The empress Josephine of France reportedly showed her shoe maker a dance slipper that developed a hole after just one wearing. "Ah, i see what the problem is, Madame," he exclaimed. "You have walked in them!" Clearly, the slipper is a special kind of shoe. As the name implies, a "slipper" is a covering into which a foot is easily slipped; worn by both women and men, the indoor shoe is soft-soled and lightweight. The mule, although sometimes called a slipper, is a backless shoe that can be worn outdoors as well as indoors. Often wonderfully decorated and considered the epitome of comfort, slippers have been widely worn for centuries. Ins Europe and North America, slippers were once footwear for the privileged few, but mass production in the 19th century enabled ordinary people to slip into them readily- which they have done with pleasure ever since.
 |
| The Gold-Embroidered Indore shoe |
These gold-embroidered mules are from late 19th century Europe; in spite of their delicate appearance, the mules were probably worn both indoors and outside.
 |
| House Shoe-Indore shoe |
These examples of 19th century men's "
house shoes
", also popularly called slippers in their time, feature elaborate needlework. The slippers were frequently made at home by women for their husbands and sons.
  |
| Slippers-Indoor shoes |
Both slippers are from 19th century Italy. The
man's slipper
(left) and
woman's slipper
(right) feature gold-embossed Florentine work of flowers and leaves, a decorative touch that was very fashionable at that time.
 |
| Luxury Indoor shoes |
Three mules from 17th century Europe make use of luxury fabrics; fine silk embroidery (left), silver lace over velvet (middle) and brocaded Chinese silk(right). During this period, mules were popular with both men and women.
 |
| Indoor shoes of US,1980 |
The elaborately embroidered and decorated mules with matching ribbons are from the United States, mid-1800s. Although they could have been worn outdoors, they probably never were.
, boots are often social artifacts--such as Inuit boots whose external designs communicate information about their owners. Boots that protect wearers from desert heat and mountain cold are found in other parts of the world. The basic concept and construction of boots has changed very little over time.
illustrate the basic construction of this type of footwear; one piece of leather that forms a continuous sole and upper. This pair of deerskin moccasins decorated with porcupine quills is about 200 years old.
with toe and heel stilts have been widely worn in Asia and Africa' this pair, attached to the feet with leather toe thongs, comes from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
, Chakris or Kharrows". The toe-knob grip is also a distinctive and centuries-old frature.
of silk and kid belongs to the sandal revival of the 1930s. The sandal has remained a fashion staple on women's wardrobes ever since.
are from the Amazon region of South America. The soles are made from readily accessible tapir hide, and rope is attached to form toe loops and heel straps.
. In many cultures, shoes have long been associated with religious practices. And specially designed shoes have also enabled people to perform more effectively, whether their undertakings involve work, dance or sports.
along with a large number of men’s dress and casual type of shoes are made in this process.
