A timeline history of Shoes and Fashion

Prehistoric:
The Iceman Cometh

WHAT’S GOING ON? 
Not a whole hell of a lot, I’ll tell you.  There were glaciers.  And ice caps.  And more glaciers and more ice caps. It was damn cold, that’s what. So man migrated in search of the southern sun and it was suddenly necessary to wear something so he didn’t freeze to death.  He learned to trap animals for food.  He learned to hide away in caves to keep warm.  He invented tools and learned how to sharpen stones into axes and hammers.  Meanwhile, thousands of years go by…


FASHION:
Simple fashions were preferred during the prehistoric era.  Breechcloth made of leather or woven grass tied with a sash.  Furs and feather capes for the winter months. Women wore skirts of deerskin or mulberry cloth, animal hide mantles and capes.



SHOES:
No one knows when the first shoes were worn for there are no records of such things so we can only make assumptions based on relics and primitive cave paintings.  For sure, the development of some sort of covering was one of the first things primitive man did considering all of that outdoor activity such as hunting which required traipsing over jagged rocks and burning sand.  Never mind the winter.  So the first shoes were developed quite early and they were most likely bag-like wrappings made of fur or skins.  Cave Paintings (c.8000 BCE) show these foot bags and some even show images of shoes that look like fur boots. 

The earliest European shoes discovered were that of the Ice Man found in the Alps which date all the way back to 3300 BCE and were made of rawhide bearskin and woven plant fibers.

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EGYPT: 
FLIP FLOPS & PHARAOHS CAN LEAVE ONE A BIT PEAKED

WHAT’S GOING ON?
The Nile, elaborate irrigation systems, temples, pyramids and the first calendar, to name a few things. Those Egyptians were quite savvy. The Nile did the work of a million men and made it possible to feed the entire Egyptian population.  So while prehistoric man busted his hump sixteen hours a day gathering food for himself and the members of his tribe, the Egyptians had some serious time on their hands and what better use of that time than to make and invent stuff. And then write it all down, to boot.

FASHION:
Linen was apparently the in fabric because everyone was using it.  After all, linen is great for hot weather, it keeps you cool and it looks great but damn it's hard to iron. 

Right: Snazzy Egyptian Outfit>

Men wore a loincloth and women wore a dress with straps.  The loin cloth came in different lengths, short during the Old Kingdom and down to the calf by the Middle Kingdom when it was also worn ensemble with a sleeveless shirt or long robe.  The Kalasiris Robe was quite popular with the men and ladies and came in a variety of fashionable styles.  There was the short sleeve or the sleeveless version along with a variety of widths to choose from.  No matter, the hem always touched the ankle for maximum wearability and almost always held together with a belt. 
   
SHOES:
Sandals are believed to be the first crafted footwear which is not surprising considering their simplicity.  They were plain, practical and consisted of only two parts:  The sole and the thong.  The first “flip flop” so to speak.  Except these first sandals weren’t made of colorful plastic or rubber obviously, they had to be made from whatever was available.  Which wasn’t much. 

The first sandals were basically made from a footprint in wet sand.  Braided papyrus was then molded into the sole prints and then they were attached to the foot by palm fiber by way of the thong. 

<Left: Egyptian Sandals.

But once the Egyptians learned to tan hide, sandals were made from leather and these early leather shoes were not made to accommodate right and left fittings, instead constructed exactly the same giving no allowance for the big toe or instep which I imagine made walking a bit awkward to say the least.  

In ancient Egypt, the sandal was the sign of power and rank, because they were considered a luxury and not everyone could afford good ones.  Which makes sense. But those Egyptians went so far as to allocate class by color. Gold and jeweled sandals were for the king and his court, pastels for dignitaries with red and yellow being the only colors allowed for the middle class.  What about the poor and the slaves? They went barefoot, of course.

What’s the difference between a common man’s sandal and the Pharaoh’s?

The peak, the peak!

Right: Example of Peaked Pharaoh Sandals>

These pointed shoes began to show up around 1234-1250 and were made from fabric or soft leather.  Who knows why pointed toes were developed for there seemed to be no function. My guess is that Pharaohs were just show offs.

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GREECE:
I’LL HAVE THE SIMPLE LIFE WITH FETA CHEESE, PLEASE

WHAT’S GOING ON? 
Beautiful architecture. Master pieces of art. Elaborate and imaginative mythological epics. Competitive sports in the Olympics. Not to mention the gyros and the salads. And democracy. Greek society consisted of three types of people:  the freemen, the slaves and a healthy sprinkling of foreigners and whenever it was not ruled by a king or some freak tyrant, Greece was run by the freemen who gathered when necessary at the marketplace to discuss affairs of state.  Meanwhile, the slaves did all the cooking and baking and candlestick making of the entire city. They were also the tailors and the carpenters and the jewelers and the school-teachers and the bookkeepers and they tended the store and looked after the factory.

It was kind of like an exclusive club.  All the freemen were exclusive members and all the slaves ran the place and waited on them. But before you start feeling all bad for the slaves, keep in mind that the Greeks did not treat their slaves like those thugs the Romans.  Slaves were just like ordinary workers doing their jobs everyday kind of like us. 

Greek life was that of moderation and simplicity. Greeks strived to be free in both mind and body and to do this, they felt it best to reduce their daily needs to the lowest point possible.  They lived in simple houses, ate simple foods and wore simple clothing. 

FASHION:
The Greeks liked to be clean and well groomed, to have their hair and beards neatly cut and to feel physically fit. Their garments were similar for both men and women and consisted of big rectangles of fabric which were draped over the body. Men wore their hair long in the beginning but later chose shorter styles with little to no facial hair, while older men wore mustaches with a short trimmed beard. 

SHOES:
The Greeks were known for their sandals, right? They excelled at shoemaking and by 400 BC shoe and sandal making attained a high degree of sophistication and people’s obsession with footwear accelerated to a point where social “rules” came into play regarding them. Like shoes were only worn outdoors, the exact opposite of today’s no shirt, no shoes, no service policies. And certain shoes were for certain occupations.  Soldiers wore this type, brides-to-be wore another, priest one type, actors another; each type designated and accounted for. 

<Left: Greek Sandal.

Oh, shoes, shoes, glorious shoes. How art thy the boundary between death and rebirth. How art thy the difference between darkness and light. Let thy body absorb the vital energies between the boundary of human and divine.   

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ROME:
VENI, VIDI, VICI AND THE WAR MACHINE

WHAT’S GOING ON? 
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Which is conquer. And conquer. War and war. And more war. Within less than a century and a half, Rome swallowed up practically all the land around the Mediterranean taking in territory and slaves as it went. War was very serious business and Rome showed no mercy to the conquered foe. Okay, Rome wasn't all about just conquering and war. Sure they were master builders of roads, bridges and aqueducts. There were great works of architecture and sculpture. And hey, don't forget those Roman Numerals. But mostly they were all about the conquest.

FASHION:
A Roman could tell how important or wealthy a person was from their toga. Free Roman men wore a toga made from white wool or white Egyptian linen.  But Togas were drafty and people didn’t like wearing them so eventually they switched to tunics which looked like long tee-shirts and were far more practical.  The soldier wore chain and scale or leather armor with the metal on the inside. Women wore a tunica which was adapted from the Greek chiton, usually knee-length. Over this was a stola which was a full length robe from neck to ankle, high- waisted and fastened at the shoulders with clasps.

SHOES:
And while the Greeks were perfecting their elegance and beauty, Rome had their mind set on perfecting the conquest, which I think I already mentioned several times. The Roman Empire was ever growing and the soldiers uniform had to be practical and steadfast, shoes included.  As a result, shoes were developed more durable and sturdy. Although Roman shoes were more practical and less elegant than that of Greece they shared the same class distinction thing with the styles and colors.  Red was restricted to the emperor only, while black and white was designated for senators and pale colors for the wealthy. And again the slaves and poor were barefooted or wore the plainest of sandals.

<Left: Roman Sandal.

A Roman would never enter a house without removing his shoes so outdoor footwear was quickly replaced by banqueting slippers called soleae which were carried by a servant.  


Oh, shoes, shoes, glorious shoes. Thou art the meaning of life.  Thou art thy favor of god. (which is why you slaves aren't allowed to wear them. Now get back to work!)

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