Long before becoming a fashion accessory, tinted eyewear was used by Inuit people to reduce the glare from snow.
High-heeled footwear was originally associated with horseback riding and was worn by men, including Persian cavalrymen.
The earliest forms of toothbrushes were made using twigs, while bristle toothbrushes later emerged in China.
Ancient umbrellas were primarily designed to provide shade from the sun rather than protection from rain.
One of the earliest alarm clocks was designed by Greek philosopher Plato, who reportedly used a water-based mechanism to signal a set time.
Some of the earliest buttons were decorative objects rather than practical fasteners and were used as ornaments.
They were initially used in China mainly as cooking utensils before becoming common eating tools.
Modern disposable tissues evolved from products originally marketed for purposes such as removing cold cream and facial makeup.
The modern zipper developed from earlier fastening devices and was initially promoted for uses such as shoes and tobacco pouches.
It was originally invented as a type of textured wallpaper before becoming the popular packaging material we know today.