The history of the pointy shoe

After two people independently commented on the pointiness of a particular pair of shoes I was wearing, I decided that I should go and visit the Bata Shoe Museum to investigate the history of the pointy shoe.

The museum itself is shaped like a shoe box, which I find very appealing...

The museum displays shoes from all over the world and throughout many centuries. This is a pair of 19th century Indian silver and gilt wedding paduka. How on earth is someone suppossed to walk on these???

19th century Chinese boots for bound feet...

Just looking at them makes me shudder with horror. How cruel was that binding of feet! There is a note saying that it is a rumour, these women hardly walked. Every step must have been painful.

And here it is... the ultimate pointy shoe... a 15th century knight's Gothic sabaton from Southern Germany:

I must say, I prefer mine!

One of my collegues in London is the biggest Madonna fan I have ever met. So of course I had to take a picture of her shoe in the "Walk of Fame" part of the museum:

I am very impressed by one of Shaquile O'Neal's trainers. He has size 20!

There is a special exhibition "The Charm of Rococo:Femininity and Footwear in the 18th Century". The shoes are lavish and over the top. These shoes from England (approx. 1735 - 40) are complemented by small green clogs, which were slipped on to protect the shoe from sinking into the mud.

There is another exhibition about China and I learn that my Chinese zodiac is the rooster. Apparently I am blunt and brutal and have a direct approach to life.