Crazy? Don't mind if I do.

Wendy B. just did a post on the perceived extravagance of modern day shoes as written about in this irritatingly titled article in the New York Observer.

Here are the "crazy" examples accompanying the ridiculous write up:



There is mention of the "Groove is in the Heart" Prada floral heels:


And the Balenciaga gladiator sandal:


The first thought that came to my mind was how tame shoe styles have become in the last century compared to what our historical peeps were dealing with.
I jumped into my time machine again to investigate this subject.

These are kabkabs; so named for the sound they make while walking:





Women in Syria and Turkey would wear kabkabs in bathhouses to avoid the hot floors and cesspools of human filth:




Geisha shoes from the Edo period in Japan:



19th century Burmese:




Late 18th century Indian ivory paduka:



Early 19th century India:




18th century Indian paduka. These look impossible to walk in:






19th century Korean namakshin:



The prize for the most dangerous footwear goes to these 16th century Italian chopines:


Another example of an Italian Renaissance platform:



Decorative velvet chopines. Why did women wear such high platforms? Attention, silly:




Vittore Carpaccio's "Two Venetian Ladies on a Terrace." Note the chopines lying to the left:



Well preserved 18th century Italian shoe:





You want to talk about EXTREME then what about these little Chinese shoes designed specifically for bound feet:




Somehow, the idea of beauty equated with barely being able to walk is not entirely lost in our culture:




Don't let Wendy's rogue toe see these photos:


Wow. That is tiny:





Is this Prada heel really soooooooooooo insane?