Buzz
Clowns’ oversized, floppy shoes are a hallmark of their signature look, but have you ever wondered why they wear them? Let’s dive into the quirky origins of this funny fashion.
A clown named "Tickles and Trouble" asked this question on the Clown Forum, a community space for clowns online. Some of the humorous replies were, "To make sure the audience gets a huge laugh," "Clowns don’t wear big shoes, everyone else just has small feet," and "We have large shoes because we have a lot of sole!" Let’s leave the clowning to the experts, shall we?
This tradition dates back to the early clowns, whose influence shaped the modern-day clown costume. The iconic white face paint is said to have originated with Pierrot, a French clown, while the baggy outfits were inspired by Joseph Grimaldi’s "Joey," who first performed in England in the early 1800s and is recognized by Encyclopedia Britannica as the earliest true circus clown.
Joey’s character was probably influenced by even earlier figures from English traveling theater productions. Three key characters—Pickelherring, John Posset, and Stockfish—became famous in the 17th century, performing across Germany. Their comedic antics were highlighted by their ridiculous costumes, which notably included oversized shoes.
