5 Interesting Facts About Footwear

Shoes are the most common type of apparel worn by humans. According to archaeological findings, humans have been wearing shoes since prehistoric times. There are interesting shoe facts that aren’t talked about much. From statistics to historical references to the evolution of footwear, many facts about shoes from pedro shoes and other stores are not well known.  Read on to know some five interesting facts that you probably didn’t know before.

1. Heels Were Worn First by Men

If you thought that women were the only ones to wear high heels, you’ve been wrong the entire time. Men wore them in ancient times to increase their height and appear more powerful. This trend was especially popular during Roman times with emperors such as Nero, who wore platform sandals that made him around six feet tall. Knights also wore boots with heels to make their armor more manageable and less cumbersome. In addition, shoes with high heels were originally designed not for fashion but to keep soldiers from slipping off horsebacks.

The popularity of men’s footwear has not changed much over time, with many still doing anything they can to be taller than their friends or coworkers. While some may opt for custom elevator shoes or lifts inside boots, others are turning towards shoe inserts that provide all-day comfort and a boost of confidence when standing next to shorter individuals.

2. Greek Actors Wore Platforms on Stage

Greek actors used to wear platforms on stage to look taller than their rivals and appear more powerful. This is because most of the population was shorter than average, with only a few people reaching above five feet tall. The shoes also distinguished them from other actors who put on socks, low shoes or even went barefoot. In fact, most people were barefoot back then, and shoes were considered a luxury. They were also very valuable and costly, as they had to be made from animal skin.

This practice started in the fifth century BC, but it wasn’t until much later that women took up this idea during the Elizabethan era. During this time, platform heels grew even higher and were often decorated with jewels or gold leaves. Today such extravagant designs can be seen at fashion shows around the world.

3. Measuring Shoe Sizes Began With a Barleycorn

A grain of barleycorn was first used as the unit of measurement for shoe sizes in Britain in the 1300s. The standard of measurement eventually became the width of a man’s thumb. Three barleycorns made up one inch, and a shoe size was the length of its corresponding unit.

In North America, shoe sizes were originally based on French units. It wasn’t until the 1900s that they switched to inches in both Britain and Canada. In Europe, women used to wear men’s shoes because there weren’t enough styles made for them. In Japan, the length of women’s shoes was measured because it was believed that women had longer feet than men. It wasn’t until 1908 when shoe companies in America began making shoes for both genders in an equally-sized range.

Today, shoe sizes are measured in inches and fractions. This is because of how it was standardized by an American company named S.A. Dunham which had started to manufacture shoes that were more proportionate for children with smaller feet than adult-sized ones. However, different countries have their measurements even within North America, where Canada uses centimeters instead of inches. Mexico follows the US standard on shoe size measurement using both centimeters and inches. This makes it difficult to purchase internationally due to varying standards between regions or across borders.

4. Philadelphia is the Origin of The First Pair of Right- and Left-Footed Shoes

The first pair of right- and left-footed shoes were made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by a shoemaker named William Young in the early 1818s. He noticed that people visiting his shop often had to try on half a dozen or more pairs before they found two that fit properly. At this time, most shoe manufacturers produced all their shoes “rountree” style—meaning footwear was sold as matching sets consisting of one shoe from each foot. This presented problems for customers who needed different-sized feet because it meant buying two complete pairs when only part of one would do. So, instead of wasting perfectly good leather by just throwing them away, Young began producing separate right and left parts that could be stitched together with a tongue of leather to form a shoe that fit either foot.

5. Science Can Explain Your Shoe Addiction

Did you know that the average woman will have spent up to $40,000 on shoes by age 60? Amazingly enough, this addiction can be explained, and it means more than just “women love shoes.” A scientist studying women in a shoe store found something very interesting. When they were around high heels, their brains released dopamine that made them feel good around the shoes.  

The Bottom Line

Footwear has been around since before written history. Some would argue that footwear was actually a significant invention for the evolution of the human race because it allowed humans to walk further distances without getting tired quickly. While this may be true, shoes have many facts that have enabled them to evolve into greater advancements in society.