Pretty toes and feet: A history of pedicures

Ancient Egyptian art work showing what many believe is an early pedicure-like treatment. (Image from Wikipedia)

As I commute on the subway, I notice all different shades of freshly painted toe-nails ,from the bright summery pinks, to the edgy dark jewel tones and trendy pastels. Of course, some classic pale pinks and traditional reds are thrown in. As I admired the shades I see, I started to wonder about the history of pedicures. According to Mary Bellis of About.com, sandals were one of the most common type of footwear in early civilizations (Bellis, n.d.). Since sandals have been around so long and so prominently display one’s feet, when were pedicures invented?

Ancient Egypt is believed to be the birthplace of the pedicure, according to MiMi Abney of eHow.  The picture above came from the wall of a pharaoh’s tomb and is believed to show the pharaoh receiving foot and leg massages from his servants (Abney, n.d.).

The word pedicure comes from the Latin words "pes," which means foot, and "cura," which means care (Abney, n.d.).

Would you get married in the shoe aisle of T.J. Maxx?

This weekend, all the attention has been on the wedding of Chelsea Clinton. However, I think some of the attention should have been given to the wedding of Lisa Satayut and Drew Ellis. While you probably have not heard of them, their wedding took place in a pretty amazing place, the shoe aisle of their local T.J. Maxx in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Click here for pictures.

Lisa Ellis had always dreamed of getting married in the size 8 shoe aisle at T.J. Maxx. The store helped make her dream come true by widening the aisle, adding a vine covered arch and seats for her guests. Musicians performed before and after the ceremony.

Despite being surrounded by shoes and wearing a pretty interesting pair of green gladiators, the bride says she didn’t look at the shoes on her walk down the aisle.

Designing a Shoe: Part 3

Now that we’ve designed the shoe on paper and on a computer it’s time to hold it in your hand.

This is the final installment of design a shoe. Please see parts 1 and 2 for the previous steps. 

Step 6)

Once the specification sheet is made, you have the necessary instructions to make a model. The model is exactly what the shoe would look like if it was to be ready to be sold in stores. The model is used in the next step, testing, to ensure the shoe performs and as holds up as it’s designed to. The model also shows what the shoe looks like on the foot and allows design elements to be changed to make the shoe more visually appealing.

Designing a Shoe: Part 2

It’s time to continue learning how shoes are designed.  (For part 1, visit here) Now the shoe starts to come alive. Although black shoes are classic, who doesn’t want color and decorations?

Step 3)

Once a rough sketch is made, the color and materials are picked. Rough sketches are often done quickly just to get an idea down. The further sketches make the idea for concrete.

Designing a Shoe: Part 1

Although we regularly buy shoes and discuss their design merits, most people do not know how the shoes they wear were created. “On average, every man, woman, and child in the United States purchases more than four pairs of shoes each year, a level of consumption that establishes the U.S. as the world's largest importer of footwear,” (Infomat, 2008). Because Americans and people worldwide buy so many shoes, they should understand how they are made.

This is a now a new series of posts (with pictures for the first time!)  to illustrate and explain the process.

As an overview, shoes are created through a multi-step design process, which begins with concept and a rough sketch. Computers are then used to make the shoe three-dimensional. From the 3-D design computer aided drawing (CAD), a model is made. Next the model is tested to ensure proper design and performance. After testing of the model, the shoe becomes a finished product, which is sold to customers. Finally, the process begins again, often based on the previous design.

Step 1)

The first thing a shoe designer must do is come up with a concept. This concept can come from anywhere. In the above drawing, the idea for a sneaker came from a car. Sometimes ideas spontaneously come to designers. Other the times they look for inspiration, such as at an art museum. Most often, the inspiration comes from another shoe. The concept does not have to be drawn out, like the image shows. However, this image illustrates the concept process for one designer.