Figure 1.--.

Overshoes are protective footwear worn over the shoes to prevent them from being ruined by mud and rain. There have been different types of overshoes. Some looked rather like boots, especially galoshes. Wellies were even called boots. The key difference was that with overshoes you kept your shoes on while boots were footwear themselves and not worn with shoes. Boot like overshoes were called galoshes. Ones for shoes were called rubbers. Galoshes were commonly worn by boys. Rubbers were more common for men. Overshoes were not very popular with chidren--primarily because of the bother associated with oputting them on and taking them off.

Purpose

Overshoes are protective footwear worn over the shoes to from being ruined by mud and rain. This was very important before the 20th century when sidewalks and paved streets were not very common.

Types

There have been different types of overshoes. Some looked rather like boots, especially galoshes. Wellies were even called boots. The key difference was that with overshoes you kept your shoes on while boots were footwear themselves and not worn with shoes.

Galoshes

Galoshes are ancient in origin. The Romand had leather galoshes. Modern galoshes are rubberized canvas Some are plastic. Galoshes are made to look like boots. es were called galoshes. Ones for shoes were called rubbers. Galoshes were commonly worn by boys. Mothers insisted children wear gakoshes to school in raint wearher. This was to make sure their feet did not get wet and also to protect the shoes. Often children were irritated by all the bother involved.

Overshoes

Overshoes are almost as old as shoes themselves. Medevil cobblers created leather overshoes which protected shoes and feet. Leather shoes were quite expensive and often delicate. The protective overshoes were called a "pattens". They were commonly worn in the 14th and 15th centuries. They consisted of a block under the heel and additional one under the ball of the foot. These blocks raised the shoe above the ground and was fastened on with straps. Thus the expensive shoe was raised above the muddy streets. Designs of overshoes adopted to cghanging styles of shoes. Overshoes were not very popular with chidren--primarily because of the bother associated with oputting them on and taking them off.

Rubbers

Rubbers are of course rubberized overshoes. They were made to just cover the shoes are to ankle level.