Pumps are now one of the most recognizable of women’s shoes. In most cases, they are a closed-toe shoe that covers the toes. The shoe uppers on the sides of pumps extend around the back of the foot to cover the sides and heel of the foot. Though we think of pumps as women’s shoes, this was not always the case.

The earliest pumps were made in the 15th century for men and were called pompes. Pompes were often flat shoes, but later, some men incorporated a wide higher heel into the shoe. Soon women also began to wear varying pump styles, but we can date modern pumps to the early 20th century. Early women’s pumps were often worn by servants, who did not have time to spend on buckles or laces. Elaborately buckled and laced shoes were considered dressier for women for a number of centuries.

Now pumps are considered very dressy to casual, and incorporate a wide range of styles. They can be either heeled or flat, and heel height varies considerably. Heel height often depends upon the current style, as does the shape of the uppers covering the toe. In the past century, fashion has introduced pointy toed pumps, rounded toe pumps, and peep-toe pumps which feature a cut out of the upper over the middle tip of the shoe, allowing a peek at the toes. No matter what the style of the toe covering area, stiletto heels remain one of the traditionally fashionable ways to wear pumps.

Pumps are suitable for most occasions where you would need to wear a dress, skirt, or formal office clothing like a pants suit or skirt suit. Virtually every fashion maven agrees that the one pair of pumps you must own is a simple black pair. Beyond that, pumps can be chosen for their style, comfort, or to coordinate with varying outfits.

Although we may think of the traditional pump as leather, fabric pumps have been a staple since the 1940s. Popular, especially for weddings are proms are satin pumps that can be “dyed to match.” Though these may not be particularly comfortable, sometimes fashion trumps foot comfort. Comfort certainly is an issue with pumps and high heels in general. The width of the upper enclosing the toes may lead to blisters, and when worn all the time, numerous foot problems.

Some of the killer pumps from a foot health perspective are those with exceptionally high heels that have ill-fitting pointing toes. The toes don’t like to be squished into a point and will respond by forming blisters, corns, bunions and a variety of other conditions. There are some simple ways to address this.

Make most of your pumps flats or near flats, so less pressure exists on the toes. Purchase pumps that fit you. With shoe manufacturers now making many sizes and wide widths, search Internet stores like Zappos® or department stores like Nordstrom’s® for shoes that are your appropriate size. Save the high heels for special occasions only instead of making them your normal office wear or daily wear. Switch out pumps with open-toed shoes from time to time, or choose dressy loafers that are more rounded and provide more room for the toes.