From the ornate silk slippers of royal courts to the daring stilettos of the red carpet, shoes have always been more than mere protection for our feet. They reveal social status, express identity, signal rebellion, and inspire desire. This image-rich course traces the cultural history of stylish footwear across the centuries, exploring shoes as icons of fashion and self-expression in art, music, film, and even breathtaking museum exhibitions.

Along the way, we’ll ask a deceptively simple question: Why have shoes held such fascination and influence throughout history? We’ll see that across every era and culture, shoes have danced, dazzled, and occasionally stolen the show! We’ll next look at legendary designers who transformed shoes into objects of irresistible beauty in the world of fashion, including Salvatore Ferragamo, Roger Vivier, Manolo Blahnik, and Christian Louboutin.

We’ll also examine famous shoe collections, the stylish – and surprising – history of men’s shoes, and Western veneration of the small female foot vs. the tradition of foot binding and the popularity of the lotus shoe in China for nearly a thousand years. The course will conclude with a fashion-forward look at the future of footwear.

Format: Class members will give a presentation on a topic selected from a prepared list. The course will also include a screening of the rousing documentary film God Save My Shoes.

Resources/Expenses: None.

Coordinators: Kip Brott, Celene Healy, and Laura Tucker are longtime LLC members who have coordinated numerous popular courses.

Photo credit: Raquel Baires | Unspash