History's Most Fascinating Footwear

By All That's Interesting | Edited By Savannah Cox

Published September 8, 2012

Updated January 11, 2018

History’s Most Fascinating Footwear: The Chopine

What an odd and cumbersome way to avoid dirt! Present throughout the 15th throughout 17th centuries, women would don the platform footwear in order to ensure that the hems of their dresses would not become riddled with mud and dirt while walking. The sky-high shoes were popular throughout Venice, and many speculate that there was a positive correlation between heel height and social status.

Source: Blogspot

Source: Blogspot

Source: Newsok

The Qabaqib

Source: Newsok

Prominent during the Ottoman empire, the qabaqib shoes were worn by women in Turkish bathhouses so as not to damage their feet on the heated floors.

Source: Flickr

author

Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.

editor

Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.