There are so many different types of footwear from slippers designed only for wearing in the house to expensive extraordinary designer name shoes which are almost too good to walk in.

The origin of shoes. Research by a US scientist has led to a conclusion that humans started wearing sturdy shoes between 40,000 and 26,000 years ago. [1]
Anthropologist Erik Trinkaus has studied the bones of early humans and used comparisons with Native American Indians who went barefoot and the Inuit who wear thick boots.
Obviously the need to keep feet warm would have led to more shoe wearing in colder climates.

Ancient Egyptians wore sandals as long as 5,000 years ago and were probably the first shoe makers, [2] They only wore sandals though and it was the Ancient Greeks who invented the boot.

Many styles of shoes from ancient times are still worn today - sandals, moccasins and cloggs.

Modern style has demanded new shoes though and many new styles have been invented over the years.

Shoes can be separated into two main groups - heels and flats.

Types of heel

Cuban - mid height heels which are broad with slightly tampered back and straight front

Kitten heels - woman footwear (boots, sandals and shoes ) with a short, slender heel, usually from 1.5" to 2" high with a slight curve.

French heel - narrow heel

Stiletto heel - very high narrow heel also referred to as a spike.

Wedge heel - the sole extends solidly without gap to the back of the shoe

Wineglass heel - a heel shaped like a wineglass

Types of women's shoes

sandals - strappy shoes, usually open toed

flats - shoes with no heels, or virtually no heel

Ballerina - look like ballet shoes with lace ties

espadrilles - sandal, with a canvas top and a rope sole, usually worn on holiday

flip flops - usually plastic beach shoes with thong between big toe and next toe

Mule - A slipper or shoe that has no strap to fit around the heel.

platform shoes - shoes with very thick soles and heels,often wedges , mainly worn by women - often wore by 70s glam rock stars

Slippers - soft fabric slip on shoes for indoor and bedroom wear

Mens shoe types

Lug soles - pronounced indented sole usually boots -

Trainers - casual running shoes for fashion rather than sport

Running shoes - trainers with extra padding and support for running in.

Loafers - like a moccasin - slip on shoes - but with a wide heel

Sandals - open toes, strappy footwear usually for summer only

Oxford shoe - plain leather shoes, sometimes with perforated pattern in the leather and with a top cap piece stitched across.
If they have fringe or wing tips then they are called brogues

Other types of shoes

Climbing shoes - very tight fitting leather pump style shoes with rubber soles, toe covers and heels to enable better grip on rock.

Cloggs - made traditionally with a wooden sole they can be leather uppers. They are not laced and the foot is not fixed in. They have thick clunky soles.

Moccasins - leather or suede shoes with pronounced ridging effects on the stitching, often with tassels.

Boat shoes - soft canvas shoes with a soft rubbber sole.

Golf shoes - metal or plastic studs to grip on the greens.

Football boots - usually leather with studs on the sole to allow better grip

Bowling shoes - quite flat heels, leather (Often two tone) with laces. Soles protect the bowling alleys floors.

Walking boots - sturdy boots with pronounced sole indents for better grip.

Other sports footwear includes snow boots, ice skates, roller skates

[1] Bones reveal first shoe-wearers

[2] How were shoes first made?

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