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I was thinking, why would you be interested in having knowledge of this particular accessory worn in Pakistan! I thought that if I were in your shoes (ironically, the article is about shoes), I would definitely be interested in the following fact:

An intriguing detail about these footwear is that there are no designated left or right shoes; they can be worn interchangeably on either foot.
Interesting, isn't it? I was eight or nine years old when my mother bought me my first pair of Khussas, and by then, I could definitely differentiate between the left and right shoe. But the fact that they could be worn interchangeably always amused me. I always found this feature fascinating, which eliminates the need to distinguish between left and right.

And another interesting but not so pleasant attribute that may be associated with this accessory is the phenomenon of khussa bite, or you can say shoe bite. This footwear can be extremely uncomfortable in its initial days - the emphasis is on the phrase 'can be'. So it's not always the case! And with the modern shape of this footwear, thanks to the evolution, it's now not very common with this adornment - especially the high-end brands! In the past, you may have had to endure the khussa bite test! Yes, you heard it right. And the very act of passing this test is called breaking them in. Have you heard of something like this before? Since it is made of pure leather, it has very little flexibility. But you will be surprised how comfy it gets once you are past the 'bite test', in case there is any bite to talk of!

In my earliest memories, I recall a trick shared by elders whenever they would buy us kids a khussa. The aunts would swear by this hack to tackle the dreaded shoe bite. It goes like this:

Simply wet your feet and spend an afternoon wearing your khussa around the house. Keep rewetting your feet as needed! And it would stretch a bit more and will adjust according to your feet!

I'm smiling my widest smile - The affect of these memories! It's more like the modern-day concept of a "memory mattress," I guess! They mold themselves to your feet, and the more you wear them, the more comfortable they become. I can testify to this personally.

Alas! The modern khussas are as comfy as they come. And they don't bite anymore; most of the advertising campaigns thrive on the fact that their khussas are truly comfortable. What a waste of all those hacks.

And if I were able to hook you to my text, then allow me to take you to yet another journey of exploring arts through the windows of history. You didn't pay much attention to my blue pottery. Still I'm back with another item of interest.

_{My personal collection of khussa shoes.
I love wearing these traditional khussa Shoes.}

A little history as always...

Khussa (Urdu: کُھسّہ) is also called "jutti" or "mojari" in our culturally similar other half of the former subcontinent.

Let me start with the fact that a seemingly simple item like footwear can have a rich history associated with it. I'm not talking about just any footwear; today, I am going to introduce you to my personal favorite footwear: khussa shoes.

The story of Khussa shoes - like many ancient artifacts, traces back to some 400 years ago². Different civilizations have different colourful rituals and history when comes to the arts of adornment. If we talk about Indian subcontinent, it was a hub of cultural exchange. It has a very deep and rich history when it comes to the donning of clothes and shoewear and khussa emerged as a symbol of style and tradition!

Some sources say that the roots of handmade leather Khussa, with intricate details and sometimes embroidery were influenced by Chinese and Mongol visitors. Jahangir, son of Mughal emperor Akbar, elevated the Khussa to new heights, refining its design and adding ornate details. An interesting detail reading the history of khussa is that the"Saleem Shahi" style became iconic. It was worn by of kings and commoners alike.³

An other interesting feature is the unisex nature of khussas. Yes, originally the khussas were designed and tailored for both men and women. I used to have a pair like that in my teenage. It was my favourite black leather khussa!

I came across the fact that is popularity spread across India, particularly in Punjab, when prominent prominent figures like Ranjit Singh started wearing them. It went through a massive evolutionary phase in the era of Mughals. Today, various styles, from Multani to Bahawalpuri, reflect the rich heritage of Pakistani footwear.

Making of khussa shoes:

In Pakistan, the Khussa is more than just a shoe; it's a symbol of culture and heritage - it's a traditional ethnic footwear which is handcrafted with precision in Punjab, and Sindh. Multan is quite famous for this handicraft. However, its popularity extends throughout the country, particularly in the plain areas of Pakistan.

This footwear is crafted by artisans using vegetable-tanned leather. Its uppers are intricately embroidered and adorned with various ornaments such as brass nails, cowry shells, mirrors, bells, and ceramic beads. The bonding between the upper and sole is reinforced with eco-friendly cotton thread, ensuring durability.⁴

The eco-friendly aspect of Khussa footwear lies in its manufacturing process, particularly in the use of vegetable tanning for leather hides instead of synthetic procedures. Additionally, the manual laborious skills involved in making Khussa promote eco-friendly practices in the footwear market.⁵

A little glimpse of the process can be seen in the following video as I am not going into detail of the making.

The unisex nature of khussas

_{Men's khussa| source}

Doesn't it have a character of its own? The front twisted part of the shoe, looking back at itself, gives off vibes like, "Hey, I don't care. I'm my own biggest admirer."

I found this item in an advertisement page and I found a very interesting note in the description:

Note: There might be 1-3cm errors of dimension data due to pure manual measurement

The fact that no machine is involved in the making of this product makes every pair unique.

_{masculine khussa↘️}

Initially the khussas were of unisex nature as I have mentioned in my text earlier. And then they passed through the process of evolution splitting them into masculine and feminine variety. In some parts of our country they are still worn as unisex footwear.

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You can pair them with

You can pair them with jeans, trousers, pants, skirts, frocks, ethnic wear, modern dresses, or virtually any other attire. My affection for these khussas might influence my statement, but they truly complement a wide range of outfits.

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It's indeed a realization that just struck me. Khussa, with its traditional charm, might not be suitable footwear for colder parts of our country or for any country with a cold climate. It's a pity because I had hoped that my European friends might find it interesting and even order them from here. I would have been delighted to assist. Perhaps, the summers allow for wearing them, however brief the span may be...