Considering their unsophisticated construction, it is no surprise for anyone that sandals were the earliest type of footwear that replaced foot wraps. The early sandals usually consisted of a hard sole that held to the foot with a help of a strap passing around the ankle or over the instep. Egyptians made the soles of the sandals of papyrus using their footprints on wet sand and fixed the soles to their feet using unprocessed leather.

These sandals protected feet from hot sand and uneven surfaces. However, the foot still remained fully exposed, which was ideal for Egyptian women, who wore lots of jewelry on their feet.

The soles of Roman empress’ sandals were made of gold and decorated with gem stones.The Slavs wore felted cloth sandals.

Sandals were not exactly an item of high fashion until the 20s of the last century, when they experienced a true bloom. Adventurous designers even decided to equip sandals with a heel.

Today’s sandals are varied in styles and designs, and offered in a wide range of colors by a number of brands throughout the world. Most popular sandal types include clogs, flip-flops, Grecian sandals, Roman sandals and so many more. Gladiator sandals deserve special attention in that respect. They have been around for quite a while, but it looks like they will retain their popular status well into the future.

Even Nike produced their vision of this shoe type for this summer. In fact, the shoe looks like a mixture of classic gladiator sandals and traditional Nike sneakers. They come in two colors – black and white, and can be worn both, with casual clothing and with something more fancy.

Of course, sandals are best fitted for hot weather and mostly worn during the summer, when our feet need «more air to breath».