Shoe Related Myths and Legends

Shoes have been a part of our society since the middle ages. They depict our culture and heritage and have witnessed all forms of evolutionary changes. Shoes are the subject of much superstition and myth. Almost every culture since the beginning of time has had some superstition surrounding their footwear. This continues even today with the bronzing of baby shoes and the tying of shoes to the back of a newlywed couple’s car.

Following are some of the myths and legends that are associated with shoes and were followed at some point in history, by a particular race or nation.

• In China, a child’s shoe was adorned with a fierce animal such as a tiger. The animal was meant to protect him from evil spirits.
• A Native American custom was to put a hole in the sole of the shoes of an infant to let bad spirits escape.
• An age-old funeral ritual was burying a pair of shoes with the deceased. Though no one knows the origin of the custom, it was perhaps in the hope that the departed will walk comfortably in the afterlife.
• It was a Chinese custom to toss the bride’s red shoe upon the roof of the house on her wedding night as a sign of love and harmony.
• A custom of the Zuni people of the United States Southwest was to have a woman’s wedding boot made by her fiance.

Evolution of Materials Used in Shoes

Spanish cave drawings from more than 15,000 years ago show humans with animal skins or furs wrapped around their feet. Shoes, in some form or another, have been around for a very long time. The evolution of foot coverings, from the sandal to present-day athletic shoes continues even today as we find new materials with which to cover our feet.

Have the materials used in shoe really changed that much? We are, in fact, still wearing shoes that are made up of the same cloth, fabric, substance and material similar to the oldest crafted foot covering known to us. In fact, many of the shoes we wear today can be traced back to another era.

If we look at it analytically, the construction of shoes and the materials used for its construction relied heavily on the needs of a specific era or time. It also depended upon the availability of the materials in that region. By comparison, the materials used today in shoes lean more towards the fashion demands than the needs. Needs are still foreseen, but they are no more the top priority.

The evolution of the materials used in shoes is as extensive as can be and equally versatile.

It started off with leaves and animal hide. These materials were used solely for the protection of feet. As time progressed, other materials were discovered that promised more durability of shoes and the protection of feet.

The early 15^th century saw the rise of the renaissance period which first brought about the concept of fashion and style.

Leather was the most common material for footwear through the Renaissance. The skins of deer, goat, and sheep were common for light shoes for both men and women. The shoes could be fastened with hooks, buttons or lacings.

The period from 1520 to 1560 was one of political realism. Thus, the adopted shoe style was artificial rather than derived from nature.

Most men’s shoes were made of leather, with slashing on the toes. or women, delicate colours and violet were smart in leather, velvet, silk and other fabrics, though as the period continued, leather was used more frequently. In about 1570, fabrics were replaced by leather for all classes.

Timeline

Courtesy of Source: http://thepragmaticcostumer.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/the-three-shoes-every-penniless-historical-costumer-needs/

40000 BC – First archeological evidence of protective foot covering found in Ice Age settlements.

4000 BC –First recorded mentioning of shoes as “flexible pieces of leather” came from Ancient Egypt.

3627 BC – Archeologist found the earliest known leather shoe near one of the cave dwellings in Armenia.

3rd to 1st millennia BC – Many civilizations around the world used simple leather sandals in their daily life. Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen carried to his tomb exquisite sandals that were engraved with beautiful golden pictures of gods and religious symbols.

1st millennia BC – Romans used platform sandals made from wood or cork soles. Buskin shoes were also common in Greece and Rome, where they were worn by tragic actors, hunters and soldiers.

Around 1000 AD – Shoes and sandals become commonplace across Europe, but they are often crude and hard to wear for long periods of time. Saxon wedding ritual in which bride throws one of her shoe behind her back to determine which of her bridesmaids will be married next was born.

Quiz - History of Shoes

Courtesy of Source : http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/History/History-of-Shoes-271375.html

Shoes have been there since the olden times and they are an important part of human history and development.

How much do you know about the history of shoes?

Take this quiz and find out.

History Quiz

High Heeled Elegance - A Memoir

A high-heeled shoe is defined as a shoe whose heal is higher than the the toe. It holds a place place in our society like none other. No other shoe, however, has gestured toward leisure, sexuality, and sophistication as much as the high-heeled shoe.

Heels have been there since the beginning of time. Egyptian butchers wore heels, to help them walk above the blood of dead beasts. In ancient Greece and Rome, platform sandals called kothorni, were used by actors who would wear shoes of different heights to indicated varying social status or importance of characters in plays. In ancient Rome, sex trade was not illegal and female prostitutes were readily identified by their high heels.

During the Middle Ages, both men and women would wear pattens, or wooden soles, that were clearly a precursor to the high heel. In the 1400s, chopines, or platform shoes, were created in Turkey and were popular throughout Europe. Chopines could be seven to eight or even 30 inches high, requiring women to use canes or servants to help them walk. Chinese concubines and Turkish odalisques also wore high shoes, prompting scholars to speculate if heels were used not only for aesthetic reasons but also to prevent women from escaping the harem.

The formal invention of high heels as fashion is attributed to the rather short-statured Catherine de Medici (1519-1589). At the age of 14, Catherine de Medici was engaged to the King of France. She was small (not quite five feet) relative to the Duke and was hardly considered a beauty. She felt insecure in the arranged marriage knowing she would be the Queen of the France and in competition with the Duke’s favorite (and significantly taller) mistress. Looking for a way to dazzle the French nation and compensate for her perceived lack of aesthetic appeal, she donned heels two inches high that gave her a more towering physique sway when she walked. Her heels were a wild success and soon high heels were associated with privilege.

Most Bizarre Shoes in History

Courtesy of Source: http://listverse.com/2010/08/14/top-10-most-bizarre-shoes-in-history/

Shoes date back to the 8,000s BC – a very long history, indeed. Over the millennia all manner of styles and materials have been used for shoes. Some successful (the modern athletic shoe) and some not successful at all (lotus shoes). This list looks at ten bizarre styles of shoe from early to modern history.

Okobo

Japan, 18th century – today

Long before the 1970′s and the platform shoes, Japanese maiko (apprentice geisha) had been wearing Okobo sandals or clogs. The reason for wearing these very high platform shoes was not solely for fashion, but also for very practical reasons. If you are wearing a very expensive kimono that hangs all the way to your feet, you do not want to get mud on it when you walk outside. Okobo are made of one piece of solid wood forming the sole. Usually the wood has a very natural finish, or no varnish at all. But during the summer, maiko will wear black lacquered Okobo. The hight of Okobo shoes generally measures at 5 1/2 inches (14 cm), and the wood sole is carved hollow, giving them a very distinctive sound when one walks in them. In fact, the word Okobo is an onomatopoeia, that is it represents the sound of walking in them. A V-shaped thong of cloth forms the upper part of the sandal. The color of the cloth depends on the status of the maiko. For instance, a new maiko will wear red, while one who has nearly finished her apprenticeship will wear yellow.

Men’s High Heels

Europe, 1700′s

Shoes and stockings became very important for men in the 1700′s, when the tailored coat and breeches came into fashion and the focus shifted to the lower body. Suddenly, it was all about the shapely legs, and men wanted to wear flattering, fanciful hose and shoes to accentuate them. Louis XIV also had a thing for high heels with red soles and heels. It must have been tough being short in stature but lofty in power, so I guess he thought he would even it up a bit. Of course, what the king does, everyone else copies, so everyone who was anyone wore high heels with red soles and heels. After all, what would be more proper to wear with Petticoat breeches, than high-heeled shoes? Boots went completely out of style in favor of these new elegant heels, now elaborately decorated with ribbons, rosettes or buckles.

Kabkabs

Lebanon, 14th-17th century

Silver studded Wooden stilts known as “kabkabs” or “nalins” were once a practical way for women in the Middle East to protect themselves from dirt and discomfort on wet, muddy streets and in hot, wet bathhouses. Those belonging to the wealthy were often richly inlaid with mother of pearl. They were several inches high and had embroidered leather, silk or velvet straps. The name “kabkab” is derived from the sound they make when walking on marble floors. The uppers were embroidered with silver, gold or pewter wire. For special occasions, like a wedding, the wooden stilts were entirely covered with intricately decorated silver, or with small silver ornaments. Many times brides were very young girls and, therefore, small in stature.

Changing Trends in Footwear

The Highs and Lows of Shoe Fashion

Shoes have always been attributed as a fashion statement. With time, they became more of a fashion accessory than a necessity. In this article, I will provide you with a resourceful insight on the changing trends and fashions of footwear throughout history.  

It was not until the 19th century that shoes became a symbol of fashion and style. Before that, they were nothing more than a tool for the protection of feet.

• The first drastic development that changed the footwear fashion was the French Revolution (1792) when shoe heels all but disappeared. Their demise was motivated by politics and the desire to suggest that everyone was born on the same level.
• in 1810's a new fashion emerged in men that was again high heels. The men started wearing trousers that anchored stirrup straps under the foot. high heels held these straps in place.
• By 1830 the square toed shoes had come into fashion which were especially popular among women and children.

• The 1850's saw the trend of boots in women. These boots protected the women's modesty by covering up their ankles. As this era was famous for long long full skirts, so not much attention was paid towards the beautification of shoes.

• the 1870's saw the rise of "Louis" (hour-shaped glass heels).
• The famous 18th century styled bows and buckles became popular in shows in the 1880s. It was during the same time that embroidered shoes became popular especially the toe front as skirt lengths decreased.