24 Strange Facts About Shoes… #6 Will Blow Your Mind

LifeBuzz I Fashion

I love shoes. I do not discriminate either, I love all kinds of shoes: boots, sandals, wedges and all the rest. Why limit ourselves to one style when there is room to love them all? As a tribute to everything footwear, here are 24 interesting facts about shoes. Warning: You may be tempted to do a little shopping afterwards.

BBC

1. Shoes with heels were initially designed for men.

The heel signified wealth and aristocracy. Furthermore, the heel helped men stay on the stirrups of a horse when riding.

2. Style icon.

Audrey Hepburn made loafers fashionable for women. In the film, Funny Face, she wore Salvatore Ferragamo's now-famous design.

Vogue

3. Big shoes to fill.

The name behind the famous shoe label, Jimmy Choo, designed and made his first footwear at the tender age of 11. He was born from a family of shoemakers, with his father teaching him the craft.

powerhousemuseum

4. Fit for a queen.

The first boots were designed and made for none other than Queen Victoria in 1840.

kukyideas

5. Dreaming of shoes?

It seems that when you dream of shoes, it's more than just a reminder to go shopping. Shoes represent the way you approach your life. If you wear shoes in your dream, it suggests that you are well-grounded and down to earth. Changing your shoes means changing roles, beliefs, or the way you view things. When we dream of forgetting our shoes: it represents leaving our inhibitions behind. Likewise, old and worn shoes represent hard work.

AP

6. She had how many?

As the first lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986, Imelda Marcos enjoyed many perks. When the family fled the island, the Malacañan Palace was found to have 15 mink coats, 508 gowns, 1,000 handbags, and a mere 1056 pairs of shoes. A huge contrast of luxury to the poverty-stricken country.

7. How do you say 'I love shoes' in French?

Celine Dion loves shoes. The French-Canadian songbird owns over 3,000 pairs. She has admitted that even if a pair is not her size, she will buy it if she loves it.

Oliver Sweeney

8. Shoes and scotch.

The limited-edition Oliver Sweeney's brogues have a compartment in the sole that is designed to hold a miniature bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label scotch whiskey. There's even a clear panel that reveals the secret liquor spot to your friends when you wish to show someone your soles and offer them a drink.

9. Not the usual support.

The heel-less shoes, also called cantilevers, have been manufactured as early as the 1930s with the support being placed in the arch than the standard heel.

10. Bill Nye to the rescue.

Bill Nye, the Science Guy noticed the torture ballet dancers endure in their feet. The design of a ballet slipper has changed very little in the last 200 years. Nye has designed the Toe Shoe that protects the dancer's feet and prevents possible injury. No slippers have been manufactured as his design is still pending patent.

thejohnbarleycorn

11. By royal decree.

King Edward II declared that the way to measure shoes was by using barleycorn. Three barleycorns were the equivalent to an inch.

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12. Wicked wedge.

Famous designer Salvatore Ferragamo was impacted by the shortage of steel in the 1940s. He came up with the idea to use different materials and designs; thus the invention of a summer favourite, the wedge.

Wikipedia

13. Click your heels.

The shoes worn by Judy Garland on The Wizard of Oz sold for $660,000 at an auction in 2000. This makes them the most expensive shoes ever sold.

Zazzle

14. Shoe fix.

Suzanne Ferriss, PhD, explains women's insatiable need to buy shoes. “Shoes are a collector’s item, whether women realize they perceive them that way or not.” It seems that buying shoes trigger the brain’s prefrontal cortex called the collecting spot.

fashion.maga-zine

15. Fancy footwork.

Christian Louboutin's famous red soles are a tribute to Andy Warhol's drawing "Flowers." His initial pair was painted in red nail polish.

philippineslifestyle

16. How many people can you fit?

The world's largest shoes measure 17 feet long and 8 feet wide. The shoes can each fit 30 people inside. The pair is on display at the Marikina Shoe Museum in the Philippines.

17. She had expensive taste.

The character Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex in the City, loved shoes more than anything else. In fact, it is estimated the character's shoe collection was worth approximately $40,000.

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18. Blame it on the bathing suit.

Open-toe shoes were introduced in the 1930s with the arrival of sunbathing.

19. Have you seen Jeffrey Campbell?

Despite being a successful brand of fun and modern footwear, little is known about the man behind the name. In fact, speculation arose the name is not that of an actual person.

20. Not what they had in mind.

Dr. Martens's boots were created with an air-cushioned sole intended for working men in the 1960s. The British punk youth of the 1970s took a liking to the boots and made them a fashion statement still popular today.

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21. How many do you own?

According to a study, the average American woman owns 19 pairs of shoes but only wears four pairs most often.

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22. Sneakers creepers.

The term for sneakers comes from the rubber soles introduced in the 1800s. The users felt that the latest design allowed them to 'sneak around.'

Havaianas

23. They may be from Brazil, but...

The Havaianas flip flops were originally inspired by the Japanese Zori sandal. As an homage to their muse, all of their sandals feature a rice pattern footbed.

Wikipedia

24. Take the shoes off regardless of how fancy they are.

If you are ever invited to someone's home in Japan, make sure you take your shoes off. Footwear is never worn indoors, instead, guests borrow slippers called uwasaki.