A moccasin is a shoe, made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole and sides made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp. The sole is soft and flexible and the upper part often is adorned with embroidery or beading. Though sometimes worn inside, it is chiefly intended for outdoor use.
Contemporary moccasins
Osage (Native American). Pair of Moccasins, early 20th century. Brooklyn Museum
A soft-soled moccasin
Hopi Pueblo (Native American). Dancing Shoes, late 19th century. Brooklyn Museum
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but over time, shoes also became fashion items. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-toe boots, which are required footwear at industrial worksites.
A variety of shoes displayed at the Nordic Museum, including models from 1700 to the 1960s.
The oldest known leather shoe, about 5500 years old, found in Armenia
Esparto sandals from the 6th or 5th millennium BC found in Spain
Footwear of Roman soldiers (reconstruction)
