The History of Shoes 

In the past, importance was not given to shoes being comfortable or fashionable. These early foot coverings were probably animal skins, which people tied round their ankles during cold weather. We still use leather today, but other materials such as silk, plastic, or cotton are also popular, depending on what is in fashion. 
It was only one hundred and fifty years ago that people began to wear a different shoe on each foot. Formerly, the two shoes had been straight instead of shaped and could be worn on the left or the right foot. All shoes used to be made by hand, but now, although there are shoemakers still using their traditional skills, most shoes are now machine-made in large factories. The introduction of sewing machines allowed the shoe industry to produce large quantities of cheaper shoes for a wider range of buyers.