They were sometimes decorated with trims, embroidery or jewels and 'pinked' with tiny holes.

Elizabethan Shoes - the Styles
Elizabethan shoes came in many styles which are detailed as follows:

• Boots - Boots were made of smooth or wrinkled leather, fittings were loose or tight, used for riding and walking
• Gamache - A gamache was a high boot
• Buskins - Buskins were calf length shoes / boots
• Startups - Startups were leather shoes worn as protective coverings for outdoor use
• Pumps - Pumps were light, or single-soled slip-on shoes
• Chopines - Chopines, or Chapineys, were slip-on over shoes made of wood and covered with leather
• Clogs - The clog was an outdoor, wooden shoe
• Corked Shoes - Corked shoes featured a wedge of cork between the foot and the sole
• Galoche - A Galoche, or Galage, was a protective overshoe
• Pantofle - A Pantofle came in two styles - a protective, outdoor overshoe and a slipper for indoors
• Pinsons - A pinson or pincnet was a delicate shoe

Elizabethan Shoes - a comment dating back to 1583
During the Elizabethan era pamphlets were printed and distributed commenting on life in Elizabethan England. A writer of one such pamphlet was a well travelled Londoner called Philip Stubbes. He named his work " The Anatomie of Abuses " in which he strongly criticised many of the fashions and clothing worn during the Elizabethan era. It was entered in the Stationers' Register on 1 March 1583. This pamphlet includes his view and some valuable information about Elizabethan Shoes

"To these their nether-stocks, they have corked shooes, pincnets, and fine pantofles, which beare them up a finger or two inches or more from the ground; wherof some be of white leather, some of black, and some of red, some of black velvet, some of white, some of red, some of green, raced, carved, cut and stitched all over with silk, and laid on with golde, silver, and such like: yet, notwithstanding, to what good uses serve these pantofles, except it be to wear ina private house, or in a man's chamber to keepe him warme? (for this is the onely use wherto they best serve in my judgement) but to go abroad in them, as they are now used al together, is rather a let or hinderance to a man then otherwise; forshall he not be faine to knock and spurn at every stone, wall or post to keep them on his feet?

Interesting Facts and Information about Elizabethan Shoes
Some interesting facts and confirmation of information about Elizabethan shoes can be obtained from the words of Philip Stubbes. A first hand impression of the fashions of the Elizabethan era are invaluable - but the Elizabethan style of writing can be hard going. The following information has therefore been taken from the points he made on Elizabethan shoes:

• Types of shoes
  • Corked
  • Pincnets
  • Pantofles
  • 2 inch heels
  • Material - Leather in black, red and white. Practical for outdoor wear
  • Material - Velvet - various colors including black, white, red and green decorated with silk, and laid on with gold and silver. For indoor wear and impractical

Shoemakers and How shoes were made during the Elizabethan Era
Some interesting facts and information about how shoes were made during the Elizabethan era. Philip Stubbes is furious about the sharp practices of Shoemakers but a general process can be obtained from his above comments

• Leather made waterproof by soaking in a liquor and application of grease
• Sewed using hot needles and threads
• Material - Stubbes points out the 'cons' but in so doing provides details of the materials
  • calves leather for cow leather
  • horsehides for oxe hides
  • sheep skins for better materials
  • Stubbes insists that cat skins were used for insides of shoes
• Stitched finely, pinked, cut and carved
• Shoes heated by the fire to harden them