As long as human have walked upright, we have been search for ways to cover our feet that are comfortable and stylish. To that end, foot wear has undergone many different manifestations and changes over the centuries.

The first shoes are thought to have dated all the way back to 7000 BC. These ancient shoes were found in Oregon, but many believe shoes were developed long before this because the materials used to make shoes, like leather and cloth, typically disintegrate with time. There has even been speculation that shoes were developed as long ago as 40,000 years ago!

It is believed that the first shoes were made with whatever materials the people had handy, including things like tree bark or grass that was tied together with dried vines. Other materials that were used were dried palm leaves that were woven together to form protective feet coverings. Archaeologists have found some of the earliest examples of sandals in the warmer climates of Japan and Polynesia.

Eventually, people moved from plant based foot wear to shoes that were made from animal skins that were tanned to be tougher and to provide extra protection and warm to the feet. Animal skins were cut in the shape of the foot and held together with pieces of sinew and tendon. There have been small pieces of shoes found in Britain, but the pieces were so small that it was difficult to tell how the foot wear was constructed.

The first complete example of shoes that we have came from Rome. Romans had shoes in a dizzying array of styles. The caliga, the military shoe, had patterned lacings and left the toes completely uncovered. The British adapted the caliga with a closed toe to better suit the cold, wet weather in England. Most shoes of this era were called “straights.” They were made to fit either foot instead of the specialized shoes made for the left and right foot that we have now.

The sharp toe of some shoes first appeared in the Middle Ages, but unlike today, the style was worn by men instead of women. The longer the toe of the shoe, the higher the status of the man. The pointed toe faded in popularity by the end of the Middle Ages, with large rounded toes surging in fashion. The toes became as large as 6 and a half inches wide and were called foot bags.

The high heel was first introduced at the end of the reign of England's Queen Elizabeth I. It was also during the Tudor period that shoes developed tongues and top side laces. Prior to this period, shoes were typically laced along the side. Knee boots also became popular during this time of foot wear development. Shoes were still made as straights, making shoes somewhat uncomfortable to wear.

Foot wear continued to evolve in the 17th century and began to include for the first time a pointed toe on women's shoes. En continued to wear shoes with a square toe. Buckles were also introduced to facilitate fastening shoes, replacing the ribbons and laces of earlier shoes. Shoes were also more ornate in this period.

Women first began matching their shoes to their outfits in the 1800s. Lace, gold braid and fabric were popular embellishments on foot wear of the period. The decorations on shoes were often moved between pairs of shoes as braid and lace was often too expensive to be relegated to one pair of shoes.

As women's shoes were growing more elaborate, men's shoes took a turn towards the plain, with black and brown leather shoes with lower heels becoming more common in mens foot wear fashion. It was during this time that wide heels began to narrow at the bottom, giving rise to the Italian Heel that continues to be popular today. Popular materials during this time included delicate satins and expensive silks. Boots also became extremely popular during the 19th century. Popular styles had an open tab front and boots made of cloth with satin laces for ladies were also extremely stylish. Derby shoes with an open toe were popular with men.

The 20th century saw an explosion in the number of shoe styles and the shoes underwent a radical transformation of styles and materials. In the early part of the century, shoes continued to be made of leather for the poor and expensive materials for those of means. Two color shoes became fashionable in the 30s and 40s.

In the 50s, oxford shoes became popular for both men and men. Shoe styles varied greatly according to the age of the wearer from the 60s onward. Leather sandals with cork footbeds become popular among the counterculture while conservative lace up oxford remained popular with older men and pumps with midsized heels remained popular with women.

In the 70s, foot wear fashion took a turn when athletic shoes moved out of the gym and onto the streets. The trend continued in the 80s with famous athletes making gym shoes fashionable and expensive.

In the 21st century, shoes are made from a variety of materials, from leather to synthetic materials like vinyl and plastic. Styles range from basic black lace up shoes to ornate stiletto heels that ca cost over $1000 a pair.