A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort
the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also
used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied
enormously through time and from culture to culture, with
appearance originally being tied to function. Additionally
fashion has often dictated many design elements, such as whether
shoes have very high heels or flat ones. Contemporary footwear
varies widely in style, complexity and cost. Basic sandals may
consist of only a thin sole and simple strap. High fashion shoes
may be made of very expensive materials in complex construction
and sell for thousands of dollars a pair. Other shoes are for
very specific purposes, such as boots specially designed for
mountaineering or skiing. The foot contains more bones than any
other single part of the body. Though it has evolved over
hundreds of thousands of years in relation to vastly varied
terrain and climate conditions, the foot is still vulnerable to
environmental hazards such as sh