Today in the United States the variety and quantity of shoes have increased greatly. Members of certain professions may wear special shoes particularly suited to their work. Much study has been devoted to the shape and working of the foot and to details of shoe design that will enhance the shoe's function and comfort. For example, bowlers, skiers, skaters, bicyclists, and other athletes have specially designed shoes. The popular jogging shoe may have a specially designed heel and a sole that provides extra support to the foot.
Hazardous occupations require safety shoes with reinforced toe caps of steel, fiber, or plastic.
Some manufacturers produce corrective shoes designed to relieve foot conditions such as bunions, corns, and hammertoes. In North America shoemaking as a craft began in 1629 when Thomas Beard, a shoemaker, arrived from London. He settled in Salem, Mass., to make shoes under contract for the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Many early colonists tanned leather and made their own shoes. Later, itinerant cobblers went from town to town.