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.
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