3 little-known facts that will make you reconsider your views on men's shoes (10 photos)

Shoes are such a common thing in our time that we don't think much about their origin - put them on and run. Meanwhile, their various elements are unique and testify to the creative approach of the creators and their care for potential consumers.





According to the era, of course. Although such things from the past did not prevent them from being preserved in modern realities.

1. Gentleman's Corner



Here is this coveted pair in your hands - expensive, elegant, high-quality. And suddenly a small oblique cut is found on the inside of the heel. Is this a defect, a manufacturing flaw, or did the shoes become unusable so quickly?





It turns out that everything was planned that way. This is the so-called "gentleman's corner" or "gentleman's notch". Shoemakers of the past used this technique to prevent the heel from catching on the trouser cuffs. Since gentlemen usually put on trousers already wearing shoes.



A slight bevel allowed the fabric to slide easily without catching or causing problems for the owner.

Today, notches are perhaps not particularly necessary. But in the US and some European countries, trousers with cuffs are popular, so the "gentleman's corner" is used in shoe manufacturing. It is an indication of its good quality.

2. Champagne for a couple



And we are not talking about romance between a man and a woman. But about a sparkling drink for shoes. It turns out that the aristocrats of the 19th century and some of the most stylish men who belonged to the high society of London and Paris cleaned and polished their shoes with champagne.

Of course, it is better to drink the noble drink as intended, but some dandies, striving to embody an aristocratic style of life and clothing, preferred to apply it to their shoes.



George Bryan Brummell - English socialite

Among them is Beau Brummell, a style icon, English socialite, and Regency trendsetter who popularized the dandy. He swore that this method made his shoes the blackest of all blacks.

During his heyday, Brummell helped develop the men's dress code for Royal Ascot, which was created as an exclusive series reserved for the family, guests, and confidants of King George III. It is believed that champagne not only removes dirt, but also allows the skin to shine and age artificially faster, acquiring the nobility of antiquity.

3. The mystery of perforated brogues



Brogues are stylish shoes with decorative perforation in the form of small holes. Why are these tiny holes needed? Is it aesthetics, a tribute to fashion, or something else?



Ancient prototype of brogues

It is believed that their prototype was the shoes of Irish farmers who worked in swampy areas and suffered from constantly wet boots.



According to legend, farmers began to make holes in shoes so that water would drain faster and the shoes would dry faster. Over time, the perforation lost its functionality and became a decorative component. And brogues migrated to the world of the rich and famous and became the favorite footwear of Fred Astaire, Elvis Presley and members of royal families.