A look at the new shoe on the scene, yoga sneakers.

One of the new buzzwords in athletic shoes is the yoga shoe or sneaker, which may seem a bit weird for an activity that is generally practiced barefoot.. However, the truth is that people wear a wide variety of footwear for yoga, including ballet slippers, jazz shoes and specialized "foot thongs." The yoga sneaker is the sturdiest of these choices and is essentially a stylish, flexible athletic shoe that molds to the foot while also being durable enough to be worn outdoors. Because the shoes are extremely comfortable and more streamlined than a traditional athletic shoe, they are an increasingly popular trend with both those who do and don't practice yoga, including celebrities.

Adidas, Reebok , and smartdogs all make stylish yoga shoes that are appropriate both in and out of the studio, but you should be sure not to wear the same pair for both! It's bad form to wear streets shoes in a yoga or dance studio because while you might not be practicing barefoot, many other people often are.

Because traditionally yoga has been practiced barefoot the yoga shoe is a recent invention designed to cater to Western preferences while also capitalizing on the ever increasingly specialized world of athletic shoes. The yoga shoe itself has evolved form the dance sneaker, itself only a few decades old. The dance sneaker has the traction and support of a regular athletic shoe, but also includes a highly flexible sole that is often split to accentuate the shape of a pointed foot, breathable material, and a sturdy toe box to allow for pointe work.

The yoga shoe eliminates the toe box and has slimmed the sole down while also reunifying it. This creates a profile more similar to that of a slipper, but with extreme flexibility and strong support just like the dance sneaker. Made of breathable materials, yoga shoes let your feet breathe, wick sweat, and most importantly, can be tossed in the washing machine without much hassle -- not something that can be said for most other high fashion trend items.

Because of their light weight, Yoga shoes make great walking shoes and are also ideal as shoes for the commuter that doesn't want to wear high heels on the bus or subway. While new to the shoe scene, the yoga shoe will surely continue to evolve, possibly splitting off into in-studio and outdoor versions built around the same principles of flexibility, support and style.

How a ceremonial Roman shoe still conveys status today.

Mules are simple shoes with a complicated story. Available in a wide variety of styles and commonly worn by both genders, the mule is defined simply as a backless shoe. It can be a sandal, a clog, a sneaker, high- or low-healed, casual or formal. This variety can make the shoe seem uniquely modern, especially in the way the mule is increasingly used in unexpected fashion pairings - such as, for women, a formal, high-heeled version paired with jeans.

The mule though, has ancient roots, and it has nothing to do with the animal. The shoe's name actually derives from the Latin word mulleus, which was a type of ceremonial shoe worn by highly placed government officials in ancient Rome. Then mules were always a dark, red leather, but today the name indicates the cut of the shoe rather than its color or purpose.

The mule as an indicator of status has, however, been a constant for the shoe. A laborer would derive little use out of a shoe that could so easily slip off the foot, and it certainly wasn't a style that would protect from the elements, meaning that anyone who owned mules, surely had the luxury of owning other pairs of shoes as well.

Mules, of course, went from magistrates to nobles and it was at court that the flashy luxury of the shoe shone. High-heeled mules for both genders were popular in the Baroque-era and many examples predictably come from Versailles and the other elaborate courts of the era.

Today's mules are often styles to showcase a less flashy luxury. Mule versions of sneakers indicate casualness, but also imply the luxury of owning athletic shoes merely for fashion. Men's mules also indicate a wealthy but casual lifestyle. Usually leather and entirely inappropriate at the office, the male mule indicates a well-dress leisure life. The habit of women using mules to dress up jeans or favoring low, but narrow heeled mules that can be deceptively difficult to walk in are also luxury indicators.

This conveyance of status is somewhat unique for a shoe-style that has become so ubiquitous, but regardless of the mule's ancient origins, it has adapted well to the modern world where mass production has brought a greater sense of luxury to so many people.

Espadrilles, a popular, casual shoe usually worn by women in warmer areas of the United States, have their origins in peasant shoes. These shoes have been worn since the 1300s in the mountains that separate France and Spain. Named after an indigenous plant used to make rope in the region, espadrilles are defined by their soles. Modern espadrilles may replace this rope with rubber molded to achieve a similar look as a way of increasing durability and allowing more variants in the shoe styling, including higher, wedge-shaped heels.

For a peasant shoe, the espadrille has come a long way. Today's top designers such as Donna Karan produce espadrilles and they can also be readily found in lower-end shoe shops and clothing stores. Espadrilles were particularly popular in the United States in the 1970s and do see a periodic resurgence. Because of the non-leather materials, espadrilles are not costly, allowing many women to own multiple pairs in multiple styles. These includes the previously mentioned varying heel-heights and those with laces that generally attach at the back of the shoe that can then be wrapped around the ankle for support and shoe security.

The top of an espadrille is usually made of canvas and in a closed-toe style, but current variations also reveal the toes or feature cut-out heels for summer wear. Additionally, while the modern espadrille is usually only worn by women, the shoe has historically been for both genders, and men's styles are seen in warmer climates and periodically as a trend.

While espadrilles originated in Europe, 90 percent of these shoes are now produced in Bangladesh because of the popularity of using jute to make the shoes. Jute is a strong and cheap, natural fiber, that has a naturally bright white color, making it easy to dye or present as is. Like most modern shoes, a process that was once entirely done by hand is now largely done by machine. To increase durability of the shoes, rubber, foam or wooden heels are often added to the espadrille, improving on the simple concept from which they originated.

While production has largely moved, small espadrille producers still exist in the Catalonia region of Spain.