THE ACIENTS

From Egyptian tombs, dating as far back as 5000 years, enough examples of footwear have survived to give us a clear understanding of the lifestyle of the ancient Egyptians and the relevance of their footwear. The later Greek and Roman cultures developed distinctly different styles of footwear according to the gender and social position of the wearer. Some of the names for different styles of footwear which were part of the classical vocabulary have come down to us today, such as sandalium (sandal), solea (sole), and soccus (sock). The centre of the Roman empire moved east during the 4th and 5th centuries to Byzantium. Under the Byzantines, Christianity was used to reinforce the alliance of what was once Rome's domain. The Christian concept of clothing brought about radical change from the classical ways. According to Christian morality, it was considered sinful to expose the body, so by the 8th century, shoes, designed to cover the feet, replaced sandals.

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From the 10th to 12th centuries, Europe emerged from the Dark Ages by uniting into nations and developing a mercantile capitalist economy. Crusaders, sent to free the Holy Land from Islamic occupation, brought back technical knowledge and fineries, whetting the appetites of nobles who craved more novelty. By the 14th century, quality textiles and fine leathers were being fashioned into shoes that became conspicuous displays of style and elegance, worn to express personal status. Fashion was born! During the 14th century, a fashion for pointed toes spread across Europe. The style seems to have originated in Poland as it became known as the poulaine (from "Poland") or the cracow (from "Krakow"). Edicts were proclaimed limiting the length of the toe according to the wealth and social standing of the wearer.

When the pointed toe style fell from fashion at the end of the 15th century, it was replaced in Northern Europe by wide toe fashions, known variously as the hornbill, cowmouth or bearpaw.

An unusual woman’s fashion, which was at the height of popularity in Venice during the 16th century, was the chopine – a platform-soled mule that raised the wearer sometimes as high as two feet off the ground. By the time this fashion had subsided in the early 17th century, heels had emerged as a standard addition to both men's and women's footwear.

As Europe gained power and wealth, the elite distanced themselves from the masses through conspicuous refinement and extravagant ornamentation. A noble's status was visible in everything he or she did and wore. Artifice ruled the elite’s life. Flowery speech and mannered gestures characterized courtly accomplishment.

Women’s dress consisted of a bodice, a petticoat and a gown. Costly lace collars were popular and the bodice was sometimes extravagantly décolleté. High-heeled footwear made of expensive silks expressed the idle lifestyles and accumulated wealth of the "well-heeled."

18th century fashion was strongly influenced by the French Court. During the second part of the century the rigidity, dignity and seriousness of the women’s dresses gave way to more flowing lines, decorated with bows and ruffles. Skirts were distended sideways by means of an under structure called a "panier" (basket).

Shaped high heels were worn by men and women of the upper classes. Materials for shoes and dresses were rich and splendid and included brocades, embroidered silks and painted leathers. Large showy buckles had become the feature of the shoes.

After the French Revolution in 1792, shoe styles changed dramatically. Heels shrank and even disappeared, suggesting everyone was born on the same level. Expensive silks were largely replaced by more affordable and better-wearing leathers. CLICK HERE

In the 19th century, fashion became available to a much larger section of society. The stylish elite had to keep up to date with the ever-changing silhouette. By 1830, the square toe had come into fashion and would remain stylish for the next fifty years. During the 1850s boots became modest essentials underneath the immense wire-frame supported skirts, which tended to swing when walking, exposing the ankle and foot. Heels were slow to return to women's footwear, but by the 1870s, were a standard addition.

The 19th century was an era of technological improvements. Synthetic dyes were developed, which gave new colours to the world of fashion, and sewing machines eased the amount of handwork required for sewing footwear and applying decoration. While American predominance in manufacturing developments made footwear cheaper, the first of the great shoe designers, François Pinet, began to create masterpieces of workmanship and decoration.

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By 1914 hemlines were rising and radical changes in the roles for women were about to take place due to the First World War. Following armistice, the age of modernism descended as the leg came into full view and the shoe, now preferred to the boot, became the visible foundation of the silhouette. Colour, pattern and detailing became important design elements. High heels generally reigned as they visually slimmed the foot and ankle, and tightened the calf muscle for a shapely lower leg. Since the 1910s, modern transportation and communication has transformed fashion into a world commodity. A huge variety of footwear is available to us today. Whether for sport or fashion, these highly designed foot coverings express our individuality, but still serve the purpose for which footwear was originally invented -- to protect our feet.

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CHECK YOURSELF ABOUT FOOTWEAR INTERESTING FACTS1. In the early 19th century, long distance walking became a popular pastime; this

was called:a.  Walkabouts;b. Footings;c. Pedestrianism

2. The slide fastener (zipper) was invented as a waterproof closure for galoshes in:a. 1907b. 1927c. 1893

3. The most ever paid for a pair of used shoes was for:a. Princess Diana's wedding shoes b. John Travolta's shoes in "Saturday Night Fever" c. Judy Garland's ruby slippers in "The Wizard of Oz"

4. Which fictitious secret agent had a telephone built into his shoe:a. James Bond b. John Steed c. Maxwell Smart

5. Where are the boots worn by Neil Armstrong for his famous first walk on the moon in 1969 where he uttered the famous words "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" ? a. The National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution,  Washington DC

b. In Neil Armstrong's personal possession

c. In space

6. Which shoe style did Pat Boone popularize in the 1950's:

a. saddle shoes

b. penny loafers

c. white bucks

7. Approximately how many pairs of shoes did Imelda Marcos, wife of deposed Philippine president, have in her shoe room:a. 800 pairsb. 6000 pairsc. 1500 pairs

RIGHT ANSWERS

ИСТОЧНИКИ ИНФОРМАЦИИ

1.http\\www. batashoemuseum.com

2.http//www.todayfashion.ru

ИСПОЛНИТЕЛИ ПРОЕКТА

1. Козорез Светлана Викторовна, учитель английского языка МОУ «СОШ№2»

RIGHT ANSWERSRIGHT ANSWERS

1. Long distance walking was called Pedestrianism. Famous avid walkers of this period include Sir Walter Scott, Henry David Thoreau, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Thomas Carlyle, Robert Louis Stevenson and Jean Jacques Rousseau, all of whom claimed that walking great distances was good for the health.

2. The right answer is 1893, a full thirty-five years before they were commonly adapted for clothing closures

3. The right answer is Judy Garland's ruby slippers in "The Wizard of Oz" Of the 8 pairs of ruby slippers made for Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz, the last pair at auction sold for US $666,000 on June 2 2000.

4. The right answer is Maxwell Smart.

5. Floating in space - they were jettisoned before returing to eath in case of contamination.

6. The right answer is White Bucks.

7. The right answer is 1500 pairs!