Shoe

Shoe, protective covering for the foot. The various types include the boot, whose upper extends above the ankle; the clog, a simple wooden-soled shoe; the moccasin, a hunting shoe whose sole extends around and over the foot; the sandal, an open shoe whose sole is secured to the foot by straps; and the slipper, a soft indoor shoe. Shoes have been made from earliest times, the type depending mainly on the climate; clogs, sandals, and moccasins predominated until the early Middle Ages. Since then boots and typical shoes in widely varying styles have been most popular. Leather has always been the main material used, shaped on a wood or metal form (last) and hand sewn, the sole being nailed to the upper. In the mid-19th century the sewing machine was adapted for sewing shoes, and nailing and gluing were also mechanized, allowing mass production. Other materials have to some extent displaced leather: natural and synthetic rubber for the sole and heel and various plastics and synthetic fibers for the upper.