So the history of shoes started back in the prehistoric ages. It probably makes sense, since our ancestors had to somehow survive in nature - and running after animals on sharp rocks or flaming hot sand was probably not something fun.
The first 'shoes' didn't look like shoes at all. They were mostly just some bag-like wrappings made out of fur or skins.
Then came the Egyptians and their simplistic sandals.
These were really simple - the world's first flip-flops!- and made basically of sand, papyrus and palm fiber. Later though, when they learned how to tan hide they started making them out of leather.
They also managed to dye them in different colors, so the middle class people were only allowed to wear red or yellow sandals, while the rich wore everything from gold to jewels on their footwear. The dignitaries had also curly ends to their sandals - though no one knows why.
The Greeks stepped it up even more. They also managed to make different kind of sandals for each kind of 'job'. For example, soldiers had to wear one kind, while priests or engaged women a totally different one. I guess this wasn't the time when children entertained themselves with trying to guess who had what occupation.
Meanwhile the Romans made more practical footwear - you know, because of all the wars...
Now let's fast-forward to the middle ages.
In these years the pointed toe style shoes became all the rage. These shoes were mostly made by sewing them inside out, then turning them back again.
In fact the pointy toes became so large, it was almost impossible to walk in these shoes. Some people even attached bells to them. Now imagine a whole city where people stumble around in those, and bells ringing all over the place. No wonder that the church tried to ban them for their obvious "phallic" look. The prudes.
Later on another weird trend started between the people.
These shoes were called Bear's claw or Duck's Bill. As you can see they were ridiculously wide at the toes- and later on they started exaggerating them even more, until they practically waddled in them, like some overgrown penguins. Because these shoes were not exactly practical when it came to dirt and much, they invented the Pattens, that were basically a couple of heels made out of wood that they strapped on to their other shoes, so they were lifted above all that mud.
In the 1500's people started to get tired of waddling all the time, so they went back to more normal and slender shoes. In come the mules... for men.
Women wore almost the same shoes as their older ancestors... with huge raised platforms that went so high, they got outlawed because of so many of them miscarrying after they fell off of their own shoes.
The next 100 years brought with them boots. Finally! But wait... The high heels were still really fashionable, even between men (especially so, cause in these last few hundred years men dressed more feminine than women). Sadly the boots were thrown back inside the cupboards as these new monstrosities became all the rage.
In the 1700's men started to wear pointed shoes that were of medium height and sported huge belt buckles in their front. The ladies wore practically the same thing, only with bigger heels and more glitter.
The 1800's women became more sensible. They wore simple slippers and boots, and gone were the high heels. It wasn't too much of a problem to lose them either, because the long dresses didn't allow to see their footwear anyway. Men wore mostly riding boots by this time, so they made their life a little bit more comfortable too.
The 1900's continued with the boots, and nothing much changed in the first 10 years. There were probably some added colors and styles, but nothing really new.
In 1910 narrow and little feet were all the rage, and almost everyone wore shoes with at least one size smaller than their feet. Some women even removed their little toes so they could fit in the narrowest boots and slippers. Men mostly wore splats, and later on the sneakers became more fashionable too.
In the next ten years women started wearing pointed toed shoes with the added new curiosity at that time: straps. Men had shoes usually in two colors, either black and white, either white and tan.
In the 1930 a lot of different kind of shoes were available for women, but the most loved ones were the sandals. These were the years when the loafers were first made, and boots were no longer used by anyone -well, that's not exactly true, laborers still wore them for work.
In the next ten years - just as with the clothes - materials became a lot more scarcer because of the war. Heels were also regulated, so they were mostly nonexistent. Men started wearing sporty outfits, and with those the saddle shoes.
The 1950's brought with them the stilettos, and the race to achieve the slimmest heels began. Shoes were once again made in every color possible. Men wore conservative shoes, and mostly everything from tennis shoes to bucks.
In the next ten years boots became more popular again. Women wore them with their mini skirts, and men wore ankle boots.
And then came the hippie years, and the 'everything goes' era. People started to wear whatever the fuck they wanted to - some of them went even barefoot. Disco platform shoes became also something most teenagers had - yes, both girls and boys. In fact this started out as a cross-dresser age, where boys grabbed their female relative's blouses and make-up and vice versa.
And the rest is again up for you to remember.
Inspiration from Head Over Heels.
