Women's Shoes

Shoes have always been an important element of a women's attire, but in the Victorian period shoes were hidden under a woman's dress. Because of this the demand was limited. Basically there were three types of shoes in that era. They were the boot, clog, and dress slipper. The boot was typically made of hard leather which took quite a bit of time to break in. This shoe was worn during the day by socially busy woman or by the population of women in the working class. The sewing machine in 1850 made the boot more accessible to more women and eventually it became the footwear for the working class. The dress slipper and clog were shoes worn for special occasions. These shoes were made of satin with many colors and intricate designs that matched the dress a woman was wearing that evening. While these shoes were slightly more comfortable than the boot, the idea at that time was to fit into the smallest size possible in order to hide the feet below the large hoop skirt

In our twenty-first century society, these ideas regarding footwear have vanished. In addition to the original three styles of footwear for the Victorian period many others have been added to the market ranging anywhere from "pumps" to gym shoes. These shoes are the result of the individualization of women, and an outcome of the feminist movement which demands that women feel comfortable with themselves. Along with the plethora of styles are newer and more durable materials used to make the different shoes. Including the original leather and satin, a woman can now buy shoes in cotton, suede, velvet, and even corduroy illustrating that there is no limit to what a women can have. Fashion today encourages women to wear the shoes that do not necessarily match the outfit but instead compliment the it, contrary to the Victorian period when the shoe had to match. After years of eventual foot problems due to the cramming of a woman's foot into a shoe too small for her foot, it is not any wonder why today a trade-off had to be made between style and comfort. While the worst health concern today from a pair of tight shoes could be a blister or bruise, these ailments seem trivial compared to the damage done to a woman's feet in the Victorian era due to bad shoes when many women suffered from problems of corns and even dislocated toes. The overall image of the shoe has not changed from then until now, and it still stands as an essential part of the outfit whether it is seen or not.

Today with the presence of women designers in the industry, comfort is quite possibly the only deep-seated interest. This idea is beautifully illustrated in the evolution of the "pump" or high-heeled shoes, which can be seen as an adaptation of the former dress shoe or slipper. What was once a shoe of high social status, but great discomfort, is now a shoe admired and worn by every working woman in the world. This example provides great insight into the idea that women should be restrained and quiet. By making a shoe for the working woman that is unbearable to wear, women are kept out of the workforce. As the years progressed more emphasis was put on the awareness of the comfort issue and later great improvements were made to make way for the woman in her designer "pumps" on her feet for eight hours.

Summary

Looking back on the progress of the feminist's movement, one can now see shoes as a direct representation of some of the feminists ideals held at that time. From the suppressed Victorian period to the rebellious twenties through the revolutionary sixties and up to the individualized twenty-first century, the objective has always been style. Now it appears each woman can have a style all her own. One could look at the fashion today and claim that now in regards to shoes everyone is a feminist. Whether she is the corporate executive or the third grade physical education teacher, no longer are her shoes hidden and avoided, but they have become part of who she is and the path she has chosen in her life. Inevitably, the path towards equality will always be arduous, but today no woman has to take another step in that path and face the world in bad shoes again.

Michael P Michael

Michael P Michael
http://www.womensshoes.oceandreamersusa.com

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