A shoe is a footwear designed to protect and comfort the human foot. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function. Additionally, fashion has often dictated many design elements, such as whether shoes have very high heels or flat ones. Contemporary footwear in the 2010s varies widely in style, complexity and cost. Simple sandals may consist of only a thin sole held to the foot by straps going over the instep and around the ankle. High fashion shoes made by famous designers may be made of expensive materials, use complex construction and sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars a pair. Some shoes are designed for specific purposes, such as boots designed specifically for mountaineering or skiing. Historically, shoes have been made from leather, wood or canvas, but in the 2010s, they are increasingly made from rubber, plastics and other petrochemical-derived materials.
The earliest known shoes are sandals dating from approximately 7,000 or 8,000 BC found in Oregon in 1938. The world’s oldest leather shoe was found in a cave near Areni-1 village Armenia. Shoemaking became more commercialized in 16th century Europe, particularly after 1558 when the guild of cordwainers (now shoemakers) was formed. During this period shoemakers began using iron lasts shaped after human feet & creating heels making taller-looking shoes which caused increased demand resulting in a greater focus on marketing & advertising[citation needed]. Men’s shoes were commonly made with square toes while women wore pointed ones that were decorated with lace & other adornments .[citation needed]
In early Native American cultures moccasins served multiple purposes: they protected feet from cold ground & prickly vegetation while allowing hunters silent movement which was necessary for stalking game . In addition toHide soles & uppers sewn together with sinew thread derived form animal tendonsthese early moccasins were also decorated with beadwork , quillwork , painting , elk teeth , appliqués as well as being dyed different colors depending on tribe & region . Moccasin tops were often open at the toe while those intended for colder weather had flaps that completely covered both opening & foot . Early anthropologists mistakenly classified all native American footwear under the heading “moccasins” not realizing there was such diversity among them . It wasn’t until later when tribes living further north where snowshoes were necessary that ethnographers began classifying them separately. There is still some confusion surrounding terminology with modern day shoppers often referring to any soft -sole indigenous people’s shoe generically as a “moccasin” regardless of it’s true tribal origins .