Market Friday ~ It's all about the shoes

Hello there. Friday is here, and today I decided to join #MarketFriday challenge hosted by @dswigle for the first time. It always looked like a lot of fun for those who participate. So I am in!

If you have some very strong attraction, you can't stop talk about it. Know that feeling? Yes, and although I am not a shopaholic at all (too lazy for that), but I do have a passion.

Italy has a lot of attractions - art, architecture, wine and cuisine, seascapes and mountains. But one thing is a definitive favorite - Italian shoes.

From the ancient times, and especially in Ancient Rome, costume was an indication well-being and status in society of its owner.

Remember the saying "Beauty is a pain". I think it came from the Ancient Rome. The Romans believed that the practical and aesthetic functions of things exist separately. Moreover, they say that it was the Romans's idea to make right and left boots, which greatly increased the comfort of wearing shoes.

They have 2 main types of shoes: Calceus and Solea (lat). Calceus was enclosed footwear. They are tied up with a lace or ribbon.

Solea was a sandals, and like a modern sandals, it consisted of an outsole and straps. By the way, it was bad manners to showing up in polite society wearing sandals.

Every class had a different footwear - patricians (Calcei patricii) and plebeians, senators (Calceus senatorius) and philosophers, for soldiers (campagi militares) and for actors (!!!), shoes for home and for going out, up to 25 different kinds. Wealthy people wore shoes decorated with pearls, precious stones, accessories made of metal, silver and even gold, textile and leather laces. It may take a while to put on a pair of shoes.

For example, Claudia Octavia, the daughter of the Emperor Claudius and a wife of the Emperor Nero wore shoes with gold soles, and the Nero wore silver shoes.

Shoes of purple color was for special, ceremonial events.

Things change over the time, but not in Italy, lol. It is still a leader in the production of quality footwear of high and middle class.

As s real woman, I think that shoes are never too much :) A window of a shoe store has hypnotic effect on me. And my main dilemma is "Comfortable or Beautiful". Far not any pair of shoes fit my feet, and every time I have troubles with a new pair until my feet and shoes get used to each other.

And here is when Italian footwear "make those tired feet feel like new" (Mark Knopfler). I am not a big fan of those famous expensive brands, it is not for my wallet. But...

On my every trip to Italy I visit small shoe store, not a shopping mall. Small shops are often a family business started by one's grandpa, and their shoes are handmade, even if less famous. I buy something there almost always. I remember a history of every my pair, because every time it was not an ordinary visit to a shop with faceless stuff. Usually, a salesman is a cute old man (once he has a companion - a young beagle), most likely an owner of a business. He can answer any tricky question, surprise you with an advice or hint.

One day, I walked around with a hope to find a small store I visited 3 years ago and tried on a perfect pair of boots there, but didn't buy because of the price. And I found it! There was the same old gentlemen at the desk that served as a cashdesk. He was already too old to go up and down the stepladder, and his daughter (she was the very image of him) was serving customers. Of course, she found another perfect pair of boots for me and another one for my husband.

Phew, hope I didn't make you boring or tired ))) A few words about pictures. The first one was captured in Florence. Two mre were captured on last weekend, when I visited a trade fair of Ukrainian brands.

Happy Friday,

and thank you for your time and your kind support!

@zirochka