History Repeats Itself (Fashion Industry Motto)

"History repeats itself" is the perfect motto for the fashion industry. Our styles really aren't innovative or new. They are recycled styles that were dearly loved by those who came before. May I introduce to you the gladiator sandal! (But you probably already knew what that picture was of.) My guess is most girls have at least one pair of these in their closet, myself included. Fun fact, just as their name suggests, the style was in fact inspired by the ancient roman gladiators. However, their function is slightly different today than back then. In ancient Rome, these sandals were strictly worn by Gladiators fighting in the arena. (A simpler form of sandal was worn by the common people.) They were made out of leather and some even had studded soles. It is assumed that studded soles would help them navigate the sandy interior of the arenas (probably in a manner much like soccer cleats). Another example of ancient Roman footwear evident in our footwear today is found in the socks with sandals trend. Now, the common people in ancient Rome wouldn't be seen wearing such an unsightly combination. However, strips of cloth would often be put in soles to protect the feet while the sandals were worn. See? Like I said, just a recycled form of what those before us have previously enjoyed.