Put on Your Own Shoes Day – December 6, 2022, history, significance
Put on Your Own Shoes Day is held annually on December 6. Since the origins are not completely known, the creator has given us free rein to use our imaginations. You could see this day as a metaphor for proudly strutting your stuff or teaching a toddler to put on their shoes. The beauty is that it’s up to you.
HISTORY OF PUT ON YOUR OWN SHOES DAY
Shoes have been a component of the human wardrobe since ancient times. In fact, the oldest preserved shoe in the world was discovered in Armenia and is estimated to be around 5000 years old.
Historically, shoes were quite basic and were simply used for practical reasons such as to protect the feet from the elements, rather than for comfort and fashion. It was actually not until the 1800s that shoes began being made specifically for the left and right feet. Footwear has come a long way since then and has changed drastically over the centuries.
Made from palm leaves, papyrus fiber, and raw leather, the first sandals, which were stretched and tied at the end of the foot, appeared in ancient Egypt. Initially, only clerics and the pharaoh wore sandals but, later, all ancient Egyptians began wearing them and they came in various colors, which symbolized the different social classes.
During the Renaissance period, European royalty often wore shoes with high heels as high as 30 cm to show off their superiority. This also allowed them to casually walk through puddles. These were the first examples of modern platform shoes. King Louis XIV of France played a significant role in spreading the popularity of high heels. Even now, men’s high heels are referred to as French shoes by many fashion historians.
Footwear wouldn’t start being truly fashionable until around the baroque period when the design of a person’s shoe was a key indicator of their social class. The higher their heels, the higher their class. Anyone walking around without any shoes on probably wasn’t doing so well.
The biggest boom in the production of footwear occurred during the Industrial Revolution. Inventors and craftsmen in the United Kingdom and North America developed a footwear sewing machine and began mass-producing shoes made of fabric.
Jan Ernst Matzeliger came up with a shoemaking method that allowed about 700 pairs of shoes to be produced each day. Footwear became accessible to everyone and, finally, from the middle of the 19th century, shoes were customized for left and right foot!
Today, shoes are a multi-billion dollar industry.
PUT ON YOUR OWN SHOES DAY TIMELINE
1250 BC–476 BC
The First Shoe
The first sandals emerge in ancient Egypt, consisting of palm leaves, papyrus fiber, and raw leather.
1760
Industrial Revolution
Inventors and craftsmen in the U.K. and North America invent a sewing machine for footwear and begin the mass-production of fabric shoes.
1800s
Left Foot, Right Foot
Shoes are created specifically for the left and right foot.
2018
Millions
Nike sells 780 million pairs of shoes.
HOW TO CELEBRATE PUT ON YOUR OWN SHOES DAY
Buy a new pair of shoes
Have you been eyeing a new pair of shoes? Put on Your Own Shoes Day is a great day to treat yourself.
Gift a pair of shoes
There is never a bad time to give to someone less fortunate than you. Buy a pair of shoes or give away a pair you don’t wear anymore.
Teach a toddler
Part of Put on Your Own Shoes Day is actually putting on your own shoes. Teach a toddler in your life how to put on their own shoes — or attempt to anyway.
5 FACTS ABOUT SHOES THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND
Men’s heels
Men wore shoes with red heels in order to show their status.
Status symbols
During the Renaissance period, kings in Europe often wore shoes with very high heels in order to demonstrate their supremacy.
The revolution
The first step towards the shoe revolution was the invention of sports shoes for basketball players by the Converse brand in 1917.
Origins
The term “sneaker” came from the English word “sneak”.
Seduction
Until around World War I, nudity wasn’t acceptable, so even slippers were seen as seductive, and were made of silk or satin with added ribbons.
WHY WE LOVE PUT ON YOUR OWN SHOES DAY
Interpretation
Because the creator left room for interpretation, you can make the holiday be about whatever you want it to be. We love to get creative.
It’s a conversation starter
What does it mean? Do you know the history of shoes? Have you donated your old pairs? Put on Your Own Shoes Day is a great conversation starter.
Shoes are awesome
Shoes are a great way to show off your style and express your creativity. Put on your own shoes and strut your stuff.
