Riello, Giorgio and McNeil, Peter. (2007) Footprints from history. History Today, 75 (3). pp. 30-36. ISSN 0018-2753

Abstract

Shoes, like other objects, can illuminate specific aspects of the past. Through their survival, and material appearance – their texture, weight and design, they can convey abstract historical concepts, and also by their human associations and suggestions of physicality. For example, consider the images of the piles of shoes belonging to the millions of Jews killed in concentration camps. How powerfully the humble mismatched shoes stand for the presence of persons whose dignity and humanity have been erased. But a shoe produced and worn at a specific time also embodies the values, ideals and aesthetic choices of an era. Shoes can tell us a lot about an individual, but they also convey messages that are understood across society: high heels stand for an exaggerated femininity; red shoes for pleasure and desire; and sneakers for modern pace in the city, leisure and relaxation. The story of shoes in the longue durée is characterized by themes of morality, mobility and extremism as we shall see.

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