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The history of the development of the national footwear of the Indians. Types of women's moccasins and moccasins for girls (with photos)

Moccasins, topsides, loafers, ... many men do not fully understand the difference between all these types of shoes. Stylish summer shoes came into our everyday life not so long ago, but the history of these shoes dates back to the times of the North American Indians, long before the beginning of our era.

Today we will look at the history of moccasins and find out why some moccasins are made without a sole, while others are made especially for drivers. How do moccasins differ from top-siders (yacht shoes) or from loafers? In addition, we will give some tips on what to wear moccasins and whether they are worn with socks?


What are Moccasins?

Moccasins have a long history, but first, let's clarify what the term actually means. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes moccasins as “flat shoes made of soft leather, the soles of which can be flexible, hard or soft; in moccasins, the soft sole runs in a seamless piece from the heel to the toes, where it joins the outer seam to the U-shaped part lying on top of the leg. The upper part of moccasins is often decorated with embroidery, beads or other ornamentation. " Another authoritative publication, Wikipedia, defines moccasins as the traditional shoes of North American Indians, which are made only from rawhide, sewn with awls, needles and vein threads.

Modern moccasins are made from different materials:

  • textile,
  • suede leather,
  • Genuine Leather,
  • leatherette.

There are men's moccasins, women's and also unisex. In addition, moccasins are divided into types:

  • casual moccasins,
  • moccasins for the office,
  • sports moccasins,
  • evening or business moccasins.

The sole of moccasins is made of rubber, rubber or leather. Note that some people claim that a genuine moccasin does not have a separate sole. Indeed, many Native American moccasins did not use soles because the soft leather was ideal for woodland use and hunting. Tribes that lived in the mountains often attached a separate bison leather sole so moccasins were appropriate for their environment.


Soleless moccasin - genuine moccasin

Soft leather shoes with heels or suede loafers are often advertised as moccasins, but this is technically incorrect. They are "moccasin style" with a U-shaped leather upper.

The history of moccasins

Moccasins are considered the traditional footwear of North America. Although it can be argued that the moxas were invented by the Indians. Some historians believe that moccasins entered what is now the United States about 30,000 years ago across the Bering Sea from Asia. Subsequently, the style was adapted by Indian tribes and due to the different climates and different habitats in North America. Various types of moccasins emerged, each suited to a specific climate and tribal habitat.


Etymologically, the word moccasin or "mohkisson" is derived from the Algonquian language Pohatan and means shoes. In fact, most of the indigenous Indian tribes of North America had similar words to denote shoes, but since the Algonquans were the first people encountered by Europeans in about 1615 in North America, the term was brought to England where it was adopted.

In addition to North America, shoes similar to moccasins were found quite recently, in 2008, in a cave in Armenia. The moccasins are approximately 5,500 years old.


Moccasins made around 700-900 BC have been found in the swamps of Ireland. A characteristic feature of the find was that they were made using a sewing method without excess skin and a separate sewn-on heel to protect the leg.

The style of the original moccasins

While there are different styles of moccasins that have evolved due to different Indian tribal habitats and climates, they can be roughly classified into two types: hard-soled moccasins and soft-soled moccasins.

Typically associated with the western plains and deserts of North America. The hard soles were often made from tough bison leather and were designed to protect the wearer's feet from the prickly cactus and prairie grass typical of the area. In addition, they protected against sharp stones. Hard-soled moccasins were usually made from two or more pieces of hide. Usually moccasins were sewn with a raised toe so as not to touch the seam on sharp stones and not to injure the leg through the hole formed.


Typically associated with the Eastern Forests of North America, where there is mostly woodland with leaves and pine needles covering the ground, so the feet do not require the protection of a hard sole. Soft-soled moxes were often made from just one piece of leather. The outsole was gathered in folds around the leg and pinned around the instep; some were secured with a seam on one side rather than in the center. However, the most basic style is a simple center seam. The two pieces form a U-shaped piece that serves as the front piece. Some had an extra part that served as a cuff.


These two main types of moccasins gave rise to a huge variety of moccasin styles among different Indian tribes. In fact, these styles were so distinctive that it was possible to identify the tribe from the moccasins. The experts went further by identifying different tribes in the footsteps of moccasins.

Leather moccasins

Loafers with hard soles were made of soft, unburned, brown deer, buffalo or bison skin. You can also find moccasins made from suede or moose leather. They were assembled inside out, and thus the seam was hidden. The animal tendon was used for stitching. The knot has been placed on the outside to provide comfort. Overcast and basting stitches were commonly used. The structure of the moccasins was rather mediocre, however, each tribe had distinctive decoration techniques. Beading, embroidery and dyeing were used to adorn moccasins. Women of certain tribes often lengthened moccasins higher, giving fashion to the emergence of a new type of footwear - boots.


Moccasins were created for both comfort and practical use. The moccasins allowed the wearer to “feel” the ground as he walked, while the legs were protected. In addition, moccasins did not make noise when walking, which was necessary when hunting an animal or bird.

Since moccasins were designed for specific habitats and terrain, it was no surprise that very soon they became the shoe of choice for Europeans. Among European settlers, they were favored by hunters and traders who walk long distances.

Moccasins remained popular with European settlers due to their practicality. But as the country became more industrialized at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, moccasins slowly began to lose their popularity. By the time of World War II, they could only be found in resorts and souvenir shops. After the end of World War II, a new generation decided to follow the path of natural beauty and renew the popularity of moccasins. By this time, advances in the industrial sector had allowed the creation of moccasins in a variety of leathers and colors, giving the models their style. Very soon their popularity was restored, which is evidenced by the fact that the Minnetonka Moccasins company was founded in 1946.


Today, most moccasins have double soles for increased durability and durability. Moccasins for drivers with rubber soles or rubber inserts appeared; began to sew topsides with thick non-slip soles, began to make loafers from hard leather with a solid sole for a business dress code.

The original moccasins are rarely worn outdoors because the pavement and concrete are too hard for them. Some people use moxas as home shoes.

How do moccasins differ from loafers and top-siders? Modern moccasins are leather shoes with thin soles without a heel, decorated with a fringe, tassel or bridle bridge. A characteristic feature is the presence of an external seam that holds the last and the upper part of the moccasin together. Decorative lacing is sometimes found.

Loafers, unlike moccasins, have a rigid sole and heel. Most often, loafers are made of tougher leather than moccasins. These are the most formal footwear among the three types of footwear.

Top-siders also differ from moccasins in their thicker and stiffer soles. A characteristic feature of the top-siders is a white grooved sole that does not slip on the deck of a yacht or ship. In addition, lacing is present on the topsides, which serves its intended purpose - secures the shoes on the foot. In the case of moccasins, lacing is a decorative element.


Today, the most popular style of moccasins is for driving a car. Technically, this is not a real moccasin, but rather a new type created by the owner of the Italian company Tod's - Diego Della Valle. His father owned a footwear company that created exclusive footwear brands for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. At the age of 16, he came across an interesting pair of moccasins that were made in Portugal. Although they were poorly sewn, he found them interesting and brought them home. Today they are the core of the Tod's brand.


Toda's driving moccasins have rubber spikes on the outsole. They are usually used as casual summer shoes for driving or just walking. Unfortunately, these shoes wear out quickly and cannot be repaired. Most people give them up as soon as the studs wear out. Sometimes the shoemaker will be able to glue or sew on a new, more durable sole, however, this will affect the character of the shoe.

Finding moccasins can be a problem. The problem of too many choices among thousands of brands in all price categories.

What to wear with moccasins

Due to the fact that moccasins differ from each other in model, leather quality, color and various decorative elements, some may be appropriate with, others exclusively with.

Loafers in classic business colors (black, brown, dark blue, burgundy, burgundy, amber, emerald) with a minimum of decorative elements, will fit, and a business dress code where a classic suit is appropriate. Loafers with tassels will also work, as this decorative element is borrowed from loafers - the most formal type of shoe from the summer “casual three”.

However, do not show up in moccasins at important business meetings; instead, wear loafers instead.

Sports moccasins, which are sometimes difficult to distinguish from light leather sneakers, are appropriate to wear with breeches, shorts, jeans. It is convenient to take long walks in sports moccasins, but it is better not to run. As you remember, lacing is decorative and you can simply lose your boot while jogging.

Custom moccasins made of suede, velor, velveteen or just bright colors (red moccasins also belong here) look good in smart-casual and casual styles. I think bright moccasins are a great excuse to diversify your daily routine. Wear regular chinos, a t-shirt with an interesting pattern, a blazer, or unusual, bright moccasins. In my opinion, if not in the summer to carry out such experiments with style, then when ?!

Departing from the topic, are moccasins suitable for spring, fall or winter? The simple answer is no. Although there are moccasins with fur, I can hardly imagine a man in a coat, tied with a scarf and moccasins. You don’t go, I hope, in boots in the summer? So don't wear moxas in winter ... well, unless you got into your car in a warm parking lot, went to a shopping center or a club, then you can;)


Are moccasins worn with socks

A very popular question. Usually, moccasins are worn without socks, but this is not a panacea. Recently, people have come up with the idea of ​​wearing very short socks that do not peek out from under the shoes. Alternatively, you can wear colored socks to match your style.

Personally, in the city it is more convenient for me to wear moccasins with socks, because after 2-3 hours of walking, my legs sweat and you can earn yourself a couple of calluses. On the beach, it is more convenient to wear moccasins without socks, since walks can be alternated with gatherings in a cafe and your feet do not have time to sweat. Also, without socks, your feet are fresher from the light breeze.

It is important to note that we are only talking about genuine leather moccasins. Only in genuine leather loafers can you hope that your feet will naturally ventilate.

Top brands of moccasins

Today, the production of moccasins is centralized in three locations: USA, Europe, Australia. Over the past 100 years, both eminent brands and small-town factories that are engaged in mono-production (i.e. they produce only moccasins and nothing else) have entered the moccasin production race. So let's start looking at each continent separately.

American moccasins

A distinctive feature of moccasins from the United States is practicality and comfort. The most famous manufacturers of American moccasins:

  • Allen Edmonds is one of the few companies that has survived the threshold of 100 years of existence and still makes quality footwear.
  • Bass is a good range and relatively low prices for quality footwear.
  • Sebago - you need bison leather shoes, this is for them.
  • Timberland - they don't seem to sell moccasins, but there are top-siders.
  • Florsheim is an old company that sells loafers and topsides.
  • Minnetonka Moccasin is the first brand in the US to officially launch moccasins.
  • Hush Puppies - make some pretty good casual shoes, including moccasins.

European moccasins

Moccasins from Europe are characterized by their style and model variety. Writing the merits and demerits of each brand is a utopian task, so let's just list them.

  • There are many brands from Italy: Tods, Gucci, Zegna, Fratelli Rosetti, Moreschi, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Dsquared², A. Testoni, Alberto Guardiani, Costume National, Trussardi.
  • French moccasin brands: Hermes, J. B. Weston, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Lacoste.
  • English moccasins: Wirdsmith, Richmond.
  • German moccasins: Harai, Adidas, Hugo Boss.
  • Moccasins from Spain: Zara, Balenciaga.

Australian moccasins

In the most distant continent, there is only one moccasin manufacturer - Ugg Australia. Yes, yes, they also make ugg boots. By the way, it is Ugg Australia that makes moccasins with fur.

Finally

Moccasins are one of the oldest types of footwear, along with sandals or woven shoes. While Archimedes made discoveries in physics, mathematics, laid the foundations in mechanics and hydrostatics, the Indians of North America have worn moxas for thousands of years. The conclusion is simple: moccasins are shoes for all times, which will not be easy to refuse, it is worth putting it on once.

Since time immemorial, man has worried about what to put on his feet. Hard grass, a scattering of stones, just hard ground or cold, all this required something that could additionally protect the limb and keep warm. Leather shoes similar to Indian moccasins can be attributed to one of the most archaic forms of human footwear and, at the same time, one of the most comfortable. In fact, these are two pieces of leather, sewn together and tied at the top with a string.

In North American Indians, almost every tribe had their own "technology" for making moccasins. But with a wide variety of designs, one thing unites these shoes - they were made of very soft, well-made suede. It was the characteristic "material" that distinguished the Indian footwear. Depending on the purpose, the soles could be either hard or soft. Also, moccasins could be high or low, very thin or insulated with fur for winter. Materials were used, of course, exclusively natural, and beads, porcupine needles, etc. were used as "accessories". exotic

In the days of the Wild West, Indian moccasins became very popular not only among the indigenous population of America, but also among whites. Trappers, hunters, farmers and people of many, many occupations enjoyed wearing Indian moccasins, which were sold in numerous American trading posts along with other Indian goods such as game, fish and furs.


Over time, classic moccasins have changed significantly depending on the requirements of the time, and sometimes just because of fashion. However, a fairly large number of modern footwear is based on this practical Indian footwear. At first, these were only utilitarian hunting boots (the so-called hunter boots, with a "moccasin nose", still produced by many modern shoe manufacturers, from traditional utilitarian American firms like to various high fashion houses outside the United States).

Boat shoes, topsiders, civilian boots of the "big bag on vacation" loafers, and even some rude reliable work boots like the Red Wing or Torogood, albeit very different from each other, but in their essence they also refer us to the idea of ​​Indian moccasins.


Nowadays, when in search of "real things" and "that very quality" manufacturers with enviable consistency turn to the "historical heritage" so often that sometimes the names of firms are already starting to ripple in their eyes. Everyone talks about real "American traditions" (even if it is a remake company), traditional technologies and time-tested models from the "grandfather's chest". There are so many such manufacturing companies now that the buyer often falls into a stupor and is often guided when choosing the necessary product not by objective criteria, but by beautiful marketing legends, which, to be honest, sometimes have a fair amount of slyness at their core.

However, among such a huge selection there are real pearls and indisputable authorities, which are the standard of quality. These companies themselves make very distinctive (although most often quite expensive) products and do not imitate anyone, on the contrary, they are imitated by smaller manufacturers, trying to sell their goods, in some way imitating the goods produced by the "pillars of the genre". I don’t want to say that such an idea is completely failed, there are quite good examples, but we are not talking about them now. I will try to give a rather general idea of ​​the products of the American company Yuketen and tell about my personal experience of buying the products of this company in a foreign online store.

Now it is no secret to anyone that the most zealous admirers of traditional American clothing and vintage collectors of the 40-50s are the Japanese. It is to Japanese brands that an interested buyer goes when it comes to traditional American jeans made in accordance with all the canons, replicas of American military pilots' jackets or sports knitwear based on those times.

It was the Japanese Yuki Matsuda who became the founder of the Yuketen company. Note the truth that this is an American company. Yuki founded production back in 1989.


The goal was to make modern casual shoes, but with a reference to traditional American shoes based on Indian moccasins. Primary attention was paid to precisely the picky selection of materials and the most careful processing of the leather. Yuketen, with its antediluvian equipment and painstaking manual labor, is quite typical for small editions in each collection. However, if the buyer did not have time to buy something this season, with a high degree of probability he will be able to buy the same model (possibly in a slightly different color scheme), since from collection to collection Yuketen they maintain a completely traditional model range that is not exposed to any strong changes from year to year.

In general, it should be noted that Yuketen products are not a "historical reconstruction" of old vintage designs, as is often now accepted. Their models are absolutely comfortable modern shoes, which are more suitable for traveling in the "urban jungle" than for walking in the forest. Only inspiration and a certain similarity in external forms and some details are drawn from the old Indian samples. The founder himself says that he just makes modern shoes for modern people, he just makes them creatively and with soul.


The real spirit of the old workshop reigns in the production of this company. Shoes are made by real master shoemakers, many operations are performed only by hand.


For example, the edge of the moc toe is stitched only by hand. If desired, of course, this operation can be "entrusted" to a machine, but here they believe that shoes sewn by human hands "have their own soul" and each pair made by a master shoemaker will be absolutely unique. Moreover, most of all Yuketen products are made by one master, that is, if, for example, you are holding a pair of suede moccasins, then they are made from and to one master, another pair from the same batch may have been made by another master. Often, a slight unevenness of the stitches is visible on the products, but this is by no means a marriage, these are precisely the features of manual work (without any posturing and advertising hypocrisy).

Nowadays, Yuketen began to produce not only shoes, but also some leather accessories, such as waist belts. The approach to manufacturing is still the same: careful selection of materials, traditional classic design and the famous Japanese obsession with the quality of the final product.

My acquaintance with the shoes of this brand took place during a sale in the British store Superdenim.co.uk

The store itself is a pretty cozy, both online and apparently offline space with a dozen or so characteristic brands, among which there are Yuketen shoes. The basis of the store's assortment is made up of rather venerable brands well-known to the buyer who is looking for comfort, maximum quality, and, perhaps, minimal recognition of all this goodness on the street. That is, with the assortment, everything is pretty typical. Sturdy set from Japanese, American and European manufacturers. A person can be safely dressed in this store from head to toe.

Prices ... Prices are quite high. But here the point is not so much in the store, but in the pricing policy of the brands presented. However, there is a silver lining; during the sales period, the store quite generously drops prices (selling somewhere up to 50% on some brands). Plus, from time to time, Superdenim runs promotions with free shipping or sending out promo codes for additional discounts (usually no more than 10-15%). The store deducts VAT automatically, for this you do not need to bother the support. Delivery at the moment the store has express-DHL (unfortunately they refused from Fedex for some reason), and quite budgetary delivery by the British state mail Royal Mail. I used this delivery method, and I recommend all other buyers to use regular mail, it is objectively cheaper and there are no problems like with DHL (DHL does not work with individuals in very many regions and has additional restrictions).

The store itself is quite convenient, the customer support answers in about a day or two, but always answers in detail and to the point. If you need to take measurements of any thing or consult "fit, size will not fit" here the store advises very well. Tracking is also issued with a personal letter to the support. So the store is worthy, I recommend taking note.


I bought a Yuketen Blutcher model. These are laconic sand-colored moccasins. I decided to wear them in the summer. In principle, they are quite suitable for wearing on a dry autumn or spring day. However, it is better to choose a darker color in this case (there are many color options available). For example, here's a color that will go very well with jeans.


My package was received about two weeks after being sent by the store (the order was collected for three days). I think this is a normal time frame for regular mail. Everything was packed in a regular Royal Mail plastic bag.

Inside is a small cardboard box with a logo. And a rather simple cloth bag for storing shoes with a beautiful leather tag embossed with the brand's logo and proudly written that this product was made by the "leatherworkers" in the USA.



In general, moccasins make an impression literally as soon as you take them out of the box. The suede is quite thick, but amazingly soft. It may seem ridiculous, but the thing is really interesting to touch, consider and absolutely do not want to let go of it. That is, if we compare these moccasins, for example, with any popular high-quality mass brand (let it be topsiders from Sperry), we will see that there is thinner and somewhat coarser skin. At the same time, in no case can I say that Sperry is made poorly or of low-quality material. You just see the difference in the approach to production. In one case, this is production in huge runs with possible savings while maintaining quality to an acceptable level, on the other hand, it is small runs and manual production. By the way, the "hands" are really noticeable, just take a close look at the moccasins.

The sole is stitched underneath, much like a topside shoe (this is typical of this type of shoe). She does not add any severity to the total weight of the moccasins. By weight, these are quite comfortable summer shoes.


A good color for summer (Orion Khaki). Will go well with chinos and similar summer clothes. Theoretically, you can wear it with jeans, but there is a nuance here. If these are jeans made of raw denim, they will somehow "dye" the shoes. But such a soft light suede is just the most "favorite" option for blue cowboy pants. In general, I will briefly say that wiping off blue stains on light suede is not an easy job. So for wearing with jeans, it is better to take a different color, for example, the one shown above for autumn. Yuketen usually has a fairly large selection of colors for each model.


Another nice moment. Usually, leather laces on such shoes cause quite a lot of inconvenience. Namely, they tend to untie at the most inopportune moments. I suffered for a very long time with Sperry, to the extent that I just wanted to sew or glue these laces to fix the knot :) In the case of Yuketen, for some reason I did not have such problems. It seems both here and there, leather, but the fact remains that these laces did not untie spontaneously during the "test sock".

Their heel is absolutely not stiff. So you can wear it directly on your bare feet and not be afraid to get calluses the first time you wear it. And in general, this is the kind of footwear that you definitely won't have to wear and "soften" the skin. Again, the skin, although quite thick, is VERY soft.


The same ergonomic leather insole is padded inside. When worn barefoot, it is quite comfortable and will add comfort when wearing, your feet will thank you)). The insole is also embossed with "Yuketen made by leather artisans in USA".


As for the size, there are several nuances here. The size of this shoe is not "sneaker". For example I wear Adidas and some Nike and New Balance models in 9.5US size. For this shoe, I took 9US and was absolutely right. The leg came in tightly, but without undue pressure. In general, "moccasin-type" shoes should initially sit very tightly on the foot and slightly take its shape. Soft suede will stretch a little anyway. As far as completeness is concerned, the designation E was on the box, which still means "wide". In fact, the fullness is more likely on the middle leg, that is, according to my feelings, it is closer to the fullness of D. But I repeat, these are only personal impressions, everyone's legs are different and the sensations from shoes can be different.

The inhabitants of Europe, who first arrived in North America in the 15th century, drew attention to indian shoes... The natives wore classic leather loafers.

The oldest footwear of American Indians

The oldest piece of the item is footwear, which was worn by the ancient inhabitant of Otzi about 5 thousand years ago. It was something in between moccasins and sandals. The upper features leather and grass straps, and the outsole is made from bearskin. The braided shoes of the Indians, which existed 10 thousand years ago, were replaced by leather moccasins.

Moccasins are one of the oldest types of traditional footwear of the American Indians. Since the products were intended for movement on rocky terrain, the sole was rather rough and powerful. The products for hunting were very comfortable, practical and quiet. Shoe material: deer, elk or bison skins. By the way, it was not difficult to repair such or to repair it on the way, because it was not distinguished by special delicacy.

There were 2 types of footwear: one-piece and rawhide products. The first ones were sewn from a single piece of cloth and fastened in the central part of the product (from the toe to the instep). To mask the seam, the middle of the rise, as a rule, was decorated with embroidery or an oblong tongue.

In the 18th century, the Indians made mainly rawhide products. The upper of the moccasins was made of suede, and the thick and rough outsole was made of rawhide. For a long time, products were sewn using animal tendons, and later they began to use strong nylon threads. The true shoes of the Indians, moccasins, later spread in Europe.

Shoes that the Indians used in the 19th century

Indians of various tribes living in the regions of Mexico also used moccasins. These are soft, flat-soled shoes made of factory calfskin without fasteners or laces, but with a tongue on the instep, decorated with fringes or tassels. The fringe was allegedly used to destroy all possible traces of the owner. When sewing the top of the product, the workpiece is put on a shoe and connected with an external seam. Often, shoes have a powerful heel (as on products for men) and decorative lacing placed along the perimeter of the heel.

In modern times, the appearance of moccasins, as well as the practicality and quality of tailoring, have changed significantly (do not forget about what is possible). Today this type of footwear is made by a sewing method, which allows you to get rid of excess material and add a heel to the product. The inner surface of the winter shoe is insulated with bison fur. Moccasins are decorated with leather stripes, appliqués, silk thread fringes, silver or cupronickel buttons, shiny beads, and porcupine needles. Improved moccasins are now lighter and more comfortable.

Unlike moccasins, they have a welt and a rigid sole with a low wide heel. have a thick sole, and the lace runs not only along the perimeter of the heel, but also in the front through 4 armholes.

Types of moccasins

"Light, thin, soft Indian moccasins are the best footwear in the world - incomparably better than the clumsy, hard European boots that Indians cannot wear."
J.G. Kohl

By intended purpose are allocated women, men and children moccasins as well as models. There are casual, office, evening and sports types of moccasins.

According to the material, moccasins can be textile, leather, suede and leatherette. The outsole is usually made of rubber, rubber, or leather.

By country of origin the following types of moccasins can be distinguished:

  • American, which are primarily valued for the practicality and comfort of wearing (Allen Edmonds, Bass, Sebago, Timberland, Florsheim, Hush Puppies);
  • European, characterized by an attractive appearance - Italian (Tods, Zegna, Fratelli Rosetti, Moreschi, A. Testoni, Alberto Guardiani,), French (, JB Weston,), English (Wirdsmith, Richmond), German (Harai,), Spanish ( ,);



  • Australian, the most famous of which are produced by the manufacturer,.

History

"Do not judge another until you have walked two miles in his moccasins."
Indian proverb

The earliest moccasins (pre-colonial period)

Moccasins were the traditional footwear of the North American Indians. The very name of the shoes comes from the word "mohkisson" from the language of the Algonquin Indians. In 2008, moccasins were found in a cave in Armenia, which are approximately 5,500 years old. The oldest shoe in the world is 24.5 cm long (size 37) and is made from a single piece of cow leather. Prior to this discovery, the oldest specimen was considered to be the shoes of Otzi, an ancient man who lived about 5,000 years ago and was found in 1991 in the Tyrolean Alps. Otzi are shod in a cross between sandals and moccasins. His shoes are made of woven leather straps and various herbs, and the sole is made of bear hide.

At Fort Rock Cave in Oregon and at Arnold Cave in Missouri, North American Indian leather moccasins have been discovered that they have worn since about 3575 BC. NS. to 970 A.D. Moccasins have replaced wicker shoes that existed 8000-10000 years ago.

Moccasin dating back to 700-900 A.D. was found in the swamps of Ireland. By this time, this type of footwear had undergone significant changes: moccasins were now made using the sewing method, which made it possible to get rid of excess leather and supplement the footwear with a heel part.


Colonial period (1607-1775)

During the colonial period, there were two types of moccasins: rawhide and one-piece. The latter were cut out in a single fabric and sewn in the center - from toe to the middle of the instep, or on the side from the outside from toe to heel. Moccasins with a central seam were found among the southeastern and northeastern tribes. So that the seam was not noticeable, in the middle of the rise it was masked with embroidery. Loafers sewn on the side were often complemented by an oblong tongue. The Indians of the Pacific coast considered such shoes to be "true moccasins".

The footwear of the Indians was durable, comfortable and quiet, which was of great importance on the hunt. Moccasins were usually sewn from deer, bison or elk skin. The Indians rarely left the natural pale color of the shoes: the shade depended on the time, the method of smoking and the type of wood burning. Each tribe had its own methods of making moccasins: in Athapaskan clothing, shoes and trousers were one, the Iroquois used the skin of the hind leg of an elk, which is similar to a human foot, as winter shoes, and also wore braided moccasins from corn leaves and wood fibers. Men of the southern plains wore fringed moccasins that were attached to the heel seams. It was believed that the fringe covers not only the physical, but also the spiritual traces of its wearer.

XIX - early XX century

In the 1830-1840s, the Indians made mostly rawhide moccasins. Rough and thick rawhide was used for the sole and suede for the upper. This variant appeared in the American Southwest. For a long time, shoes were sewn from the sinews of killed animals, but in the 19th century, the Indians began to use strong nylon threads. Since the 80s. of that century, many tribes stopped using rawhide thick leather for the sole and began to acquire factory calf. White leather was left in its natural color, and natural or artificial pigments were used to obtain other colors. By the end of the 19th century, the tongue of moccasins began to be cut out separately - in trapezoidal and rectangular shapes. Occasionally, men's moccasins were sewn with a forked tongue, resembling the footprints of a bison's hooves, which symbolized strength and power.

Women's moccasins were now knee-length or slightly higher and consisted of, in fact, shoes and gaiters. Among the Indians from the northern and central plains, these parts were not sewn together, while among the southern tribes, moccasins and leggings were one piece, connected with ropes or buttons. Bison fur, from which the inner part of the shoe was sewn, served as a heater in the cold. Men's moccasins were shorter, but like women's moccasins, they could be embroidered with beads, fringe, porcupine needles, appliqués. The decorated shoes were extremely festive. In the 30s. the Comanche tribes began to use white silk fringe as decoration.

The Indians of the Southwest wore moccasins with rigid, up-bent soles. Both men's and women's shoes of these tribes were knee-high, which provided protection from the sharp thorns of plants and the bites of poisonous snakes. Men buttoned shoes on the side with buttons made of silver or cupronickel, occasionally some decorative elements were used. Apache women adorned moccasins with beads, natural Hopi and Navajo pigments. An important feature of women's shoes in this region were long white stripes of deer skin, which wrapped around the legs from the moccasin to the middle of the knee.


At the beginning of the 20th century, interest in the image of the "Indian princess" arose in the West. At that time, women from North American Indian tribes wore beaded crowns, dresses and moccasins made of white leather at Pow-Wow dance events.

Moccasins are first encountered in literature on the pages of the novels of James Fenimore Cooper (Pioneers, 1823; The Last of the Mohicans, 1826; Prairie, 1827; Pathfinder, 1840; St. John's Wort, or The First Path of War, 1841).

XX century. America

By the end of the first half of the 20th century, American moccasins began a new story. In 1946, Philip Miller, in the Minnetonka Moccasin project, decided to fully reflect the centuries-old culture and traditions of the indigenous population of America: his company began to sew traditional Indian moccasins by hand. Cowhide, elk and deerskin for production were purchased from the leaders of the Indian tribes. A distinctive feature of Minnetonka Moccasin shoes was the fringe that adorned most of the models. Since 1960, moccasins have been adorned with the image of the "Thunderbird" - a bird of thunder, which served as a talisman for the Indians.

In 1980, the film “Urban Cowboy” was released with John Travolta, where the hero of the picture wore Minnetonka shoes. After the release of the film, moccasins began to be worn by both ordinary people and celebrities. Currently, Minnetonka shoes are worn by Vanessa Paradis, Nicole Ricci, Jennifer Aniston and others. During its existence, the brand has gained popularity in more than 50 countries.

In 1958, the Hush Puppies brand was created in the USA. Moccasins in style provided men, women and children with ease and comfort when walking. Most of the models had latex insoles and soft-filled heel pads. In the 90s. the company produced a series of colored moccasins, which made the brand truly popular. Today Hush Puppies are released in over 130 countries. The fans of the brand are Eddie Murphy, Sharon Stone, Bruce Willis and others.

XX century. Europe

Native American moccasins were very popular in their homeland. Many travelers bought these shoes for themselves as a souvenir. Thus, Indian footwear became widespread in Europe. Then the manufacturers decided to release their own moccasins, adding luxury and grace to traditional shoes. Since 1902, for 60 years, the Arfango brand has created loafers and moccasins that have been very popular among the Italian elite. In 2006, Alberto Moretti re-launched the handcrafted Arfango footwear.

In 1959, the House of Fashion released a trial batch of Hairpin women's moccasins in Paris, and in 1962 the Inka model, decorated with braided braids, was released.

Luxury moccasins for men began to be produced in 1965 by the Italian Vittorio Spernanzoni. Shoes were sewn entirely by hand from lamb skins. Currently, the most famous fashion houses trust Vittorio Spernanzoni to work on their lines.

Moccasins became widespread in Europe thanks to Gianni Mostila. In 1963, the Italian government granted him a patent for the production of footwear for motorists. These were men's moccasins with rubberized soles, on which bumps protruded. This outsole option provided perfect grip of the shoe with the pedals of the car. Moccasins acquired the name "Car Shoes". Later, the Italian brand Car Shoe was founded. Initially, this shoe was only used for driving a car. The first to appear outside the passenger compartment in moccasins was US President John F. Kennedy. The Car Shoe was later worn by Fiat owner Gianni Agnelli, director Robert Rossellini and other celebrities. In 2001, the brand was acquired by Prada Fashion House.