Platform Shoes Evolution From Amphitheaters to Disco

Platform shoes may have originated in ancient Greece, but they’ve come a long way since then. Believe it or not, the performers in amphitheaters used to wear them so that they could be seen better by the audience. In the ’30s, they became popular in America when cork and wood were used instead of leather due to material rationing during the war.

But in the ’70s, they became fashion statements, as platforms had become the perfect complement to flared-hem pants. They began to be featured in magazines as trendy party shoes for disco-goers and were made even more popular by musicians like David Bowie.