Shoes are footwear items originally made to protect the feet. Through the years, various shoe styles and designs were developed that shoes has become an important element of fashion, instead of just serving the purpose of protecting the feet.

Traditionally, shoes were made from natural materials such as leather, wood, and canvas. Eventually, however, new materials were used to make shoes for various specific uses and to create shoes of different qualities and styles. Plastics, rubber, and other materials derived from petrochemicals became important materials in making shoes.

Brief history of shoes

The oldest known pair of shoes can be traced back to about 8000 to 7000 BCE and were found in 1938 in Oregon. Since the materials usually used in shoe making typically do not last for a millennium, experts believe that shoes have already been used even before 8000 BCE. In fact, an anthropologist named Erik Trinkaus claims that he has found proof that shoes were already used by humans in as far back as 40,000 to 26,000 years ago.

Common parts of shoes

Shoes have different parts, depending on their type and style. A shoe commonly has a sole, which refers to the bottom of the shoe. There is also the insole, which is the interior bottom part of a shoe, and the outsole, the part that directly touches the ground. The midsole is the sole layer located between the insole and the outsole. The heel. on the other hand, refers to the rear or back part of the shoe’s bottom. Lastly, shoes have a vamp or upper part that holds the foot.

Types of shoes

Shoes come in various types, some of which are only for females and others specifically made for males. Other shoes also come in designs for both genders. There are shoes intended only for children, while others are made for various purposes such as for sports or hiking.

The most common types of shoes include dress shoes, athletic shoes, boat shoes, casual shoes, dance shoes, golf shoes, bowling shoes, ballet shoes, and golf shoes, among others.

Common accessories for shoes

Depending on the style and type, various types of accessories are usually added to shoes or used on shoes. Among them are shoehorns, shoe trees, shoe polish, shoe brush, galoshes, shoe inserts, shoe stretchers, and shoelaces.

Choosing a pair of shoes

In choosing the right shoes for you, make sure that you consider the fit, shape, shoe design, materials used, color, price, treatment, and ornaments of shoes. Choose those that best offer a compromise for your preferences.