During the time of winter, styles and clothing items begin to change. In the present, they are known simply as what one can find on a shelf, but where did these items come from? 

An extremely popular item people wear as the weather begins to crisp are sweaters. The original name was a jersey due to the location in which it was invented, Jersey, an island on the English Channel. They were knitted by the wives of fishermen since the material was able to combat cold when wet. It reached the US in the 1980s.

Another popular item is Uggs. The shoes were invented in Australia in the late 1800s. The inspiration was shepherds wrapping sheepskin around their feet for warmth. The actual branding surfaced in 1933, but the inventor is still questioned. It started to become very popular in the 1970s when it was advertised for surfers to use on cold feet after surfing. California started to see the product in their surfing magazines which prompted the spread to America. The shoes are now a symbol of the cozy weather of winter and fall, but they started out as a summer staple.

To dive further into the fashion of shoes, heels can be discussed. They aren’t associated with a particular season, but their history is fascinating. The shoes are typically associated with womens’ style, but they were created for men. In the 10th century, Persian soldiers invented the heel to keep their feet in place on stirrups. Since horses were a sign of wealth, heels, by default, became a symbol of money as well. Soon after, women bore them as a way to show that they had wealth and importance too. Even women of lower classes adopted it into their lives.

These shoes started to become more associated with girls. As many know, heels are not easy to walk in so unless they were being used for horseback riding, they weren’t practical. Heels started to become associated with “feminine qualities” such as fragility. Today, heels are still very popular. Many women wear them despite their discomfort. 

Whether beauty is pain or comfort, the next time you throw on a sweater or a particular pair of shoes, you’ll remember the interesting history behind it.