Slipper

Korean Slippers

A slipper is a light shoe worn indoors. They keep feet warm. People also wear them to keep their feet or socks clean. They are usually made of a something comfortable like a towel material or thin leather. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

History

The recorded history of slippers can be traced back to the 12th century. In the West, the record can only be traced to 1478.

Peranakan Chinese wedding slippers from the late 19th century

Slippers in China date from 4700 BCE. They were made of cotton or woven rush, had leather linings, and featured symbols of power, such as dragons.

Native American moccasins were also highly decorative. Such moccasins showed nature scenes and were decorated with beadwork and fringing, their soft sure-footedness made them good for indoors taking (or setting aside). Inuit and Aleut people made shoes from smoked hare-hide to protect their feet against the frozen ground inside their homes.

Beautiful Orientalism saw the introduction into the West of designs like the baboosh.

Victorian people needed such shoes to keep the dust and gravel outside their homes. For Victorian ladies, slippers gave an opportunity to show off their needlepoint skills and use embroidery as decoration.

Types

Types of slippers include:

• Open-heel slippers – usually made with a fabric upper layer that encloses the top of the foot and the toes, but leaves the heel open. These are often distributed in expensive hotels, included with the cost of the room.
• Closed slippers – slippers with a heel guard that prevents the foot from sliding out.
• Slipper boots – slippers meant to look like boots. Often preferred by women, they are usually furry boots with a fleece or soft lining, and a soft rubber only. Modeled after sheepskin boots, they may be worn outside.
• Sandal slippers – cushioned sandals with soft rubber or fabric soles, almost the same as Birkenstock's cushioned sandals.
• Evening slipper – also known as the "Prince Albert" slipper in reference to Albert, Prince Consort. It is made of velvet with leather soles and features a grosgrain bow or the wearer’s initials decorated with patterns of thread in gold.

Novelty animal-feet slippers

Some slippers are made to look like something other than a slipper and are sold as a novelty item. The slippers are usually made from soft and colorful materials and may come in the shapes of animals, animal paws, vehicles, cartoon characters, etc.

Not all shoes with a soft fluffy interior are slippers. Any shoe with a rubber only and laces is a normal outdoor shoe. In India, rubber chappals (flip-flops) are worn as indoor shoes.