Men came to cover their feet with grass, leaves and bark to protect them from the rough ground, heat and cold. As civilization progressed, the material use to cover the feet changed from grass to raw hide. The hide was shaped to fit the contours of the feet and the concept of shoes came into being. Over a period of time, men adapted shoes to a specific climate or region.
Since people worked at different jobs, they made footwear according to their specific requirements. So a teacher was likely to have shoes which were very different from that of a farmer or shepherd. Shoes began to indicate or point to an individual's social as well as economic status.
The rich and the famous used footwear of different types for different occasions and spent fortunes on getting their footwear designed and hand crafted by gifted and skilled craftsmen.
We see that footwear has a history which is as old as that of mankind. From a frugally constructed article of sheer necessity, footwear evolved into a myriad of forms and colors. History says that Egyptians made sandals from plaited papyrus leaves. Sandal making had become a well recognized art in that country.
Various cultures put emphasis on different qualities and attributes for footwear. Greeks wanted shoes that looked good and were artistic. Romans, because of their martial leanings, wanted shoes that were rugged and built to last.
From a very humble beginning, shoes today occupy the pride of place in wardrobes. Some people are fond of collecting pairs and use a different one for every occasion.
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