continued to
make shoes for themselves and their families until recent times.
Shoemaking, however, soon became a job that everyone who could
afford to left to skilled workers.
    Until the last couple of centuries, the design of men's shoes was
given more attention than those for women. Women's feet were
often hidden beneath long skirts. Men had a greater variety of
styles and ornaments; women usually wore shoes of more delicate
materials. Working people needed sturdy, practical footwear.
Wealthy people wore shoes that showed they didn't need to work
and in some cases, even to walk. Children have usually worn
smaller versions of adult styles.
    In ancient Egypt, shoes were at first a status symbol, worn only
by nobles, priests, and warriors. Those who wore shoes protected
their feet from the hot sands with sandals, which were easy to put
on and take off and kept feet cool and well ventilated. Egyptian
sandals were often just a sole, held on by a thong that passed between
the big toe and the second roe and was attached to a band
that went around the ankle or instep.
    These sandals were usually woven from plant fibers like papyrus.
flax, or palm. The Egyptians also knew how to tan and dress hides
to make leather. Sometimes they made soles of two thicknesses,
sewing a heavy leather sole to a thin upper sole. They used waxed
thread for sewing, as well as circular knives, awls. and other tools
similar to those still used by modern shoemakers. Shoes were
shaped to fit right and left feet and were dyed scarlet, green, and
purple and ornamented with jewels and gold. Pharaohs' shoes
were works of art.
    Later Egyptians adopted new shoe styles brought back by travelers,
traders, and warriors-shoes with upturned toes, sock~like
boots, and low slippers. They invented footwear for special jobs.
Butchers wore shoes with heels to raise their feet off the bloody,
slippery ground when they were slaughtering animals. Shoes some-times had a linen lining with a figure of a bound captive painted on
it, so that warriors could symbolically crush their enemies beneath
their feet. By around 1300 B.C., more people were wearing shoes. It
had become improper to go barefoot outside and no upper class
man or woman appeared barefoot in the streets.
    In Egypt, other parts of Africa, and many Asian cultures, the
same basic shoe styles have been worn for thousands of years. Even
today, when American sneakers and other western-style shoes are
available in most parts of the world. these traditional shoes are still
being made.

What Do Your Shoes Say About You?

    How did you choose the shoes you are wearing today? Did you
slide into your most comfortable ones? Did you select them to go
with the outfit you are wearing? Do you have plans that require
special shoes? Did weather conditions influence your choice? Did
you put on the same kind of shoes that your friends would be
wearing or did you choose a pair that made you feel different and
unique? Were you making a fashion statement or a political state
ment with your choicer? Do your shoes express your mood? Do you
plan to wear the same shoes all day, or change them later on? How
about tomorrow?
    Shoes tell a lot about their wearer. Sometimes they give clues
about what the person is going to do. We recognize the shoes of
a ballet dancer, a tap dancer, a runner; a cowboy, a soccer player, a
construction worker, a nurse, a firefighter, a fisherman.we can
make guesses about the personallity of the wearer-a sensible person,
an active person,one who likes to be fashionable, different, or
comfortable. Shoes might tell us whether the wearer is wealthy.
Sherlock Homes could judge a man's occupation by his boots.
    We could make an estimate of a persons height by the sizes of
his shoes. If we examined how the shoes have changed shape with
wear and the places where they are most worn out, the shoes
might tell us something about the wearers foot structure and how
he walks and stands.
   Of course, we can easilly be deceived by all these clues. Shoes
that w,ere originally made for special purposes ftequendy have
been adopt-ed by people who found. them fashionable, comfortable,
or useful for a different purpose. Shoe fashions are borrowed from
all times and places. Men and women adapt fashion ideas from
each other; some Shoes are not always made specifically for left and rigbt
feet; some shoes can be worn on either foot. People sometimes
force their feet into tiny shoes to make the feet seem smaller, and
downs wear huge shoes to lookfunnJt Special pads m shoes can adjust
irregularities in foot suucture so that shoes wear out normally.
    Almost as soon as possible people first started protecting their feet with
shoes they began to experiment with techniques and materials to
make sboes that fit well and suited their needs. They wanted shoes
for the same reasons we do today. Shoes could make the wearers
look special and could help them do their jobs safely. They devised
footwear for traveling through mud and snow and set aside shoes
for special occasions and ceremonies. Sometimes people have
worn shoes to identify themselves with a particular group. Since
early times people have wanted beauty in their lives and have
needed to express their individuality and, for these reasons, have
created shoes of different styles and materials.

The History of Shoes

It was generally thought that footwear goes back to some thirty thousand years ago but recently, according to the Journal of Archaeological Science, human fossils found in China from forty thousand years ago indicate shoe-wearing toe bones. The oldest preserved shoe dates to about ten thousand years ago and they were made of plant fibers. The first footwear was probably just a wrap around the feet and its main purpose was solely for protection. Over the years, footwear has grown to also become a fashion statement.

During the Renaissance period, shoe making standards was introduced. Leather was the main material although skins of animals, thick cloth or wool felt was also used. Shoes with broad toe boxes dubbed the duck-billed shoes were the norm until the end of the Renaissance period where slimmer shapes shoes like the escaffignons replaced them. At this time the poor were wearing the galosh - leather uppers with wooden soles shoes. The peasants were wearing sabot fashioned from a block of wood.

Shoes continue to evolve and cork soon became a popular material for soles. Heeled shoes came into existence. Women's shoes began to have embroideries and heels had colors. Moccasins and indoor slippers were introduced along with boots during the baroque era. Following this era, other materials were used t construct shoes - velvet and satin lined with kid leather for the ladies and buff and suede leathers for the men.

In the early 1800s, patent leather came into use and shoes became lighter. Left and right shoes were introduced along with steel tips and heels. This was followed by rubber being used as a material. By 1885, shoe sizes were standardized. Hard wearing sneakers came into fashion during the 1930s and soon became a practical choice during this depression period. Silk and kid women's shoes were replaced with leather and suede.

Wartime also impose limits on footwear. Leather was limited, rubber soles were banned (they were prioritized for use on army boots), heels were fixed at one inch, soles were thinner, plastic soles were necessary. In some places like France, only shoes made of strings, fabric and wood are legal. Luxury shoes had to find alternatives to leather and crocodile, snake and lizard skin were sourced instead. The stilettos came about during the 1950s. With the need to find the alternative to leather, other materials including synthetic like plastic became more popular. And with that came many styles. The 1970s saw a revival of the platform, strappy sandals, and high boots.

The 1980s saw innovations in athletic footwear including air sole, ergonomics designs and emphasis was on not only style but also comfort. The 1990s saw yet even more innovations with the invention of microfibers and stretch fabrics. The shoe manufacturing technology has also come a long way. And the latest in footwear seem to gear towards being more ecological and more in tune with nature.

Shoe innovations over time has been determined and influenced by many aspects including culture, geography and weather, political climate, technology, economy and the arts. Even though with these factors, the shoe history around the world over are similar and modern shoes are simply adaptations of the past styles.