Cause A Frockus

A Brief History of Shoes

Apr 14, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

For generations we have chosen to protect our feet; only in relatively recent human history have people decided to make it a fashionable endeavor. We have a deep love and appreciation for vintage shoes – but what inspired their form, colors, or materials? It’s great to have a better understanding of social context to frame the work of epic designers like Roger Vivier and Salvatore Ferragamo. Allow us to present a brief history of shoes and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

What are chopines?

While the first indication of footwear dates back about 40,000 years, the earliest big splash in shoe design happened in the 15th century. Popularized by courtesans in Venice, the chopine (a clog-like platform shoe) elevated their wearer’s height by up to twenty inches. It was a simple social equation: the taller the chopine, the more important the person. While they were extreme in height, the construction was relatively simple. Their sturdy soles were usually composed of wood or cork and the upper section of fabric or leather. The vertical impact embodied a new trend – one that we know all to well in our modern times – the shoe as a medium for a woman’s joy and an expression of her passion.

As one can imagine, the rather conservative nature of the times contradicted the chopine’s boldness. It wasn’t long until leaders fought to restrain the over-the-top nature of this shoe. In 1434 a height restriction of 3.5” was applied, but enforcement faded. By the end of the 1400’s the staggering elevations returned and so did the wealthy public’s appetite for more footwear options.

Heels remained a key fashion theme throughout the Renaissance, with red heels becoming a status symbol in King Louis XIV’s court. While rich tastes continued to drive the market, heels for men’s shoes fell out of favor during the French revolution – only to be seen again in the 1970s.

A brief history of shoes

On the heels of the chopine (word play!), France continued to be the grand taste maker for foot fashion throughout the 19th century. By this time a bigger variety of styles, ornamentation, and colors were available. Shoes began to have more personality and bear unique details. During the mid 1800s women mainly wore slippers or ankle-high boots (for indoor and outdoor uses respectively).

As industrialization and war changed economic climates, American firms began to successfully challenge their European counterparts. These efforts simultaneously made shoes cheaper and more sturdy. Fashion and shoes joined forces in the early 1900s as dresses started to showcase the foot and beautiful designs were the rage. Early fashion plates and publications like Godey’s Lady Book whetted the appetite of female consumers. The flapper girl with her short dresses and Charleston moves required a feminine shoe and early film stars blazed the path for new trends. Heels once again indicated status as it was seen as a sign of romantic availability. Emphasis on creating a complete “look” continued, but as the world entered another struggle people’s focus shifted.

War time rations made for creative material choices (see Ferragamo’s cork wedge of 1942), but the limited palette did not last long. After the conflicts, industrial advancements that were formerly reserved for military purposes gained new life in design fields. The stiletto forever altered the course of shoe design in the 1950s, showing that technology had a role in such a creative field. The metalwork required to achieve the slender stiletto opened up the door to more radical approaches.

Much innovation happened during this time as women suddenly had access to sandals, peep toes, platforms, ankle straps, sling backs, buckles, heels (in a variety of heights), wedges, and stilettos. With the tremendous increase in options, women were averaging about nine shoes in their collection. (Compare that to our modern closets, which typically house about 20 pairs.)

By the 1960s, gone were the days of the rich trendsetter – popular culture and street fashion drove the market. Youthful shapes were welcomed and small heels were desired. A decade later social influence was felt even more strongly. The 1970s gave us glam rock, heels for men, and ushered in punk rock/military inspired looks. It was a time when fantasy directly inspired style.

Romanticism returned to the forefront by the 1980s, providing a contrast to the decade that came before it. Yet this era wasn’t a complete mirror of the Art Nouveau graceful beauty, women were more established in the executive workplace and shoes that screamed power became a critical feature of the wardrobe arsenal. Vintage footwear encompasses a variety of influences and while we don’t know if the twenty inch heel will ever achieve 15th century-level acceptance, it’s fun to see how each former decade inspired the next.

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Cause A Frockus would like to thank their tremendous resources: “Footwear Design” by Aki Choklat, “Shoes A-Z: Designers, Brands, Manufacturers, and Retailers” by Jonathan Walford, “Shoes: A history from sandals to sneakers” edited by Giorgio Riello and Peter McNeil, and the people who post their imagery without restriction.

For our readers: would you ever wear chopines if they came back in fashion? Which decade of footwear fashion is your favorite and why? Share with us in the comments below!

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