Shoes are an integral part of life and nobody steps outside without them and needless to say we often wear them even inside our house like slippers. We are well aware of the different trends and types of shoes in the world but does anyone bother about knowing the history and origination of shoes. Let us discuss some main elements of the origination of shoes :

History of shoes in the world

Shoes are believed to be invented around 40,000 years ago. In the early time’s shoes were worn for the safety of the feet and to avoid adversities. They were made out of anything and everything easily available to people.

In 1800 the shoes, made by hand for both males and females were the same and there wasn’t any different. Until 1850 both the pairs of shoes were similar and they weren’t aware of the anatomy of the legs and that you need proper fitting according to the sizes of the different individuals.

In 1991, a mummified body was found in Otzwal, along with it man-made shoes were found which were made out of grass and bearskin which were woven together to keep it intact.

There isn’t a single shoe that can be named as the first one as the people belonging to different climatic conditions made shoes for themselves with whatever material they found and also in climates where they needed it to be protected from cold and numbness from the snow, they made the use of fur and animal skin. Whereas in areas of hot weather they used sticks, leaves and kept space for ventilation.

The first sandal was seen in Egypt during the time 1250 B.C which was made up of leaves and untreated leather. Till this time they were used for protection but at later stages shoes became a symbol of power and superiority among different classes. There was a notion that only rich people should wear shoes and was a matter of pride and social status.

In the middle ages from 1453 B.C heels were discovered and the footwear had gained the required attention. Now people could think of different designs and patterns in modifying the traditional footwear and Northern Europe came up with the leather boots by this time to combat the wintery chills.

In early modern times during 1918 B.C by this time they were well differentiated between men and women. The biggest turnover of events happened during the industrial revolution when the craftsmen from America introduced the world to sewing machines and shoe-making machines which led to faster production of shoes at an affordable price.

History of shoes in India

First read about shoes in India and also seen in some scripts were the ‘parkas which were made up of wood and were carved using tools to match the size and shape of one’s feet and these were initially worn by holy saints in ancient times.

At later stages when the sea routes were discovered and there was a necessity to take up these trails to complete their daily tasks. There arrived the need to produce waterproof shoes. Indian kings and queens wore clothed shoes which were embedded with gemstones.

As you have already known India was captured multiple times by different invaders and those left some of their essences here. By the influence of British, Portuguese, and Dutch, shoe factories were established in India.
Some of the Indian footwear which was later fusioned and is seen widely seen now

1. Kolhapuri chappal:

These are widely famous in Kolhapur, Maharashtra which is made up of processed leather. They were found in the 18th century and were often worn by the Indian emperors, which are still worn in traditional attire at weddings and other traditional functions. This is a purely original product of Indian markets.

2. Mojhari:

These have a flat front and are open from behind. These are designed in Rajasthan in the cities of Jaipur and Jodhpur. These are embroidered with precious stones and look aesthetic.

3. Khussa:

These are found in Punjab and are made out of vegetable-tanned leather. Mirror embellishment and ceramic beads are attached to them to make them look really pretty and elegant.

3. Khussa:

These are found in Punjab and are made out of vegetable-tanned leather. Mirror embellishment and ceramic beads are attached to them to make them look really pretty and elegant.

4. Jutti:

It is a Punjabi term and made locally in Punjab and were made up of leather and is quite famous in North India. They have a flat sole and usually look the same for men and women but men’s footwear is usually pointy at the tip. This type of footwear was mostly seen worn by the Rajputs. Even with the modern styles and designs juttis are still a part of weddings and traditional festivals.

5. Pula chappal:

It is made by twisting strands of grass and stitching it with a cloth. It is often used by the Pahari people of Himachal Pradesh. These are lightweight and the clothing provides the warmth required in such cold areas and also helped them in climbing the hills.

6. Osho chappals:

These are eco-friendly chappals as they are made from bamboo material and the bottom is made up of rubber. These were worn by people of all ages and were quite affordable.

It is quite evident from history that the use of shoes in the olden time was mere as it was a need of the common man but the virtue of it has completely changed now and from the technological aspects to the shoe market has reached great heights.

Shoes are now available in different designs, styles and can be customized as per the need of the person. Earlier the shoes of one particular area remained there but now they can be easily transported. Knowing about the origination is a fascinating experience and you get to learn a lot from our history. It is true that our ancestors were creative and could innovate to build stuff for their use.
I hope you found this article useful and got to know about how the shoes were worn in the historical times and enjoyed reading it. Thank you!