Our love affair with shoes may have well started with the lowly sandals. Early man needed a layer of protection for their feet, to keep the soles from getting hurt on jagged rocks, burning sands, and rugged terrain during the hunt or when moving from one place to another. Most of our early civilizations have records bearing references to shoes. The Persians, Egyptians, Chinese and the Greeks have all had shoes mentioned in one moment or another of their histories. There are mentions the use of shoes for legal transactions such as a betrothal in the Bible. Literature even gives more evidence of this love affair with shoes. They are often recorded as part of legends and folklore in many cultures. There’s Puss in Boots, putting a value at how prized shoes are. Even Cinderella, Seven League Boots, Mercury’s Winged Sandals, all have given children in different countries a preview of the importance of footwear to the history of their ancestors.

Most of the shoemaker’s tools has stayed the same until the 1850s. The same hand tools used by the Egyptians in 14th century B.C haven’t changed much by the middle of the 1800s. Shoemakers still used tools such as the curved awl, the chisel-like knife and the scraper, pincers, lapstone, hammer and a variety of rubbing sticks used for finishing edges and heels. We are made mad for shoes, from navy blue shoes, to high heels shoes. Blue definitely makes for a great accent color in jewelry, purses, hair accessories, ties, shirts, sportswear and those beautiful shoes we all love. Make this color work for you by getting yourself at least two pairs of blue shoes in different hues. The color blue works well with all types of footwear, from flats, to sandals, pumps, sneakers, and stilettos. Liven up your neutral-colored clothing pieces with dark blue pumps for a more formal look when going to work or attending a wedding. Look for lighter shades to pair up when attending less formal events.