Illustrated with photographs of actual shoes, this book takes us on a remarkable tour of the shoe closets of the world, exploring how major historical events, social change and industrialization have influenced styles and production.

Stilettos have the power to transform, instilling confidence, distinguishing status and lifting your mood the minute you put them on. They inject glamor, femininity, and sex appeal to any ensemble. From classic to tribal and luxe to vintage, there is a shoe out there to fit every foot and this invaluable guide will highlight some of the most exquisite examples of stilettos one could ever be tempted to wear. Beginning with the history of shoes, Tracy Martin explores the origins of the high heel, explaining how it has evolved to become the most desirable of all footwear. Quirky facts, famous quotes, and interesting anecdotes are interspersed throughout the pages illustrated with images of gorgeous shoes that are guaranteed to capture the heart of every shoe lover. This book is sure to seek out anyone’s inner shoe fetish as it offers something for every sole.

This is the first academic study of sneakers and the subculture that surrounds them. Since the 1980s, American sneaker enthusiasts, popularly known as “sneakerheads” or “sneakerholics”, have created a distinctive identity for themselves, while sneaker manufacturers such as Reebok, Puma and Nike have become global fashion brands. How have sneakers come to gain this status and what makes them fashionable? In what ways are sneaker subcultures bound up with gender identity and why are sneakerholics mostly young men? Based on the author's own ethnographic fieldwork in New York, where sneaker subculture is said to have originated, this unique study traces the transformation of sneakers from sportswear to fashion symbol. Sneakers explores the obsessions and idiosyncrasies surrounding the sneaker phenomenon, from competitive subcultures to sneaker painting and artwork. It is a valuable contribution to the growing study of footwear in fashion studies and will appeal to students of fashion theory, gender studies, sociology, and popular culture.

The last two decades have seen an explosion of creativity in footwear design. Sexy laced-up sandals, sky-high platform heels, and outrageously decorated shoes are seen on fashionable women everywhere, from the catwalk to the street.

This unique four-volume encyclopedia examines the historical significance of fashion trends, revealing the social and cultural connections of clothing from the precolonial times to the present day. This sweeping overview of fashion and apparel covers several centuries of American history as seen through the lens of the clothes we wear—from the Native American moccasin to Manolo Blahnik's contribution to stiletto heels. Through four detailed volumes, this work delves into what people wore in various periods in our country's past and why—from hand-crafted family garments in the 1600s, to the rough clothing of slaves, to the sophisticated textile designs of the 21st century. More than 100 fashion experts and clothing historians pay tribute to the most notable garments, accessories, and people comprising design and fashion. The four volumes contain more than 800 alphabetical entries, with each volume representing a different era. Content includes fascinating information such as that beginning in 1619 through 1654, every man in Virginia was required to plant a number of mulberry trees to support the silk industry in England; what is known about the clothing of enslaved African Americans; and that there were regulations placed on clothing design during World War II. The set also includes color inserts that better communicate the visual impact of clothing and fashion across eras.

COSTUME, CLOTHES & FASHION. This one-of-a-kind, A-to-Z reference work contains over 150 fascinating entries and intriguing sidebars that look at feet and adornment of feet across the many culturesof the world throughout time. A wide range of international and multicultural topics are covered, including footbinding, fetishes, diseases, customs and beliefs, shoe construction, myths and folktales, the history of footwear, iconic brands and types of shoes, removing shoes upon entering a house, covering feet up for social customs, and the types of footwear worn around the world.

First published in 1977, The Sex Life of the Foot and Shoe examines the realities of foot and shoe eroticism practised by almost all of us, whether consciously or unconsciously. Provocative often witty and always original, the book takes us on a walking tour through history: from Chinese footbinding (completely sexual in intent) and the medieval poulaine (perhaps the most blatantly pornographic shoe ever worn) to the outrageous distortions of the foot gladly suffered by woman over the centuries in the cause of sexual allure. The author explores the obsession with ‘sick’ and ‘tired’ feet and the huge industry that has sprung up to cater to our negativism. He gives a psychosexual guide to us via footwear, grouping men’s and women’s shoes into such categories as sexy, sexless, neuter, bisexual, sensuous, peacock, masculine, eunuch and machismo. This book will be of interest to students of history, gender studies, sexuality studies and fashion.