Modern Universe Fashions

Dutch pattens, ca. 1465. Excavated from the archeological site of Walraversijde, near Ostend, BelgiumBy the 15th Century, pattens became popular by both men and women in Europe.

While thong sandals were commonly worn, many people in ancient times, such as the Egyptians, Hindu and Greeks, saw little need for footwear, and most of the time, preferred being barefoot.

Many early natives in North America wore a similar type of footwear known as the moccasin. These are tight-fitting, soft-soled shoes typically made out of leather or bison hides.

These earlier accessory shoes were mostly the same U shape, and thus provided the template for the introduction of the hot shoe.