What Exactly Are Slippers?

A slipper is a sort of house shoe typically worn indoors as the sole covering for one’s foot. It’s mainly composed of cloth or leather and comes in a variety of sizes and shapes.

The first slippers, made of sheepskin, were discovered in the Middle East. The name “slipper” was once used to describe a variety of footwear, including shoes, boots, and sandals. People began using the term “slipper” to designate open-backed shoes with flat bottoms in the mid-1600s. The term was later applied to an open shoe with a fancy toe decorated with beads or sequins.

By 1669, the term “slipper” had come to refer to velvet, silk, or satin shoes with closed lacing at the heel and toe, which were also known as “dress slippers.” For men, this slipper style remained popular, but it was deemed elitist by women because it implied they used their shoes so often that they grew filthy.

By the early 1800s, the term “slipper” had come to imply open-toed shoes or stilettos made of leather or velvet, though these were far from the only forms of slippers available. On their slippers, women would wear ornamental pastel-colored heels. The term “slipper” eventually came to designate solely to a style of indoor shoe worn primarily by women.