In days-gone-by men who attended formal dances and balls would take off their outdoor shoes and put on something called dancing pumps. They weren't like modern high heeled pumps that women wear and sometimes adore. In fact they were much closer in design to womens Puma Ferrari Drift Cat shoes.

You might catch a glimpse of some men wearing pumps in an old movie. If there was a formal dance in a grand location men would be wearing pumps. You can probably see some in the party scene of The Sound of Music.

The pumps men wore for dancing the Waltz, or the Minuet or the Laendler were sleek and more tailored than cobbled. There was no bulk or excess weight. Only the minimum thickness of sole came between foot and floor.

Lightweight, closely fitted footwear reduced awkwardness and allowed movement to be easier and more precise. The soles of the shoes were thinner and softer which reduced damage to the highly polished floor. They reduced the chances of stepping on a partner's foot and minimized damage in case of a misstep.

Today the up and coming popular shoes are the ones inspired by those worn by professional race car drivers. It's interesting how similar in design these high performance shoes are to the dancing pumps of yester-year. Race drivers need shoes that are free of bulk with as little as possible between their feet and the pedals.

Athletes who participate in sports that involve running and jumping appreciate shoes with thick soles that protect joints from impact. Even non athletes, upon discovering how comfortable athletic shoes are, started wearing them everywhere. Unfortunately they never really looked like they belonged indoors.

Shoes designed for motor sports are different. The padding so essential in other sports would just interfere with a driver's control of the vehicle. Drivers need thin soles for good contact with pedals. Driving shoes can look sleek and attractive.

You don't have to be a race car driver to love shoes inspired by motor sports. That should be obvious from the fact that they come in children's sizes. And nobody loves a good-looking, elegant, comfortable shoe more than women.

These sport-inspired shoes do not compare to women's ballroom dance shoes. Women's dance shoes have traditionally been designed to make dancing more of a challenge for women. They are the first thing women want to take off when the dance is over.

Women's ballroom dance shoes made dancing more challenging for women. People observed that while Fred Astaire was a great dancer his female partners did what he did backwards and in high heels. Pumas may never become the footwear of choice at formal dances but they look good enough to show up in a lot of places where traditional sport shoes would be out of place.

Most women nowadays spend a lot more time driving than they do dancing or playing sports. A good-looking shoe that is designed to make driving easier is a dream come true for the car-pool mom or the commuter. It's a great feeling to step out of the car for some shopping or errands and know your womens Puma Ferrari Drift Cat shoes will be attracting envious glances.