There was an interesting question raised in ANTH 104 the other day about the effect that wearing shoes has on human gait. Certainly shoes, running shoes or stiletto heels affect the way we walk, and with the recent interest in barefoot running there is growing discussion about what we should be wearing on our feet. Here is an accessible article from the New York Magazine that does a great job of considering many key points here in the biology and culture of footwear.