In most early civilizations, sandals were the most common footwear, however, a few early cultures had more substantial shoes. But shoes in ancient—and even not so ancient—civilizations had some major design differences than their modern-day counterparts. In fact, as late as the 1850s, most shoes were constructed on absolutely straight lasts (foot-shaped forms on which shoes were constructed and repaired), which meant that the right and the left shoes were pretty much the same. On the upside, that would make them interchangeable. On the downside, they were likely a lot less comfortable.
Shoes in the BC
In Mesopotamia, circa 1600 to 1200 BC, mountain people living on the border of Iran wore a type of soft shoes made of wraparound leather that was similar to a moccasin. Egyptians began making shoes from woven reeds as early as 1550 BC. Worn as overshoes, they were boat-shaped and had straps constructed of long, thin reeds covered by wider strips of the same material. Shoes in this style were still being made as late as the 19th century. Meanwhile, in China, shoes made from layers of hemp, circa the final century BC, were made in a process similar to quilting and featured decorative as well as functional stitching.
Circa 43-450 AD
Roman sandals are believed to be the first footwear specifically designed to fit the foot. Constructed with cork soles and leather straps or lacing, sandals were the same for men and women. Some military sandals known as caligae used hobnails to reinforce the soles. The imprints and patterns they left behind could be read as messages.
Circa 937 AD
Foot binding was a practice introduced in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) that became increasingly popular in China during the Song dynasty (960-1279 AD). Starting at age 5 to 8, the bones in girls' feet were broken and then tightly wrapped to prevent growth. The ideal for women's feet was modeled after the lotus blossom and was decreed to be no more than three to four inches in length. Girls with tiny, highly arched feet were prized as prime marriage material—but the crippling practice left many of them barely able to walk.
These tiny feet were adorned with dainty shoes constructed of silk or cotton and richly embroidered. Chinese women of the upper classes were often buried with many pairs of such shoes. While several bans were imposed on the practice (the first by Emperor Chun Chi of the Manchu dynasty in 1645 and the second by Emperor K’ang Hsi in 1662), foot-binding remained a common practice in China into the early 20th century.
12th Century
Pointy-tipped Poulianes (“shoesin the Polish fashion”) became popular in the middle ages and continued to come and go until the early 15th century.
Circa 1350 to 1450
Pattens were overshoes worn to protect them from the elements and filthy street conditions. They were similar in function to more modern galoshes, except that pattens were made in the same shape as the shoes they were fitted over.
1450 to 1550
During the Renaissance, shoe fashions evolved from vertical lines favored by Gothic styles to become more horizontal. Nowhere was this more evident than in the toe shape. The richer and more powerful the wearer, the more extreme and broad the squared toe became. However, while squared toed shoes were prevalent, during this time, round-toed shoes began to emerge. Round-toed shoes were considered a more practical choice for children, however, even some adult shoes of the Tudor period featured the round profile.
17th Century
During the mid-17th century, shoe fashions for men were mostly square-toed, however, it was at this time that the fork toe design debuted. Chopines, backless shoes or slippers featuring high platform soles, became popular throughout Renaissance Europe thanks to a revival in ancient Greek culture. The most notable examples from the period come from Spain (where the platforms were sometimes constructed from cork) and Italy. Men, as well as women, wore slip-on indoor slides known as mules, which were available in a variety of materials and colors and featured a slightly flared heel.
In 1660, with the restoration of Charles II to the throne of France, fashions from the French courts grew in popularity across the Channel. Red heels, a style allegedly created for Charles himself, came into vogue and remained there well into the next century.
18th Century
In the 18th century, shoes for upper-class women, such as salon mules, initially took shape as boudoir fashion but evolved into day and even dancewear. The erotically charged footwear was favored by Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV of France, who was in huge part responsible for the trend. Unfortunately, elegant shoes of the day were constructed of materials such as silk that rendered them inappropriate for outdoor use and as a result, pattens(also known as clogs) made a big comeback, especially in big cities, such as London, that had yet to deal with the unsanitary conditions of its streets.
Fast Facts: Shoe Laces
- Prior to shoestrings, shoes were commonly fastened with buckles.
- Modern shoestrings, which employed strings laced through shoe holes and then tied, were invented in England in 1790 (first recorded date, March 27).
- An aglet (from the Latin word for "needle") is a small plastic or fiber tube used to bind the end of a shoelace, or similar cord, to prevent fraying and to allow the lace to be passed through an eyelet or another opening.
In the 1780s, a fascination with all things “Oriental” led to the introduction of shoes with upturned toes known as Kampskatcha slippers. (While billed as an homage to Chinese fashion, they more closely resembled Juttis, the upturned slippers worn by affluent female members of the court of the Mughal Empire.) From the 1780s through the 1790s, the height of heels gradually decreased. With the approach of the French Revolution (1787-99), excess was seen with increasing disdain, and less became more.
19th Century Styles
In 1817, the Duke of Wellington commissioned the boots that would become synonymous with his name. Streamlined and free of ornamentation, “Wellies” became all the rage. The rubberized version, still popular today, was introduced in the 1850s by the North British Rubber Company. In the following decade, the family shoemaking firm of C & J Clark Ltd was founded and remains one of England's leading shoe manufacturers.
Prior to 1830, there was no difference between right and left shoes. French shoemakers came up with the idea of placing little labels on the insoles of shoes: “Gauche” for the left, and “Droit” for the right. While the shoes were still both straight in shape, since the French style was considered the height of fashion, other countries were quick to emulate the trend.
In 1837 by J. Sparkes Hall patented the elastic side boot, which allowed them to be put on and taken off much more easily than those that required buttons or laces. Hall actually presented a pair of them to Queen Victoria, and the style remained popular through the end of the 1850s.
By the 1860s, flat, squared-toed shoes featuring side lacing were de rigeur. This left the front of the shoes free for decoration. Rosettes were a popular embellishment of the day for women’s shoes. In the mid- to late-1800s unassembled shoes made with flat sheets of woven straw were produced in Italy and sold across Europe and in America to be put together as shoemakers saw fit.
In the mid-1870s, the Manchu people of China (who did not practice foot binding) favored platform shoes that were the precursors to 20th-century fashion styles. Hoof-shaped pedestals afforded increased balance. Women’s shoes were taller and more intricately decorated than those for men.
19th Century Innovations in Shoe Manufacturing
- 1830s: Plimsolls, canvas-topped shoes with rubber soles, first manufactured by the Liverpool Rubber Company, make their debut as beachwear.
- June 15, 1844: Inventor and manufacturing engineer Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanized rubber, a chemical process that uses heat to meld rubber to fabric or other components for a sturdier, more permanent bond.
- 1858: Lyman Reed Blake, an American inventor receives a patent for the specialized sewing machine he developed that stitches the soles of shoes to the uppers.
- January 24, 1871: Charles Goodyear Jr's patents the Goodyear Welt, a machine for sewing boots and shoes.
- 1883: Jan Ernst Matzeliger patents an automatic method for lasting shoes that paves the way for the mass production of affordable shoes.
- January 24, 1899: Irish-American Humphrey O'Sullivan patents the first rubber heel for shoes. Later, Elijah McCoy (best known for developing a lubricating system for railroad steam engines that did not require trains to stop) invents an improved rubber heel.
Keds, Converse, and the Evolution of Sneakers
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, the first licensee of Charles Goodyear's vulcanization process. While Plimsolls had been on the scene for nearly six decades, vulcanization was a game-changer for rubber-soled canvas shoes.
From 1892 to 1913, the rubber footwear divisions of U.S. Rubber were manufacturing their products under 30 different brand names but the company decided to consolidate their brands under a single name. The initial favorite was Peds, from the Latin for foot, but another company already owned that trademark. By 1916, the choice had come down to two final alternatives: Vedsor Keds. The "k" sound won out and Keds were born. The same year, Keds introduced their Champion Sneaker for Women.
Keds were first mass-marketed as canvas-top "sneakers" in 1917. Henry Nelson McKinney, a copywriter who worked for the N. W. Ayer & Son Advertising Agency, coined the word "sneaker" to connote the quiet, stealthy nature of rubber-soled shoes. Other shoes, with the exception of moccasins, were noisy while sneakers were practically silent. (The Keds brand was acquired by the Stride Rite Corporation in 1979, which was in turn purchased by Wolverine World Wide in 2012).
1917 was a banner year for basketball shoes. Converse All Stars, the first shoe specifically designed for the game, were introduced. Soon after, Chuck Taylor, an iconic player of the day, became the brand ambassador. The design has remained pretty much the same over the years, and remain firmly ensconced in the cultural landscape today.
Early 20th Century Styles
As at the close of the 19th century, low-heeled shoes began to fall increasingly out of favor and as the new century dawned, higher heels made a huge resurgence. However, not everyone was willing to suffer for fashion. In 1906, Chicago-based podiatrist William MathiasScholllaunched his eponymous brand of corrective footwear, Dr. Scholl’s. By the 1910s, morality and fashion were increasingly at odds. Nice girls were expected to play by a stringent set of rules, including those instituted with regard to the heel height of women’s shoes. Anything over three inches was considered “indecent.”
Spectator shoes, the two-toned Oxfords commonly worn by British patrons of sporting events gained huge popularity among the well to do in England at the close of WWI. In America, however, spectators became part of the counterculture instead. By the ’40s, spectators often accompanied Zoot suits, the over-the-top outfits sported by African American and Hispanic men in defiance of the fashion status quo.
One of the most innovative shoe designers of the 20th century, Salvatore Ferragamo, rose to fame in the 1930s. In addition to experimenting with unusual materials including kangaroo, crocodile, and fish skin, Ferragamo drew on historic inspiration for his shoes. His cork wedge sandals—often imitated and reimagined—are considered one of the most important shoe designs of the 20th century.
Meanwhile, in Norway, a designer named Nils Gregoriusson Tveranger was looking to create a shoe that was truly comfortable and fashionable. His unisex innovation, a slip-on shoe called the Aurland moccasin was inspired by Indigenous moccasins and slip-ons favored by Norwegian fishermen. The shoes took off, both in Europe and in America. Not long after, the Spaulding family based in New Hampshire launched a similar shoe called "The Loafer," which would eventually become the generic term for this slip-on style.
In 1934, G. H. Bass debuted his Weejuns (a play on the word “Norwegian” as a nod to the homeland of the original designer). Weejuns had a distinctive strip of leather across the saddle featuring a cutout design. Kids who wore them started putting pennies or dimes into the slot, and the shoes became known as—you guessed it—"Penny Loafers."
The boat (or deck) shoe was invented by American boater Paul Sperry in 1935. After watching how his dog was able to maintain stability on ice, Sperry was inspired to cut grooves into the soles of his shoes and a brand was born.
Post World War II & the Latter Half of the 20th Century
WWII was the crucible for a number of shoe trends. Doc Martens, combining comfortable air-cushioned soles with durable uppers were invented by Dr. Klaus Maertens in 1947. In 1949, Brothel creepers, the brainchild of British shoemaker George Cox, transformed the sole of an army boot into a thick exaggerated wedge made their debut.
Loafers had long been considered a shoe of the hoi polloi in America but when the style was reinvented in 1953 by the House of Gucci, it became the shoe of choice for formal occasions for affluent fashion enthusiasts of both genders and remained so through the 1980s.
Stiletto heels (whose name was a nod to a Sicilian fighting blade) became increasingly popular in the 1950s as the curvy female hourglass figure came back into vogue. Designer Roger Vivier of the House Dior is credited as having the most influence on shoes of this style from the period.
While they’ve existed for more than 6,000 years in some form or other, the Y-shaped rubber sandals known as flip-flops became pretty much ubiquitous in the 1960s.
The Birkenstock family have been making shoes since 1774, however, it wasn’t until 1964 when Karl Birkenstock transformed the arch support inserts for his shoes into soles for sandals that the company became a household name.
During the 1970s disco craze, platform shoes became hot, hot, hot. Taking a leaf from Salvatore Ferragamo’s designs from four decades earlier, men and women hit the dance floor in outrageously high shoes.One of the most popular brands of the era was Candie’s, a clothing brand that launched in 1978.
Ugg boots debut in 1978. Uggs were originally made of sheepskin and worn by Australian surfers to warm up their feet after being in the water. In 1978, after Brian Smith imported Uggs to California under the label UGG Australia, the brand took off and has remained a fashion staple ever since but knockoffs in a variety of synthetic and cheaper materials have flooded the market.
With the 1980s came a fitness craze that changed the shape of footwear. Designers such as Reebok increasingly took branding and specialization to heart in hopes of raising both profile and profits. The most successful athletic brand to cash in on this trend is Nike’s Air Jordan, which encompasses basketball shoes and athletic and casual style clothing.
The brand was created for five-time NBA MVP Michael Jordan.Designed for Nike by Peter Moore,Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore, the original Air Jordan sneakers were produced in 1984 and were solely for Jordan’s use, but were released to the public later that year. The brand continues to thrive in the 2000s. Vintage Air Jordans, especially those with some special personal connection to Michael Jordan, have sold for exorbitant prices (the highest recorded as of 2018 was in excess of $100,000).
Sources
- “Timeline: A History of Shoes”. Victoria & Albert Museum
- “History of the Penny Loafer”. Tricker’s England
- Acedera, Shane. “The Most Expensive Air Jordans”. SportOne. May 18, 2018
- Cartwright, Mark. “Foot Binding”. Ancient History Encyclopedia. September 27, 2017
FAQs
Who first made shoes? ›
During the Kassite period (c. 1600–1200 bce) in Mesopotamia, soft shoes were introduced by mountain people on the border of Iran who ruled Babylonia during that time. This first type of shoe was a simple wraparound of leather, with the basic construction of a moccasin, held together on the foot with rawhide lacings.
When was the first shoe invented? ›When Was the First Shoe Made? The earliest known shoes are sandals made from sagebrush bark and date back to 7000 or 8000 BCE. This morsel of shoe history was found in a cave in Oregon in 1938 and remains the oldest known footwear specimen.
Why did humans start wearing shoes? ›These early versions of shoes likely enabled our species to travel farther, faster, and more safely. The oldest shoes discovered date back to 8,000 years ago. However, fossil evidence indicates that our species probably began wearing sandals or moccasins over 40,000 years ago.
Who made the first shoe and why? ›Egyptians began making shoes from woven reeds as early as 1550 BC. Worn as overshoes, they were boat-shaped and had straps constructed of long, thin reeds covered by wider strips of the same material. Shoes in this style were still being made as late as the 19th century.
What is the oldest shoe? ›The Areni-1 shoe is a 5,500-year-old leather shoe that was found in 2008 in excellent condition in the Areni-1 cave located in the Vayots Dzor province of Armenia.
Why do we wear shoes? ›Part of the job of shoes is to absorb impact as we walk, but bad shoes (or no shoes) can throw the whole body out of alignment. If shoes don't have enough padding or don't allow for an even stride, pain is an almost inevitable side effect. The ankles, knees, hip joints and lower back are all affected by bad shoes.
Why is a shoe called a shoe? ›Etymology. From Middle English scho, sho, from Old English sċōh (“shoe”), from Proto-West Germanic *skōh, from Proto-Germanic *skōhaz (“shoe”), of unclear etymology; possibly a derivation from *skehaną (“to move quickly”), from Proto-Indo-European *skek- (“to move quickly, jump”).
What did people wear before shoes? ›During the Middle Ages, men and women wore pattens, commonly seen as the predecessor of the modern high-heeled shoe, while the poor and lower classes in Europe, as well as slaves in the New World, were usually barefoot.
Who wore shoes first? ›The shoe originated in the Catalonian region of Spain as early as the 13th century, and was commonly worn by peasants in the farming communities in the area. New styles began to develop during the Song Dynasty in China, one of them being the debut of foot straps.
How did humans walk before shoes? ›They regularly walked barefoot, which meant their skin and immune system were developed and strengthened more than us modern shoe-wearing humans, and were not in as much danger as we would be in, walking barefoot.
What culture takes their shoes off? ›
In many countries like Germany, Switzerland, Skandinavian countries, Turkey, Japan, Korea etc. it is common use to take off the shoes when entering someone's home. In these countries it is considered a major faux pas to walk through a house with shoes on.
What were the first shoes called? ›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.
What's the oldest name brand shoe? ›What I didn't realize until I wrote this article is that Frye is the oldest shoe brand in the United States. In 1863, John A. Frye opened the first Frye store on Elm Street in Marlboro, Massachusetts, creating one of America's original heritage brands.
What does the first ever shoe look like? ›In its first form the shoe was just a simple piece of plaited grass or rawhide which was strapped to the feet. Among the relics of early Egyptians are some sandals made from plaited papyrus leaves, beautifully and artistically wrought.
What is a fun fact about shoes? ›In the late 1800s, rubber-soled shoes became known as “sneaks” because the sole made the shoes quiet and noiseless. Later, “sneaks” gave way to the term “sneakers”. The son of a shoe cobbler, Jimmy Choo grew up in the world of shoemaking.
What is the most important thing about shoes? ›Fit. It's also important to think about the fit of the shoe when you're shopping for shoes - you want to make sure that the shoe is comfortable and that it fits well. Otherwise, you'll be stuck with a pair of shoes that you can't wear, and you may be left in uncomfortable pain by the end of the day!
Where do most shoes come from? ›China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia are leaders in footwear production, which highlights the domination of the Asia Pacific (APAC) region in this industry. These four countries accounted for over 75 percent of footwear production worldwide as of 2021. The global footwear market is a multi-billion U.S. dollar industry.
What shoes symbolize? ›Shoes have, for centuries, given hints about a person's character, social and cultural place, even sexual preference. Shoes are powerful “things”, as they take control over the physical and human space in which we live. They allow us to move in and experience the environment.
What are 5 reasons for wearing shoes? ›- Protection against falling objects. ...
- Helps to prevent slips and falls. ...
- Helps posture and prevents muscle strain. ...
- Protection against the elements. ...
- Helps protect against electric shocks.
Shoes do several things for us, help retain heat, allow us to travel greater distances without as much wear and tear, they can help provide ankle support if designed so. But probably the most important thing they do is ward off injury and accompanying infections.
What is another name for a shoe? ›
| footwear | boot |
|---|---|
| running shoe | slipper |
| sneaker | tennis shoe |
| clog | flip-flops |
| footgear | moccasin |
noun, plural shoes, (especially British Dialect) shoon [shoon]. an external covering for the human foot, usually of leather and consisting of a more or less stiff or heavy sole and a lighter upper part ending a short distance above, at, or below the ankle. an object or part resembling a shoe in form, position, or use.
What is shoe in slang? ›June 11, 2021. A shoo-in is a guaranteed winner. This noun phrase first appeared in the 1930s in the context of horse racing.
Why did men wear heels first? ›Heels were first invented in Persia in the 10th century, and they were originally designed for men. “Wealthy men wore them to give them additional height, and when they rode on horseback, the heels clicked into the stirrups,” says Steele.
How long have humans wore shoes? ›Humans have actually been wearing shoes of some sort for at least 40,000 years. Analysis of skeletons from Tiankyuan Cave in China showed changes in toe bones potentially associated with decreases in strain on the forefoot from not walking barefoot.
What came first shoe or sock? ›There's no definitive answer to this question, as people have been wearing socks and shoes for thousands of years. However, it's likely that people started wearing socks before they started wearing shoes, as socks were used as a form of insulation and protection against the elements long before shoes were invented.
Why do female wear high heels? ›High-heeled shoes, also known as high heels, are a type of shoe with a raised heel. This design raises the heel of the wearer's foot higher off the ground than the wearer's toes. High heels can cause the wearer's legs to appear longer, make the wearer appear taller, and accentuate muscle tone in the wearer's legs.
Why do shoes have heels? ›Its principal function is aesthetics since they give the shoe a more elegant touch and, in addition, make a man look a little taller. But it's not just this. The heel makes the shoe more durable since when we walk, we put our heels first, so it requires additional protection to make the sole last longer.
Who wore the first heel? ›The wheel was invented in the 4th millennium BC in Lower Mesopotamia(modern-day Iraq), where the Sumerian people inserted rotating axles into solid discs of wood. It was only in 2000 BC that the discs began to be hollowed out to make a lighter wheel. This innovation led to major advances in two main areas.
Are humans meant to run barefoot? ›Study: Humans Were Born To Run Barefoot : NPR. Study: Humans Were Born To Run Barefoot Researchers say that people who learned to run barefoot put less stress on their feet and legs than their shod peers. And it's more energy efficient, too. Barefoot is, after all, the natural way to run.
Why is barefoot the best? ›
Dr. Cunha says there are some benefits to being barefoot, including added circulation and decreased inflammation. "Walking barefoot may also help improve the strength and flexibility of the muscles and ligaments of the foot, improving the function of the feet and improving posture and balance of the body," he says.
Did humans run barefoot? ›Throughout most of human history, running was performed while barefoot or in thin-soled shoes such as moccasins. This practice continues today in Kenya and among the Tarahumara people of northern Mexico. Historians believe that the runners of Ancient Greece ran barefoot.
What does the Bible say about shoes? ›Ezekiel 24:23
And your tires [shall be] upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.
In the Arab world, no shoes are allowed indoors, as the shoes' soles are seen as dirty and unsanitary. Arab Muslims are required to remove their shoes when entering a mosque, as are all adherents of Islam.
Why is wearing shoes inside disrespectful? ›In most of Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, shoes are never worn inside homes, and it can be seen as a sign of disrespect for guests to enter a host's home without leaving them at the door. In the U.S., there are actually more shoeless households than you might think.
What is Nike's original name? ›It was founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman, a track-and-field coach at the University of Oregon, and his former student Phil Knight. They opened their first retail outlet in 1966 and launched the Nike brand shoe in 1972. The company was renamed Nike, Inc., in 1978 and went public two years later.
Who invented the shoe maker? ›Jan Ernst Matzeliger, (born Sept. 15, 1852, Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana [now Suriname]—died Aug. 24, 1889, Lynn, Mass., U.S.), inventor best known for his shoe-lasting machine that mechanically shaped the upper portions of shoes.
Who invented the shoe factory? ›Jan Matzeliger obtained a patent for his invention in 1883. Tragically, he developed tuberculosis not long after and died at the age 37. He left his stock holdings to his friends and to the First Church of Christ in Lynn, Massachusetts. Bellis, Mary.
What is the oldest shoe brand? ›The Frye Company is an American manufacturer of shoes, boots and leather accessories. Founded in 1863, it claims to be the oldest continuously operated American shoe company.
Who invented shoe laces? ›While Ötzi the Iceman and the Areni-1 shoe provide evidence that shoestrings have been around for thousands of years, Englishman Harvey Kennedy officially patented the shoestring in March 1790.
Which country made original shoes? ›
China was the world's leading producer of footwear in 2021, with a total of approximately 12 billion pairs of shoes produced. China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia are leaders in footwear production, which highlights the domination of the Asia Pacific (APAC) region in this industry.
What is a shoe maker called? ›cobbler, crispin, cordwainer, soler.
Where was famous for making shoes? ›Northampton is situated in the heart of England and is a town renowned for its shoemaking industry - the history of which goes back hundreds of years.
Where are shoes created? ›Most of the shoes we wear today are mass-produced in factories for the multitude of shoe manufacturers that exist around the world. For example, shoe giant Nike primarily uses factories in Asia to make its iconic sneakers, including countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, and Thailand.
What is the most famous shoe in the world? ›- #8: Air Max 90 (1990) Nike. ...
- #7: Authentic (1966) Vans. ...
- #6: Classic Leather (1983) Reebok. ...
- #5: Suede (1968) Puma. ...
- #4: Air Force 1 (1982) Nike. ...
- #3: Superstar (1969) Adidas. ...
- #2: Air Jordan I (1984) Nike. ...
- #1: Chuck Taylor All-Stars (1917) Converse.
The Nike Cortez was created by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. The men first met in 1957: Bowerman was the track and field coach at the University of Oregon, and Knight competed on Bowerman's team.