Mule (shoe)

A pair of red mules (side)

Mule, a French word, is a style of shoe that is backless and often closed-toed. Mules can be any heel height - from flat to high. The style is predominantly (but not exclusively) worn by women.

The term derives from the Ancient Roman mulleus calceus a red or purple shoe worn by the three highest magistrates,^[1] although there is little indication of any structural resemblance.

History

High-heeled mules were a popular indoor shoe style of the 18th century, influenced by the patten, a backless overshoe of the 16th century. By the early twentieth century, mules were often associated with prostitutes.^[2]

In the early 1950s, Marilyn Monroe popularized the shoe^[1] and helped break its poor reputation.

Mules experienced some popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s, and were seen in the 1970s and early 1980s almost exclusively in the form of open-back Scandinavian clogs, but then re-emerged in the late 1990s, especially in its open-toed form (the "slide"), and began to dominate the shoe market for women.

Gallery

18th century mules
Red mules (front)
A pair of green mules
Woman's loafer style mules with a flat heel
Woman's Maryjane style mules with a wedge heel
Various styles of mules in a shop window

References

1 2 Games, Alex (2007), Balderdash & piffle : one sandwich short of a dog's dinner, London: BBC, ISBN 978-1-84607-235-2
↑ Richardson, Edited by Catherine (2004), Clothing culture, 1350-1650, Burlington: Ashgate, ISBN 978-0-7546-3842-1

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mules.

High-heeled footwear

Shoes	Court shoe Mule Peep-toe shoe Platform shoe Slingback

Boots	Ballet boot Beatle boot Cowboy boot Fashion boot Kinky boots Knee-high boot Platform boot Thigh-high boots Winklepickers

Types of heel	Clear heels Kitten heel Spool heel Stiletto heel Wedge heel

People Brands Companies	ALDO Group Manolo Blahnik Lionel Bussey Jimmy Choo Kenneth Cole Patrick Cox Salvatore Ferragamo Maud Frizon Cole Haan Hush Puppies Charles Jourdan Beth Levine Pura Lopez Christian Louboutin Steve Madden Bruno Magli Nine West Beatrix Ong Prada Sergio Rossi Yves Saint Laurent Yotam Solomon United Nude Roger Vivier Stuart Weitzman Giuseppe Zanotti Rachel Zoe

Footwear

Men's dress shoes	Blucher Brogues Brothel creepers Derby Monks Oxfords Slip-ons (Loafers) Spectator shoes (Co-respondent shoes) Venetian-style shoes Winklepickers Wholecuts

Women's dress shoes	Ballet flats Court shoes High-heeled footwear Mary Janes Mojari Mules Peep-toe shoes Saddle shoes Slingbacks Slip-ons (Loafers) Venetian-style shoes Winklepickers

Other shoes	Driving moccasins Flip-flops Galoshes Platform shoes Sandals Self-tying shoes Slides Slippers Veldskoens

Wooden footwear	Bakya British clogs Cantabrian albarcas Clogs Getas Klompen Namaksin Padukas Pattens Sabot Träskor

Military footwear	Ammunition boots Bunny boots Combat boots Jackboots Jump boots Jungle boots Tanker boots Trench boots

Sport-related footwear	Athletic shoes Ballet shoes Boat shoes Climbing shoes Cross country running shoes Cycling shoes Football boots Hiking boots Ice skates Inline skates Jika-tabi Kung fu shoe Minimalist shoes Motorcycle boots Mountaineering boots Plimsolls Racing flats Riding boots Roller shoes Roller skates Safari boots Skate shoes Ski boots Swimfins Water shoes Wrestling shoes

Fashion boots	Chelsea boots (Beatle boots) Chukka boots Go-go boots Knee-high boots Over-the-knee boots Platform boots Thigh-high boots Ugg boots

Work boots	Australian work boots Cowboy boots Engineer boots Hip boots Rigger boots Steel-toe boots Waders

Other boots	Jodhpur boots Wellington boots

Traditional footwear	Abacas Abarkas Alpargatas Avarcas Balghas Bast shoes Clogs Espadrilles Galesh Giveh Haferlschuh Hnyat-phanats Huarache (shoe) Hwas Jorabs Moccasins Mojaris Mukluks Opanaks Peshawari chappals Snowshoes Valenkis Warajis Kolhapuri chappals

Historical footwear	Areni-1 shoes Buskins Caligae Chopines Crakow (Poulaine) Hessians Pampooties Pirate boots Sabatons

Shoe construction	Bespoke shoes Blake construction Goodyear welt

Lists	List of shoe styles

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